Local Alcohol Policy

Local alcohol policies

Councils can develop a Local Alcohol Policy (LAP) to influence the location, number and trading hours of businesses licensed to sell alcohol.

Visit the Sale and Supply Alcohol Act 2012 for more information.

Purpose of a LAP

LAPs generally encourage the responsible sale, supply and consumption of alcohol and focus on reducing alcohol related harm.

A LAP can influence:

• where new alcohol licences can be established
• how many new alcohol licences are allowed
• when bars, restaurants and nightclubs can be open
• when bottle shops and supermarkets can sell alcohol
• when clubs (for example, sports clubs, RSAs) can sell alcohol.

LAPs can also set out conditions that can be applied to alcohol licences. This is to improve industry standards and promote safe and responsible sale and supply of alcohol.

LAPs will need to be considered by the relevant District Licensing Committee (DLC) and the Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority (ARLA) when they make decisions on new licence applications.

The LAPs will also have some effect on existing licences.

Our LAP

We adopted the Provisional LAP in May 2015.

The Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority adopted our LAP in August 2024, after several years of appeals.

The LAP includes regional policies, as well as some special rules for the city centre and 'priority overlay' areas. These are designated areas where special regulations take precedence.

Our priority overlays cover suburbs experiencing higher levels of alcohol-related harm. For the boundaries of these areas, see Local alcohol policy areas.

Key points of the LAP

Key points in the LAP are:

• opening hours
• restrictions on the location of new licences   
• a range of discretionary conditions that can be applied to licences.