Applications are now open to small business owners who qualify for one of American Express’ signature grant programmes in 2025: Backing International Small Restaurants and Backing Historic Small Restaurants.

Together, the “Backing Small” programme grants will provide US$3.95 million in funding and other resources to help small and independent restaurants around the world preserve their history and legacy while celebrating their cuisines and invigorating local economies.

“American Express is proud to back local champions who strengthen their communities, and that includes many small and independent restaurants,” said Madge Thomas, Head of Corporate Sustainability and President, American Express Foundation. “Food brings people together, and we aim to offer these restaurants the support they need for their spaces and operations so they can continue to grow and be pillars in their neighborhoods.”

This year, Backing International Small Restaurants is open for the first time to applicants in New Zealand. Eligible restaurants in Auckland are able to apply for one of five grants valued at $25,000 NZD each. The Restaurant Association is supportive of this programme, with CEO Marisa Bidois commenting: “We are pleased to see American Express extending its global support for small restaurants to New Zealand. This initiative acknowledges the critical role that our small hospitality businesses play in shaping our local culture and economy. The Restaurant Association is committed to championing initiatives that provide real, tangible benefits to our industry, and this is one of them.”

Grantees from past years say the funding helped them make much needed infrastructure changes. Sue and Dale Messina from Bojak Brewing, a 75-seater brewery in the Melbourne suburb of Dandenong were one of the 13 grant recipients in Australia in 2024. They used the grant to upgrade equipment and facilities in their business.

“The American Express grant was great because it helped us afford improvements that we couldn’t have made otherwise. We installed permanent gas heaters in the outdoor beer garden, making it a perfect year-round spot for families and beer lovers alike. The grant also enabled us to invest in new kitchen flooring and better equipment like a new density meter to provide more precise measurements and streamline the brewing process, as well as a carton box-taper to improve efficiency when packaging beer.”

Applications for the Backing International Small Restaurants programme are now open and close on July 1. Apply here.

---

American Express launched both Backing Small programmes when many restaurants closed their doors during the pandemic, evolving them over the years to support small restaurant owners in addressing their current needs. As the founder of Small Business Saturday in 2010, American Express has brought communities together by connecting small business owners with local customers when these businesses needed the foot traffic. Since 2020, our grants have supported nearly 5,000 small businesses across six countries and 50 U.S. states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico. Learn more about American Express’ community impact here.

April 2025

Whanganui District Council

PO Box 637

Whanganui 4541

Restaurant Association of New Zealand submission on the Whanganui District Council Draft Local Alcohol Policy

The Restaurant Association of New Zealand (the Restaurant Association) welcomes the opportunity to submit on the Whanganui District Council Draft Local Alcohol Policy. 

Since 1972, the Restaurant Association has worked to offer advice, help and assistance in every facet of the vibrant and diverse hospitality industry, covering the length and breadth of the country. We’re passionate about our vibrant industry, which is full of interesting, talented and entrepreneurial people.

Whanganui District Council proposal

The Restaurant Association’s priority for Local Alcohol Policies is to ensure that they accurately reflect the different levels of harm from off- and on- licence venues, and the potential impact of LAPs to those in our sector who operate on-licence venues and are already heavily regulated by the conditions of holding such a licence. We are not opposed to those trading conditions – in fact, we see them as commonsense rules which ensure the safe and responsible sale and supply of alcohol.

While our more than 2,500-strong membership is made up of hospitality businesses where food is the hero of their operations, many offer alcohol beverages as a supplement to the culinary experience they provide. In a practical sense, there are far fewer restrictions and regulations for off-licence holders in terms of the responsible sale and supply of alcohol when compared to on-licence holders.

For example, when serving alcohol in an on-licence venue, staff must monitor intake and determine when they must stop service to prevent intoxication. Alternatively at an off-licence venue, customers can purchase as much alcohol as they want, to take home and then consume as much as they want without any concerns. It is clear that a large part of enabling that problem comes from the proliferation of off-licence venues, and those on-licence venues whose primary business is not food – as distinct from those on-licence venues whose primary business is food.

Of the Council’s three proposed options, the Restaurant Association supports ‘Option 2: Adopt the proposed Local Alcohol Policy 2025’, however, we believe the licensing rules for the district should be more nuanced, to support a thriving hospitality industry while still taking a risk-based approach to alcohol harm prevention and minimisation.

The Restaurant Association’s further views on the Council’s proposals are detailed below.

Sensitive sites 

Decisions regarding restrictions on proximity to sensitive sites should be evidence-based rather than based on intuition or speculation about what could reduce alcohol-related harm. It is the Restaurant Association’s position that any proximity restrictions should be considered on a case by case basis, in particular taking into account:

• The type of licence being applied for (e.g. a Class 3 Restaurant on-licence vs bottle store off-licence)
• How long a business has been operating (e.g. if an ECE or school decides to open near a licensed venue, knowing they will be near a licensed venue, the licensee should not be penalised when they come to renewing their licence).

