The insidious Kerry Prendergast

Wellington City Council are pondering an extension of the CBD liquor ban to encompass the entire city. The Council is looking at throwing the matter open to public submissions later in the year, but if they go ahead with the ban plan they'll have a fight on their hands. It is one thing to clamp down in the CBD, but the Bill of Rights and enforceability issues will cause all sorts of unnecessary problems.

For example:

It is supported by police who say a consistent city-wide policy would aid enforcement. Police also have the power to search any vehicle entering a liquor ban zone.

Are you absolutely positively sure you want the cops to have the right to search without a warrant all vehicles entering or leaving the city? Is a champagne breakfast in the Ohariu Wilton Reserve really that much of a threat to public order? Do you think all those Newtown drunks are just going to stop drinking in public and go to one of Rex Nicholls' swanky bars instead?

There's one thing a few public drinkers and Wellington City Council have in common. Neither group know their limits.