Members of the public can object to an application for an alcohol licence in some cases. Your objection must be in writing and must be sent to the Secretary of the relevant District Licensing Committee within 25 working days after the date of the first public notice.
All public notices are published on the Timaru District Council website.
Who can object
Anyone can object to an application for a licence, licence renewal, variation or licence conditions, or special licence, with narrow exceptions for trade competitors and their surrogates. You can object as an individual or as the representative of a group or organisation.
What you can object about
An objection to a new licence must be based on the Act’s criteria for assessing applications (see Figure 3A). These are the only valid grounds for objection. The decision-makers can’t take into account the impacts of the licence on business conducted under any other licence. For example, you can’t object because you think your own licensed premises will lose customers.
What to include in your letter
To object to an application for a new or renewed alcohol licence, you need to:
- write to the DLC stating that you wish to object to the application, and why
- include your full name, residential address, email address, and contact phone number
- ensure that your objection is received within 25 working days after the first public notice in your local newspaper
- if you want to participate in the hearing in support of your objection, it is important to say that and include information on what would require you to attend e.g. video conferencing so you can attend remotely.
Remember, you only have 25 working days to make an objection, so it’s important to act quickly. Working days are weekdays, excluding public holidays, and excluding 20 December - 15 January. Also excluded are Mondays where a public holiday falls on a weekend and is Mondayised - e.g. Waitangi Day or ANZAC Day. You don’t need to have all your arguments well thought out at this stage, as you’ll have the opportunity to talk about your objection at the hearing. If you are short on time, just note down a few key points and say that you wish to speak at the hearing. This will ensure that you get the chance to speak to the DLC about your concerns. You’ll have time to prepare your full arguments for the hearing later
You can find more detailed information about the 'who' and 'what' and 'how' for Objections on the Health Promotion Agency website, including a useful guide to objections and hearings here.
Making a joint objection
Some residents or community groups use petitions to get support against an application. Others use a template objection letter that they give to people to complete and send in.
While these can be an effective way to boost numbers of objectors, they can also result in duplicate or illegible signatures or objections.
Petitions or template objection letters must include:
- the grounds for objection
- the name and address of a spokesperson or contact person, including email address (Note: email is the preferred mode for communication of hearings notices)
- a legible name and address for each objector
- a signature of each objector.
Where to send your letter
Objections can be submitted by post, email or in person:
- Post: The Secretary, Timaru/Mackenzie/Waimate District Licensing Committee, c/- Timaru District Council, PO Box 522, Timaru 7940
- Email: DLC@timdc.govt.nz
- Fax: (03) 687 7209
- In person: Timaru District Council, 2 King George Place, Timaru
Who will know about your objection
The Secretary must send a copy of all objections to the alcohol licence applicant. Applicants are allowed to know the basis of any objections so they can decide whether to change their proposal, continue with their application or prepare a response to the objections.
Some applicants may invite objectors or members of the public to a meeting to discuss the concerns raised. The reporting officers (Licensing Inspector, Police, and Medical Officer of Health officers) will also be provided a copy of all objections.
Objections or objector contact details will not be published or advertised. However, if you wish to appear and be heard at a public hearing then your name and the nature of your objections do become a matter of public record.
What happens to your objection
When we receive your objection we will send you an acknowledgement - provided you supplied a readable name and address (email is the preferred mode of communication if one is provided by you). Your objection will also be sent to the alcohol licence applicant.
We assess your objection to make sure it meets the criteria for consideration.
The licence application file will be forwarded to the relevant District Licencing Committee (DLC) for a decision, along with all objections received. The application and objections will then be considered at a public hearing.
When a hearing date has been set the DLC Administrator will write to all those involved advising the hearing date, time and location.
Note: email is the preferred mode of communication for hearings notices. The notice of hearing must be sent a minimum of 10 working days before the date of the hearing. If your objection is in the form of a petition, we will contact the spokesperson.
District Licensing Committee (DLC) hearings
The DLC is a tribunal. The hearing is a legal process similar to a court hearing with a Chairperson or Commissioner and a panel of appointed members.
The order of speakers is likely to vary from hearing to hearing, but the chairperson of the committee will outline the order of the day at your hearing. In general, hearings follow this format:
Opening and introduction
The chairperson introduces the committee members and advises which licence application is being heard. You and the other parties are asked to introduce yourselves. The chairperson gives a brief outline of the hearing procedure. The chairperson also confirms that they and the committee members don’t have any conflicts of interest and are able to consider the application impartially. The DLC may incorporate various elements of tikanga relevant to their mana whenua for example, opening up the hearing with a karakia (Māori prayer).
The applicant presents
The applicant (either personally or through a representative) introduces their application and presents their case. They can ask witnesses to speak in support of their application. If they’re giving evidence they may be asked first to swear an oath (on a holy book such as the Bible) or give an affirmation (a solemn promise) that what they say will be the truth. The committee may have questions for them and their witnesses.
Reporting agencies speak
The Police, Medical Officer of Health and Licensing Inspector make submissions on the application and are all sworn in (by oath or affirmation) before presenting any evidence they wish to give. They must answer questions from the committee.
Objectors present
You and any other public objectors who wish to speak can talk about your objections. You can do this yourself or through a representative. At the hearing you can’t introduce new grounds for objecting, but you can present evidence to support your reasons for objecting. If you present evidence you are sworn in. You can also call witnesses to support your case. The committee members or chairperson may have questions for you or your witnesses.
Closing statements
Each party usually has a chance to make closing remarks to sum up their case. This can include responding to any arguments made during the hearing; however, no new evidence can be introduced at this stage. You may wish to highlight any relevant case law and say how it relates to your case and the evidence you have brought. The applicant gets the last say.
The conclusion of the hearing
The chairperson advises everyone that the public part of the hearing is finished and outlines the next steps. All committee decisions are issued in writing. Generally the committee issues a written (‘reserved’) decision to the applicant and other parties some time after the day of the hearing. Sometimes the committee confers in private for a short time and delivers an oral decision on the day, with the written decision issued later.
If you have any questions about the hearings process please contact the DLC Administrator by email - DLC@timdc.govt.nz or phone 03 687 7200.
Last updated: 03 Mar 2025