Off-licence cap 

The Restaurant Association supports the Council taking a more nuanced approach to licensing, however we submit there is a need to consider the differing risks posed by sub-class of licences. We would like to see LAPs be more specific, where for example, when considering any kind of restriction or regulation (such as one way door policies, proximity and density rules or time of sale restrictions), that conditions be set by specific license type, rather than taking a blanket on licence or off-licence approach to regulation.

Sale hours 

While we recognise the proposed drawing back of off-licence alcohol sales to 9.00pm may be appropriate for off-licenses,, we submit that greater flexibility is needed for venues such as Class 3 restaurants with an on-licence – particularly when compared to on-licenses such as taverns, nightclubs, and adult premises, and submit that flexibility around classes of specific on-licence types is aligned with the weighting and times specified in section 5(4) of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Fees) Regulations 2013.

One-way door

The Restaurant Association agrees with the Council’s aim to address alcohol-related harm by encouraging people who are drinking late into the night to consume alcohol in supervised environments; however, there is no conclusive research about whether one-way door policies work to reduce harm. Such policies have also been rejected after repeated attempts to implement them internationally as they have been found to increase the size of crowds gathering outside venues, rather than the intended goal of dispersal.

Other discretionary conditions

The Restaurant Association would also like to take this opportunity to highlight our other priorities for local alcohol policies:

• Conditions relating to minimum numbers of qualified managers 
• Renewal of licences
• On-licence trading hours

Conditions relating to minimum numbers of qualified managers

Some Councils have adopted (or are looking to adopt) a discretionary condition whereby the DLC and ARLA are recommended to consider imposing conditions that specify a minimum number of certified managers be present onsite, if appropriate for large capacity premises at peak times. The exact number would depend on the layout, use and capacity of the premises. This condition fails to recognise the current cost and administrative burden associated with becoming a licensed manager, with those barriers often imposed by the DLC and ARLA themselves. We do not support the imposition of minimum numbers of certified managers without first reforming restrictions around who can hold a managers’ licence, to ensure that we have the appropriately certified workforce available.

Renewal of licences

There is no reason that a licence renewal should be as cumbersome as a new licence application, yet both applicants and councils are facing significant administrative burdens for every licence renewal. The Restaurant Association recommends the Council consider adopting third-party accreditation programmes, such as HospoCred, to streamline application and renewal processes for hospitality businesses. This could be utilised in conjunction with current council processes: by checking whether any complaints or infringements have been recorded against an applicant in the Council’s own database, and then utilising the comprehensive vetting and benchmarking offered by the HospoCred accreditation programme, local and central governments can streamline workflows, reduce costs, and build stronger partnerships with the hospitality industry.

On-licence trading hours

Compared to international standards, New Zealanders traditionally eat dinner and go to bed earlier than many countries around the world. As an industry — and a region — that relies heavily on international tourism to thrive, our hospitality businesses in Whanganui need to be able to make operating decisions that service a wide variety of customer preferences: from the regular who lives down the road, to the group of friends visiting from overseas who are looking for somewhere to sit down for dinner at what we would consider a late hour.

We’re proud of the contribution our businesses make to our vibrant towns, cities and communities, but we need policy settings to enable that to continue. As such, we recommend that any hours of trade are set by specific licence type — rather than a broad on-licence versus off-licence categorisation — to enable low-risk restaurants to service an increasing number of tourists looking to dine out later in the evening.

Conclusion

Thank you for the opportunity to provide feedback on your draft local alcohol policy. We would be happy to discuss any part of this submission in more detail, and to provide any assistance that you may require.

April 2025

Waitomo District Council Draft Alcohol Fees Bylaw 2025 

---

Background 

Waitomo District Council is seeking feedback on the development of the Draft Alcohol Fees Bylaw 2025 (the Bylaw). The Council is proposing the new Bylaw to set fees and charges for alcohol licences in Waitomo District. Introducing this Bylaw would allow Council to set the amount it charges to alcohol licence holders (e.g. bars, alcohol stores and supermarkets), to help cover costs relating to alcohol licensing.

Council is proposing to increase alcohol licensing charges by 35% in July 2025, followed by a further 35% in July 2026 to bring the total cost recovery closer to 100%. After the initial and secondary increases, the Bylaw will form part of the review of Council’s Fees and Charges Schedule, with the next review anticipated coming into effect on 1 July 2027.

---

Online Submission Details

Do you agree on the preferred Option 1? 

• No 

If you answered no: 

If your answer above was ‘no’, what reason do you have, or other suggestions/approach?

