Gisborne is exploring widening its alcohol ban and giving police stronger enforcement powers.
Mayor Rehette Stoltz said her ‘‘gut feeling’' was the public was “absolutely going to hate” a ban that would take the temporary New Year ban (at Midway Beach and the city centre) and make the area larger and the ban permanent, as it would disadvantage people wanting to go for a picnic.
But one business owner says the yelling, abuse and drunkenness on the street is ‘‘horrendous” and she wants police to enforce the liquor ban more.
Alcohol is banned from Gisborne’s city centre streets with a temporary ban that includes Midway Beach over the New Year period when the region is packed with Rhythm and Vines attendees.
At a recent workshop, councillors discussed several options, including: extending the Rhythm and Vines temporary ban and making it permanent (from the city centre to Midway); banning drinking in some parts of Midway; and banning alcohol consumption around Kaiti Mall and the surrounding areas.
‘The drunkenness is horrendous’
Wendy Reeves, who owns the Harcourts beside the library, told Local Democracy Reporting she would like greater police enforcement of the current ban.
She has had to call the police several times on homeless people who drank on the streets.
Reeves said she had seen people drinking from early in the morning to late at night, with up to a dozen people involved.
“I don’t feel threatened because they do it among themselves... but the yelling and the abuse and the drunkenness is horrendous.”
A business, that operates evenings in the area, said its staff and clients felt intimidated leaving work.
Police were approached for comment.
The current city centre ban is bounded by Roebuck Rd, Taruheru River (southern bank), Turanganui River (western bank) and Waikanae Creek (northern bank).
Police can issue a fine of up to $250 for a breach and reported 1285 incidents that involved alcohol within the city centre ban area from September 2019 to June 2024.
The figures increased from 223 in 2020 to 311 in 2023, but there was a dip in 2022 with figures lowering to 236, a report for the council said.
The council determined a bylaw was the most appropriate way to address perceived problems associated with alcohol because it provided police with enforcement tools.
Rhythm and Vines ban extension will make ‘majority suffer’
Councillors said at the meeting they doubted there would be support for increasing the area of the temporary Rhythm and Vines alcohol ban.
The option would include areas east of the Taruheru River (along Stout St), extending south along Rutene Rd (across Waimata River), and Hirini St towards the port areas.
It would extend through north of Anzac St towards Stanley Rd and through to Awapuni Rd to merge into the Midway Beach ban area. In the south, the proposed boundaries would run through the Oneroa cycle/ walkway, according to the council report.
Councillor Larry Foster worried this option would affect many people when the ban was supposed to target the homeless.
“I don’t really want to see the majority suffer for the minority,” he said.
Mayor Rehette Stoltz said her ‘‘gut feeling’' was the public was “absolutely going to hate this”.
“I’m just thinking of people going for a picnic ... for practicality that is quite a sledgehammer,” she said.
Councillor Debbie Gregory said it was “tragic” to know of the alcohol addiction issues in Gisborne.
“Here we are making rules around it and trying our best ... [when] what we really need is an addiction centre, but that’s nothing to do with council,” she said.
Intermediate policy advisor Makarand Rodge said a permanent ban would reduce council costs because temporary ones required signage.
A petition was also circulated in 2023 to stop drinking at Gisborne’s First World War Memorial Cenotaph, the report said.
There is no current ban on the cenotaph side of the river, but there is one on the other side.
Council staff have seen ongoing damage to the cenotaph and littering around the memorial due to alcohol consumption.
This liquor ban option would help protect family-friendly spaces and tourist hotspots from alcohol-related activities such as Watson Park, Adventure Playground, Kiwa Pool, Churchhill Park, the scenic walkway from Mitre 10 to Midway Beach, Taraheru riverbanks, and esplanade, said the report.
Stoltz said she supported extending the CBD ban area but thought the Midway surf ban was not needed and asked for the map to be adapted.
“There’s no outcry from the public saying this is an area that we need to look at ... it needs attention three days in a year [during Rhythm and Vines].”
Kaitī school backs alcohol ban as council considers bylaw options
A Gisborne school principal says they would welcome an alcohol ban in the Kaitī area as people regularly gather to drink at the bus stop outside Kaitī Mall and across the road from their school.
Alcohol is banned from Gisborne’s city-centre streets, with a temporary ban that includes Midway Beach over the New Year period while the Rhythm and Vines festival takes place.
At a recent council workshop, councillors discussed several options including extending the R&V temporary alcohol ban and making it permanent (from the city centre to Midway); banning drinking in some parts of Midway; and banning alcohol consumption around Kaitī Mall and the surrounding areas.
Kaitī School principal Billie-Jean Potaka Ayton said an alcohol ban in the Kaitī area “would be a good move for the community” as they have had to call the police several times.
Council staff will adapt the options based on feedback and present the council with a draft plan for the alcohol ban areas in March.
Once councillors adopt a draft plan, it will go out for public consultation.
