NZ proposes 68-hour Rugby World Cup booze bill

An alcohol watchdog has slammed proposals by MPs to permit New Zealand bars to open for up to 68 hours-straight during the Rugby World Cup.

New Zealand’s bars could be permitted to stay open for longer during the 2015 Rugby World Cup

Act Party leader David Seymour put forward the Rugby World Cup Booze bill as many of the games being played in the UK from the middle of September will be shown in the early hours of the morning in New Zealand.

However, the plans have been highly criticised by the National Public Health Alcohol Group, as well as Women’s Refuge and health professionals, which argue longer opening hours contribute to alcohol abuse.

“As currently drafted, premises could open continuously and legally serve alcohol from 6.30am on Saturday 19^th September through to 6.15am on Monday 21^st September (a period of 47 hours and 45 minutes),” the National Public Health Alcohol Group’s submission stated, as reported by the New Zealand Herald.

“On the final weekend of the pool matches there is the potential for premises to open from 8am Saturday through to 4am on the following Monday, without a break, due to the scheduling of the matches – 68 hours of continuous opening.

“On quarter final weekend there is again the potential for 48 hour continuous opening.”

The group wants the bill altered so that it only applies to All Black games and knockout matches, of which there will be a total of 12.

However, Seymour argued such a restriction would be “deeply unfair” to New Zealand’s many ethnicities and was keen to apply the bill to all 48 games.

The bill received its first reading earlier this month and the Justice and Electoral Select Committee has now published more than 60 submissions.

The committee is scheduled to report back to Parliament by 26 August in order for the bill to be passed before the start of the Rugby World Cup tournament.

William Grant & Sons has been named the official spirits and Champagne provider of the Rugby World Cup this year.