The Restaurant Association of New Zealand (the Restaurant Association) welcomes the opportunity to submit on the Waitomo District Council Draft Alcohol Fees Bylaw 2025.

Since 1972, the Restaurant Association has worked to offer advice, help and assistance in every facet of the vibrant and diverse hospitality industry, covering the length and breadth of the country. We’re passionate about our vibrant industry, which is full of interesting, talented and entrepreneurial people.

While the Restaurant Association understands the Council’s desire to introduce an alcohol licensing fees bylaw, we do not support the proposed method put forward by the Council.

The Restaurant Association supports a staggered approach to increasing alcohol licensing fees, but we recommend that a cap on annual fee increases be adopted by the Council, limiting annual alcohol licensing fee increases to a maximum of no greater than 15%. We would also like to highlight our other priorities for local alcohol fee bylaws:

• Where fee increases are proposed, ensuring they are phased in over a reasonable timeframe
• Ensuring Councils are transparent about the cost of alcohol licensing, including which types of licence incur greater costs to the council
• Retaining a minimum 30% of alcohol licensing costs to be paid for through general rates, in recognition of the benefit of a thriving hospitality industry to local communities, and
• Advocating to Central Government for a review of risk ratings set out in legislation.

Phased fee increases

While we recognise that licensing fees were set by legislation 11 years ago, and that Councils across the country need to recover costs, it is our position that businesses should not be hit with such drastic fee increases simply because their local council had not adopted an alcohol fees bylaw sooner.

For that reason we recommend that all councils take a more gradual approach to fee increases, by more evenly distributing the cumulative increase over a longer period. Further, we recommend that a cap on annual fee increases be adopted by the Council, limiting annual alcohol licensing fee increases to a maximum of no greater than 15%.

Council transparency 

We are concerned that many Councils across the country use cost recovery as a blanket justification for increasing fees across the board, often without any transparency around actual costs incurred by the Council.

It is our position that Councils should provide evidence of the actual cost of processing licences as part of their consultation, so licencees can have confidence that the amount being recovered is accurate and fair. This breakdown should also include the difference in cost of processing on-licences compared to off-licences, with a view to recovering costs on a more proportionate basis in the future.

Finally, we would like to see that Councils have sought to improve efficiencies or cut the internal cost of alcohol licences before passing these costs on to licencees. Businesses are not an endless source of funds that can withstand constant levying by local authorities, and we submit that there must be an attempt on behalf of regulatory bodies across the country to build confidence in their activities.

Public benefit of hospitality

The Restaurant Association submits that all Councils should retain a ratepayer contribution of 30% to alcohol licensing fees, to recognise the contribution of well-managed hospitality venues to the life and economy of communities, and the societal value of having facilities available where people can go to enjoy themselves while drinking safely and responsibly.

Arguments against retaining a ratepayer contribution often cite the user-pays intention of the Act as justification for complete (or almost complete) cost recovery through licensing fees. We submit that ratepayers are part of the user-pays licensing system, and rather than relying on venues to increase prices to cover fee increases, the Council should support access to affordable hospitality for all through its setting of fees.

Review of current risk ranking

The Restaurant Association recognises the need to ensure the sale and supply of alcohol is undertaken safely and responsibly. However, we are concerned that the rigid risk rating formula contained in legislation is out of date and no longer matches the realities of modern hospitality environments.

It is important that legislation and bylaws recognise there is not only a difference between on- and off-licence venues, but that there is also a difference between types of on-licence venue: for example, both a night club and a restaurant are on-licence venues, but prima facie these businesses have two very different risk profiles.

Our more than 2,500-strong membership is made up of hospitality businesses where food is the hero of their operations, with alcoholic beverages offered as a supplement to their culinary experience. We therefore believe that a more fulsome review of the risk rating of premises within the regulations to better reflect the actual risk of harm.

We recognise that the setting of risk ratings is not within the control of this Council, and therefore recommend that the Council passes a resolution in support of a Ministry of Justice review of the risk ratings in legislation, to better reflect the risks of different types of licensed premises.

Thank you for the opportunity to provide feedback on your draft alcohol fees bylaw. We would be happy to discuss any part of this submission in more detail, and to provide any assistance that you may require.

April 2025

Tauranga City Council

Private Bag 12022 

Tauranga 3143

New Zealand

Restaurant Association of New Zealand submission on the Tauranga City Council draft Annual Plan 2025/26

The Restaurant Association of New Zealand (the Restaurant Association) welcomes the opportunity to submit on the Tauranga City Council draft Annual Plan 2025/26. 

Since 1972, the Restaurant Association has worked to offer advice, help and assistance in every facet of the vibrant and diverse hospitality industry, covering the length and breadth of the country. We’re passionate about our vibrant industry, which is full of interesting, talented and entrepreneurial people.

