Drink accord only a plaster - expert

A Hamilton drug and alcohol specialist has slammed the city's Alcohol Accord as "a sticking plaster for a problem that is bigger than most of us realise".

Alcohol and Drug Community Support Trust director Stephen King said the accord signed between police, the Hamilton City Council, bar licensees and Health Waikato had failed to address the issue of irresponsible drinking in Hamilton's city centre.

"The accord was held up as a strategy against this problem and it is quite obvious to me that it isn't working."

His comments were sparked by a recent incident in which police had to set up skirmish lines to deal with unruly mobs on Hood St and Alexandra St.

"The reality is that, accord or no accord, our young people are getting intoxicated in town and are causing problems while they are down there.

"I am challenging the accord and police concern over the drinking problem of our young people. I am pretty sure they're not being honest about what is going on in our town in the early hours of the morning."

The Sale of Liquor Act is currently under review and it has been proposed the legal age to purchase alcohol could be left at 18 for on-licence premises but raised to 20 for off-licence premises such as supermarkets.

However, Mr King said he was not in favour of moving the age because he said it would not address the problem.

"The assumption is the on-licence places are a much safer place for our young people to drink in but I would dispute that because all you need to do is go down to town on a Friday or Saturday just after midnight and you will see what I mean.

"I didn't support putting the age back up because the young people tell us that they will get access to alcohol regardless of the age and I believe them. What we need is a change of culture and requires more than a change in laws. A change in the culture is a long-term undertaking."

Reinstating the police charge of drunk and disorderly in a public place is also being considered under the review but Mr King did not support that because it shifted the responsibility from people selling alcohol to the customer.

"These people would like to be responsible but they are in the business of selling a product," he said.

Several city bar owners spoken to by the Waikato Times said they were doing all they could to address the problems but were at a loss about what else could be done.

Russell Menzies, part-owner of The Outback, said they had employed a number of initiatives including Bar Safe, which sees security don fluoro-coloured vests in the last hour before closing time. They are then stationed near exits.

"It gives the impression that there is a bigger police pressence," said Mr Menzies.

Jason Macklow, who owns CBD, Rodeo Rodeo and The Rowers Arms, said there was no silver bullet to the problem.

He said most of the town's bar owners were responsible hosts and ensured that anyone who seemed intoxicated would not be served.