Steps taken against stores caught out on Target

The Christchurch City Council has taken steps against the retailers
shown on TV3's Target programme allowing people under the legal age
limit to purchase alcohol.

After being informed by Target's producers about the results of their
operation, the Tri-Agency Liquor Licensing Team, consisting of
Christchurch City Council Liquor Licensing Inspectors, Public Health
Licensing Inspectors, and the Police Alcohol Strategy and Enforcement
team, carried out its own Controlled Purchase Operation in January.

During this operation the nine stores which sold to Target's underage
volunteers were visited. The Controlled Purchase Operation used 16 and
14 year old volunteers. Six of the stores sold alcohol to the
Tri-Agency's volunteers. Four of those stores also sold to the 14 year
old volunteer, including the store which sold to Target's ten year old
volunteer.

As a result of this operation the Council's Licensing Inspectors will be
recommending that the Liquor Licensing Authority either cancels or
suspends the liquor licence of those six stores. The Liquor Licensing
Inspectors are also taking legal advice on what action can be taken
against the other three stores.

The Tri-Agency Liquor Licensing Team needed to carry out its own
Controlled Purchase Operations because the footage from the Target show,
while deeply disappointing and disturbing, is not adequate evidence on
its own to prove a case before the Liquor Licensing Authority. Stores
can only have their liquor licence removed through a decision by the
Liquor Licensing Authority.

Paul Rogers, the Liquor Licensing Team Leader, says they are hoping to
get the cooperation of Target's volunteers, and their parents, in order
to verify the footage and use it effectively in the Liquor Licensing
Authority. Mr Rogers says they are working with Target on this issue.

Mr Rogers says the Council does regularly carry out its own Controlled
Purchase Operations, with 40 to 50 premises randomly visited each year.
He says some of the premises which sold to Target's underage volunteers
had previously been tested by the Tri-Agency team, and had not sold to
its underage volunteers.

He says he hopes the incident will reinforce to liquor licence holders
that they need to ensure their staff are well trained, and that they
consistently uphold the law.