The Restaurant Association would like to note that this submission is in reference to the ‘Food Premises’ and ‘Street Dining’ sections of the 2025/26 Fees and Charges consultation document. As the representative body for more than 2,500 hospitality businesses, who are predominantly restaurant and cafe owners, we are concerned about both the street dining proposal and the food premises proposal. 

While the Restaurant Association recognises the cost pressures faced by Councils across the country, we are concerned about the Council’s decision to standardise the street dining fee. Standardising the street dining fee will result in immense price increases for some businesses. For example, a hospitality business in Zone B will incur over a 500% increase, even with the 50% discount of the full rate of $100 per metre. The proposal also states that these new fees would occur from July 1, leaving businesses with minimal time to plan for and adjust to that shift in costs. 

The combination of standardised street dining fees and increases to food premises fees result in a vast increase in the cost for hospitality businesses to simply exist. We’re proud of the contribution our businesses make to our vibrant towns, cities and communities, but we need policy settings that enable this to continue. Hospitality businesses are already struggling to keep the doors open and these fee increases mean that it will be more expensive for a hospitality business to simply exist.

We are also concerned that many Councils across the country use cost recovery as a blanket justification for increasing fees across the board, often without any transparency around actual costs incurred by the Council. It is our position that Councils should provide evidence of the actual cost of processing licences as part of their consultation, so licencees can have confidence that the amount being recovered is accurate and fair. 

Finally, we would like to see that Councils have sought to improve efficiencies or cut the internal cost of licences before passing these costs on to licencees. Businesses are not an endless source of funds that can withstand constant levying by local authorities, and we submit that there must be an attempt on behalf of regulatory bodies across the country to build confidence in their activities.

Thank you for the opportunity to provide feedback on your draft Annual Plan 2025/26. We would be happy to discuss any part of this submission in more detail, and to provide any assistance that you may require.

Ngā mihi nui

Marisa Bidois

Chief Executive

Wednesday, 16 April 2025

The Restaurant Association and Hospitality New Zealand are pleased to release the full report from the 2024 Hospitality Summit, providing a comprehensive roadmap for addressing the key challenges facing New Zealand’s hospitality industry.

Developed through extensive consultation with the hospitality sector, the Summit report identifies 65 practical and actionable solutions across seven key areas.

“We’re excited to officially release this report, and we’re focused on collaborating with each other alongside the government to progress these solutions.” says Marisa Bidois, Chief Executive of the Restaurant Association of New Zealand.

“The hospitality industry is a vital contributor to New Zealand’s economy, and is a key part of our tourism offering as a country. Now is the time for bold action to create a more resilient and thriving sector.”

Minister for Tourism and Hospitality Louise Upston says, “It’s fantastic to see the insights and ideas discussed at last year’s Hospitality Summit now presented as actionable solutions in this report.  I’m pleased to see that the Government’s focus on tourism growth aligns with the hospitality sector’s priorities.  The sector’s renowned hustle and hard work shines through in its response to this report, with industry leading the way on most recommendations.”

At the first meeting with Minister Upston, hospitality industry representatives were asked what ‘bold’ looks like for the sector. The Summit report provides a clear answer, focusing both on quick wins that will establish momentum, as well as long-term foundational changes needed to tackle more complex challenges.

“This is an opportunity to make meaningful, lasting changes that will benefit not just our industry, but New Zealand as a whole.” says Steve Armitage, Chief Executive of Hospitality New Zealand.

“We’re already seeing progress in a number of areas – such as the recent announcements of investments in attracting international business events, regional tourism and global tourism marketing – and we look forward to seeing real action come from this report.”

Some of the areas that Hospitality NZ and the Restaurant Association will work on together include specific actions covering data, skills and training, and mental health.

This includes developing an online platform to consolidate industry data, establishing clear career pathways from education into hospitality, and creating dedicated mental health resources for hospitality employees.

ENDS

RA Media contact: 

Becky Erwood

Restaurant Association of New Zealand

E: Becky@restaurantnz.co.nz 

P: 021 414 926

Note for Editors:

• A full copy of the 2024 Hospitality Summit Report, Serving Success: Opportunities for the New Zealand Hospitality Industry, is available here.

Hon Louise Upston

Welcome insights to make hospitality thrive

Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston has welcomed a report from the Restaurant Association and Hospitality New Zealand on steps to support the hospitality sector to thrive.

“It’s fantastic to see the insights and ideas discussed at last year’s Hospitality Summit now presented as actionable solutions in this report,” Louise Upston says.

“I’m pleased to see that the Government’s focus on tourism growth aligns with the hospitality sector’s priorities, particularly our vision to drive economic growth for hospitality businesses and jobs for Kiwis, by increasing international visitor numbers. 

“The hospitality sector’s renowned hustle and hard work shines through in its response to this report, with industry leading the way on most recommendations. 

