Alcohol Control Bylaw Review 2025
Keeping Our Public Spaces Safe – Alcohol Control in Waimakariri
We all want our towns and public spaces to be safe and welcoming for everyone. One way we help make that happen is through the Alcohol Control Bylaw. This bylaw gives the Council the ability to manage issues linked to alcohol, like crime, damage, injuries, and disorderly behaviour that can happen when alcohol is misused.
The bylaw allows Council to ban:
Drinking alcohol in certain public places
Bringing alcohol into those areas
Carrying alcohol around in those places
The Alcohol Control Bylaw has been part of Waimakariri since 2003, helping to tackle alcohol-related problems in places like Kaiapoi, Rangiora, Ashley Gorge, and our beach settlements (Pines/Kairaki, Woodend Beach, Waikuku Beach).
Our current bylaw (updated in 2018) continues to have strong support from the New Zealand Police and the wider community. Together, we believe it plays an important role in making our public spaces safer and more enjoyable for everyone.
Alcohol Control Bylaw Review 2025
To make sure the Alcohol Control Bylaw is still working well, Council recently carried out a review. We asked for feedback from key groups, including the New Zealand Police, to hear their views on how the bylaw is helping to manage alcohol-related problems in public places. We also looked at crime data from across the district between 2020 and 2024 to see how things have changed.
The review showed that alcohol-related crime has been increasing, which isn’t surprising given Waimakariri’s growing population. But the good news is:
Everyone we spoke to, including the New Zealand Police, agrees that the bylaw helps create safe, family-friendly public spaces and discourages drinking where it’s not appropriate.
All stakeholders also believe that without the bylaw, alcohol-related crime in public places would likely get worse.
Thanks to this feedback and the data, it’s clear that the Alcohol Control Bylaw plays an important role in keeping our community safe.
Proposed changes for the Alcohol Control Bylaw 2025
After reviewing the bylaw, we found that the current rules are doing a good job of managing alcohol-related issues across the district.
That’s why the new proposed Alcohol Control Bylaw 2025 – which is now open for public feedback – is very similar to the existing one. We’re only suggesting a few small changes to make the wording clearer. These tweaks won’t change your current rights or the way the bylaw works day-to-day.
Key aspects of the Alcohol Control Bylaw 2025
Alcohol Ban Areas in Waimakariri
Under the Alcohol Control Bylaw 2025, the following areas will continue to have alcohol bans as outlined below. Bans in Kaiapoi, Rangiora, Woodend, and Oxford towns apply to selected public places, including town centres. (Refer to attached Alcohol Ban Maps for further details.)
Area | Days and Times |
Ashley Gorge | 7.00 pm 31 December to 3.00 am 1 January |
Beach settlements | 7.00 pm 31 December to 3.00 am 1 January |
Kaiapoi Town | 24 hours, 365 days a year |
Rangiora Town | 24 hours, 365 days a year |
Woodend Town | 24 hours, 365 days a year |
Oxford Town | 24 hours, 365 days a year |
Murphy Park Reserve | 24 hours, from 1st April to 1st September |
Alcohol Consumption and Possession in Vehicles within Designated Alcohol Ban Areas
Alcohol consumption and possession in vehicles within designated alcohol ban areas during restricted times and dates remain prohibited.
Offences and Penalties
A breach of this bylaw constitutes an infringement offence. (Section 239A of the Local Government Act 2002).
The infringement fee for violating the alcohol ban is $250.
Please complete our survey to have your say on the Alcohol Control Bylaw Review 2025. Survey closes: 30 May 2025
