This story illustrates how it can ‘take a village’ to reduce alcohol harm in a community.
Auckland Council Head of Community Impact, Dickie Humpries, describes a lived example of that much-quoted phrase.
Dickie Humphries, Auckland Council's Head of Community Impact.
Starting with a history-making conversation between the Head Boy of a local college and a former Prime Minister, the community’s voice has been brought into the centre of decision-making around measures to reduce alcohol harm in Auckland.
It began with the pivotal meeting in 2009 between the Head Boy and Sir Geoffrey Palmer, then President of the Law Commission.
The brave eighteen-year-old spoke about the visibility of liquor stores seemingly on every corner - often near schools - in his vulnerable Glen Innes community and the damage it was causing in his world.
On hearing this reality, Sir Geoffrey Palmer set up a roadshow to hear the voices of more communities around the country. It was an example of democracy in action.
Add to the story a champion in Dickie Humphries himself and the persistence of Councillor Josephine Bartley, both supporting this all-important community engagement.
Councillor Josephine Bartley.
In September 2024, 24 areas including Auckland’s city centre, saw a freeze on the opening of new off-licences put in place as the region’s new local alcohol policy came into effect.
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Read more about Auckland’s local alcohol policy |
The policy had been voted for unanimously by councillors at their Governing Body meeting the month prior.
Councillor Josephine Bartley, chair of Auckland’s Regulatory and Safety Committee, said at the time that limiting the number of liquor stores in neighbourhoods was something communities asked for and was a step forward in creating a thriving, healthy and safe Tāmaki Makaurau.
Music in Parks – one of many alcohol-free events.
This story illustrates the role of councils and central government in listening to the community before amplifying and delivering change.
“This journey was good for democracy and it was good for policy,” says Humphries, reflecting on 17 years of mahi (work) in bringing about change.
He says the work to reduce alcohol harm continues today with Auckland Council’s Community Impact Unit, supported by Councillor Bartley alongside the Governing Body at Auckland Council.
“We are building on this foundation. We now have alcohol delegates on local boards who have authority to object to licence applications. We are working to shift mindsets around alcohol culture in sport, and we have set up a safe drop-in space in the city centre, among other initiatives,” he says.
More on the ways the Community Impact Unit team, led by Dickie Humphries, is addressing alcohol harm across the region:
- Empowering local decision-makers: Each local board has a designated alcohol delegate authorised to object to alcohol licence applications on the board’s behalf. Following last year’s local government elections, Auckland Council staff from the Governance Support, Regulatory, and Environmental Health and Community Impact teams delivered training for new and returning delegates.
- Pooling resources and expertise to transform outcomes: Alongside NZ Police and Te Whatu Ora, Auckland Council contributes to a tri‑agency working group that aligns alcohol harm‑prevention efforts across the three statutory agencies.
- Transformation through collective action: The Community Impact Unit leads the facilitation of a cross‑sector network working to transform alcohol culture in sport through collaboration, knowledge‑sharing, and shifts in mindset.
- A safer and more inclusive nightlife environment: Take Ten is a welcoming drop in space that supports people enjoying Auckland's nightlife on Friday and Saturday nights. The space is open from 10pm-3am in Te Komititanga Square and provides water, free phone charging, and is staffed by friendly, trained volunteers who offer practical help, a listening ear, and support to get home safely.