“The Hospitality Summit has been a key initiative allowing greater alignment across the hospitality and tourism sectors. The input of hospitality leaders has been instrumental in delivering our Tourism Boost. The shared knowledge of leaders has been invaluable in helping chart future directions.

“Where recommendations call for government support or action, much is already being addressed through the work programmes of various government agencies.

“Work currently underway includes the additional $3 million to secure more business events as part of the Tourism Boost package, and $50,000 for the Restaurant Association of New Zealand, working in partnership with Hospitality NZ, to develop hospitality and restaurant spending insights.

“Changes to the Accredited Employer Work Visa address concerns raised about wage thresholds and job checks while a review of the vocational education and training system will consider the need for better support for skilled talent in the hospitality industry.  

“The comprehensive recommendations in this report are exactly the type of feedback that I want to encourage from the sector, working in partnership with Government.  

“I look forward to working together as we continue to prioritise growth for the tourism and hospitality sectors,” says Louise Upston.

Note to editors: 

‘Serving Success – Opportunities for the New Zealand Hospitality Industry’ is available online here.

The Restaurant Association and Hospitality New Zealand have released the full report from the 2024 Hospitality Summit, held at Parliament last December. The report lays out a clear and practical roadmap for tackling the big challenges facing our industry.

Built from wide-ranging consultation with our members and the broader sector, the report identifies 65 actionable solutions across seven key areas. It’s a strong signal of our shared commitment to work together – and with government – to move these ideas forward.  

At our first meeting with Minister Upston, we were asked: “What does bold look like for hospitality?” This report answers that – with both quick wins to build momentum and longer-term changes to set us up for the future.  

We’re already seeing some positive steps from government – like new investment in international business events, regional tourism, and global marketing – and we’re focused on keeping that progress going. Some of the areas the RA and HNZ will collaborate on include improving access to industry data, creating clearer training and career pathways, and developing dedicated mental health resources for our people.  

Now is the time to be bold! The work we do now will help shape a more resilient, sustainable, and thriving hospitality sector for the future. We’ll be keeping you across the progress as actions roll out and will continue to share updates on how these solutions are being put into practice.  

You can view the full report here.

---

View the Minister for Tourism & Hospitality media release here – Welcome insights to make hospitality thrive.

Immigration New Zealand have announced that more Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) applicants can receive Interim Visas that allow them to work in New Zealand if their visa expires while INZ are assessing their application.

To be eligible, the applicant must hold either a work visa or a student visa that allows them to work during term time, have applied for an AEWV and receive their Interim Visa on or after 8 April, 2025. Their Interim Visa will allow them to work for the accredited employer and the job specified in their AEWV application, enabling them to move into their job more quickly.

Interim Visas are usually granted automatically to eligible customers. If a migrant receives an Interim Visa, they can show employers their visa letter, which will say whether they can work and what conditions apply.

Please note:

• Interim Visa conditions are not shown when checking a migrant’s work rights using VisaView.
• If the applicant intends to apply for a Work to Residence Visa, time spent working on the Interim Visa can count towards their New Zealand work experience requirements.

March 2025

Rotorua Lakes Council

1061 Haupapa Street

Rotorua 3010

Introduction

The Restaurant Association of New Zealand (the Restaurant Association) welcomes the opportunity to submit on the Rotorua Lakes Council’s Local Alcohol Policy Review 2025. Since 1972, the Restaurant Association has worked to offer advice, help and assistance in every facet of the vibrant and diverse hospitality industry, covering the length and breadth of the country. We’re passionate about our vibrant industry, which is full of interesting, talented and entrepreneurial people.

Rotorua Lakes Council proposal

The Restaurant Association’s priority for Local Alcohol Policies is to ensure that they accurately reflect the different levels of harm from off- and on- licence venues, and the potential impact of LAPs to those in our sector who operate on-licence venues and are already heavily regulated by the conditions of holding such a licence. We are not opposed to those trading conditions – in fact, we see them as commonsense rules which ensure the safe and responsible sale and supply of alcohol. While our more than 2,500-strong membership is made up of hospitality businesses where food is the hero of their operations, many offer alcohol beverages as a supplement to the culinary experience they provide.

In a practical sense, there are far fewer restrictions and regulations for off-licence holders in terms of the responsible sale and supply of alcohol when compared to on-licence holders. For example, when serving alcohol in an on-licence venue, staff must monitor intake and determine when they must stop service to prevent intoxication.

Alternatively at an off-licence venue, customers can purchase as much alcohol as they want, to take home and then consume as much as they want without any concerns. It is clear that a large part of enabling that problem comes from the proliferation of off-licence venues, and those on-licence venues whose primary business is not food.

The Rotorua Lakes Council proposals generally reflect this sentiment, with most of the changes only applying to off-license venues. The Restaurant Association believes the status quo should remain for all on-licence policy options. The Restaurant Association’s views on each of the Council’s proposals are detailed below. 

On-licence trading hours within the Inner City and ‘Eat Streat’

Compared to international standards, New Zealanders traditionally eat dinner and go to bed earlier than many countries around the world. As an industry – and a region – that relies heavily on international tourism to thrive, our hospitality businesses in Rotorua need to be able to make operating decisions that service a wide variety of customer preferences – from the regular who lives down the road, to the group of friends visiting from overseas who are looking for somewhere to sit down for dinner at 10pm.

We’re proud of the contribution our businesses make to our vibrant towns, cities and communities – but we need policy settings to enable that to continue. As such, we recommend that any hours of trade are set by specific licence type – rather than a broad on-licence versus off-licence categorisation – to enable low-risk restaurants to service an increasing number of tourists looking to dine out later in the evening.

We recognise that the proposed 2am on-licence restriction may be appropriate for night clubs, however we submit that greater flexibility is needed for venues such as Class 3 restaurants with an on-licence, and submit that flexibility around classes of specific on-licence types is aligned with the weighting and times specified in section 5(4) of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Fees) Regulations 2013.

New on-licence and off-licence location in proximity to sensitive facilities

Decisions regarding restrictions on proximity to sensitive sites should be evidence-based rather than based on intuition or speculation about what could reduce alcohol-related harm. It is the Restaurant Association’s position that any proximity restrictions should be considered on a case by case basis, in particular taking into account:

• The type of licence being applied for (e.g. a Class 3 Restaurant on-licence vs bottle store off-licence)
• How long a business has been operating (e.g. if an ECE or school decides to open near a licensed venue, knowing they will be near a licensed venue, the licensee should not be penalised when they come to renewing their licence).

The Restaurant Association agrees that the policy for new on-licence locations in proximity to sensitive facilities should remain as is.

Off-licence density

While our preferred option would be the status quo, if the Council does implement a temporary freeze on new licence applications, the Restaurant Association believes this should not be implemented as a blanket freeze – rather, it should only apply to certain licence types. 

It is our position that the risk from on-licence restaurants and cafes is significantly lower than that of off-license outlets (or even other on-licences, such as night clubs). The Council should not deter restaurants and cafes from investing in high deprivation communities which is likely to occur if they are unable to obtain an on-licence. This aligns with the Council’s proposal to implement a temporary freeze for 3 years on the issue of off-licences and a presumption against granting off-licences thereafter.

Discretionary conditions

The Restaurant Association would also like to take this opportunity to highlight our other priorities for local alcohol policies:

• Modernising approaches to Restaurant licensing
• Conditions relating to minimum numbers of qualified managers 
• Renewal of licences

Modernising approaches to Restaurant licensing

There is a risk of LAPs impacting the food and beverage sector of hospitality by regulating through broad “on-licence” and “off-licence” categorisation, and we submit there is a need to consider the differing risks posed by sub-class of licences.

We would like to see LAPs be more specific, where for example, when considering any kind of restriction or regulation (such as one way door policies, proximity and density rules or time of sale restrictions), that conditions be set by specific license type, rather than taking a blanket on licence or off-licence approach to regulation.

Conditions relating to minimum numbers of qualified managers

Some Councils have adopted (or are looking to adopt) a discretionary condition whereby the DLC and ARLA are recommended to consider imposing conditions that specify a minimum number of certified managers be present onsite, if appropriate for large capacity premises at peak times. The exact number would depend on the layout, use and capacity of the premises.

This condition fails to recognise the current cost and administrative burden associated with becoming a licensed manager, with those barriers often imposed by the DLC and ARLA themselves. We do not support the imposition of minimum numbers of certified managers without first reforming restrictions around who can hold a managers’ licence, to ensure that we have the appropriately certified workforce available.

Renewal of licences

There is no reason that a licence renewal should be as cumbersome as a new licence application, yet both applicants and councils are facing significant administrative burdens for every licence renewal. The Restaurant Association recommends the Council consider adopting third-party accreditation programmes, such as HospoCred, to streamline application and renewal processes for hospitality businesses.

This could be utilised in conjunction with current council processes: by checking whether any complaints or infringements have been recorded against an applicant in the Council’s own database, and then utilising the comprehensive vetting and benchmarking offered by the HospoCred accreditation programme, local and central governments can streamline workflows, reduce costs, and build stronger partnerships with the hospitality industry.

Conclusion

Thank you for the opportunity to provide feedback on your draft local alcohol policy. We would be happy to discuss any part of this submission in more detail, and to provide any assistance that you may require.

March 2025

Background

Auckland Council are seeking feedback on their proposals for Auckland’s Annual Plan 2025/2026 (annual budget). The annual plan is due to take effect on 1 July 2025 and sets out what the Council plans to achieve over the next financial year and how they will fund these plans.

The consultation seeks feedback on the overall plan, destination management and major events and changes to other rates, fees and charges. There are seven areas of council activities, or investment, that the Council have highlighted what they are planning to deliver under; transport, water, built environment, natural environment, community, economic and cultural development, and well-managed local government. The areas of relevance for the Restaurant Association are built environment, community and economic and cultural development. 

---

Survey Questions 

Question 1: Overall plan

The proposed Annual Plan 2025/2026 builds on the Council’s Long-term Plan 2024-2034 (LTP). The annual plan focuses on getting on with strengthening the financial and physical resilience of Auckland, while investing where it is needed most to manage growth. In 2025/2026, that includes prioritising investment in:

• transport
• water
• and fairer funding for local communities

It sets out the proposed way to pay for services and investments, including the 5.8 per cent rates increase for the average value residential property which is in line with the LTP, and additional debt to fund $4 billion of capital expenditure.

What is your opinion on our proposed annual plan?

• Support most 

Tell us why 

Since 1972, the Restaurant Association has worked to offer advice, help and assistance in every facet of the vibrant and diverse hospitality industry, covering the length and breadth of the country. We’re passionate about our vibrant industry, which is full of interesting, talented and entrepreneurial people. We are supportive of the overall vision for Auckland to create a stunning natural environment, an efficient transport system and development pattern, decent and affordable public services, amenities, and infrastructure, a diverse and dynamic city, and a thriving economy that supports growth and opportunities for all.

For the seven areas of council activities, or investment, that contribute to the vision for Auckland, we mostly support the following actions:

• Facilitate international and domestic events, including musicals, concerts and exhibitions.
• Work with central government on new funding tools for visitor attraction and economic development, including exploring a bed night visitor levy for major events and destination marketing. 
• Continue to deliver iconic cultural events such as Pasifika, Diwali and the Lantern Festival. 
• Progress a local board led plan for the North Harbour Stadium.
• Boost community safety with initiatives such as safety hubs in the city centre and compliance wardens to fill the gaps in safety across the city.
• Progress city centre works including Te Hā Noa – Victoria Street to maximise the benefits of City Rail Link opening. 
• Progress a masterplan to develop the central wharves into a public space, and aligning cruise facilities and ferry services with Port of Auckland Limited operations.
• Continue to regenerate our neighbourhoods in key areas such as Wynyard Quarter, City Centre, Takapuna, Northcote, Henderson, Avondale, Manukau.

Events are a prime opportunity to stimulate our industry, hospitality. With the success of events like the ASB Classic, we want to see more large scale events in Auckland to help strengthen our regional and national tourism and hospitality brand. Events not only bring tourists to the country, but they also importantly bring out locals – something we want to encourage; dependence on tourism can only get us so far, but for many of our businesses locals are their bread and butter.

There is a clear need for infrastructure improvements in Auckland, and infrastructure disruptions across our city impact vital commercial activities. As cities embark on infrastructure projects aimed at long-term improvements, the immediate and severe effects on local businesses, particularly in hospitality, call for a more supportive approach from councils.

There is a critical need for councils to work more collaboratively with businesses impacted by infrastructure developments. Proactive measures from city councils could significantly alleviate the impact of infrastructure changes on local businesses. One effective strategy would involve councils engaging with businesses right from the early planning stages of infrastructure projects and maintaining open lines of communication throughout the construction phase. Knowing the timeline and scope of potential disruptions enables businesses to plan and adjust their strategies effectively.

Additionally, councils could provide financial relief through temporary tax breaks, grants, or subsidies. This financial support would offer businesses struggling with cash flow disruptions a much-needed buffer. Offering incentives to encourage patronage in affected areas could also help sustain business operations during challenging periods.

Marketing and promotional initiatives play a crucial role as well. By partnering with local business associations, councils can help launch campaigns that highlight that businesses remain operational despite nearby construction. Hosting events, providing promotions, and enhancing signage could dispel the notion that construction areas are inaccessible, thereby attracting customers who might otherwise avoid the area.

Improving access and signage around construction sites is another critical measure. Clear, well-placed signage directing customers to alternative routes and entrances can significantly ease the access challenges posed by construction, helping to maintain or even increase foot traffic. Temporary parking solutions or shuttle services could also be offered to mitigate the inconvenience caused by ongoing construction works.

Finally, establishing a robust feedback loop where businesses can promptly report issues and receive quick responses can dramatically improve the situation. This mechanism allows councils to address problems as they arise, preventing them from escalating and further affecting the businesses.

We have long advocated for the implementation of comprehensive safety measures to protect our member’s establishments, staff and customers so we are pleased to hear that Council will be boosting community safety with initiatives such as safety hubs in the city centre and compliance wardens to fill the gaps in safety across the city. Many of our members believe that the lack of adequate police resources – particularly in Auckland’s city centre – has emboldened criminals, creating an environment where illegal activities can flourish unchecked. This under-resourcing has led to a perceived decline in law enforcement presence and response, exacerbating the issue. 

Question 2: Destination management and major events

Attracting visitors and securing, promoting and delivering major events are vital to Auckland being a dynamic and exciting city. In the Long-term Plan 2024-2034, Council said they would continue to fund cultural festivals and other significant community events. However, without a bed night visitor levy, there will be a $7 million budget shortfall for funding of major events that are expected to attract visitor expenditure, such as the ASB Classic, Auckland Marathon and Auckland Writers Festival, from the 2025/2026 financial year. 

Council continue to advocate to central government to introduce this levy. A bed night visitor levy of 2.5 per cent to 3 per cent paid by those in short-stay accommodation, would raise around $27 million each year to fund even more destination management, marketing and major events activities in Auckland. 

A bed night visitor levy requires central government legislative change and they have yet to agree to introduce this legislation. 

Do you support a bed night visitor levy paid by those in short-stay commercial accommodation, to fund destination management, marketing and major events activities?

• Other 

Tell us why 

As mentioned in our answer to the previous question, the Restaurant Association has long advocated the importance of attracting visitors and securing, promoting, and delivering major events, as well as the need for adequate funding to deliver these events. While we agree that event attraction and destination marketing need more funding, we do not think a bed night visitor levy paid by those in short-stay commercial accommodation is the best way to fund this investment. 

The Restaurant Association is not against the idea of a bed night visitor levy, however, if it was to be implemented, it should be applied to all of New Zealand. There needs to be an end to the three-way tourism funding deadlock between industry, central government and local government.

The $7 million budget shortfall that is said to occur if a bed night visitor levy is not put in place can simply be funded through re-prioritising Council spending and investment. The amount of funding that Auckland Council currently provides for event attraction is a very small amount of their total revenue. The Restaurant Association believes that the economic benefits of investing in major events attraction should be enough of an incentive to reprioritise spending and investment. 

Question 3: Changes to other rates, fees and charges

Would you like to comment on this or the other rates, fees and charges proposals? (Please be clear which proposal you are talking about). 

The Restaurant Association would like to provide feedback on the proposed overall rates increase of 6.8% for business properties. We do not believe that lower growth in the value of business properties compared to non-business properties is an adequate reason to increase business rates by a higher percentage than residential rates. 

Further, we believe that as the number of non-business properties grows (and we believe this is happening at a faster rate than the growth in number of business properties), it will not be feasible to retain the 31 percent share of rates paid by business properties. The Council should review this share of rates, and create a formula that enables a fair calculation of rate share and setting of rates, based on the proportion of business to non-business properties across the city.

Question 4: Local board priorities

Which local board(s) would you like to provide feedback on?

• None of the above

March 2025

Commerce Commission
PO Box 2351
Wellington 6140
New Zealand

Tēnā koe,

Restaurant Association of New Zealand submission on the Commerce Commission’s Draft Decision and Reasons Paper on Interchange fee regulation for Mastercard and Visa networks

The Restaurant Association of New Zealand (the Restaurant Association) welcomes the opportunity to submit on the Commerce Commission’s dra decision and reasons paper on interchange fee regulation for Mastercard and Visa networks.

Since 1972, the Restaurant Association has worked to offer advice, help and assistance in every facet of the vibrant and diverse hospitality industry, covering the length and breadth of the country. We’re passionate about our vibrant industry, which is full of interesting, talented and entrepreneurial people.

The Restaurant Association’s priority for reforms to New Zealand’s retail payment system is to ensure the system is as simple as possible to understand for those on the frontline of our retail sector – in particular, the merchant and the customer – to ensure that all parties are paying a fee that is fair and reasonable.

In that vein, we commend the Commission for their dra interchange fee caps of 0.20% for all cards across contacted and contactless payments, except foreign issued cards which have a dra cap of 0.60% for both payment types. This consistency will help businesses – particularly small businesses – to more easily understand what they are being charged to accept payments, and more accurately forecast their anticipated costs.

We reiterate that more education is needed for consumers and the general public to understand why surcharging exists, so merchants can focus on their business instead of filling this education gap. There is still an underlying perception among consumers that surcharges are a way for businesses to swindle their customers, and we believe this will only be exacerbated should the final decision of the Commission be to reduce interchange fees without a careful, easy to understand communications effort that explains how these interchange and merchant service fees flow through to consumers.

We also recognise the next stage in this piece of work may include exploring options to regulate the level of surcharges charged by a retailer or merchant. We are supportive of this step, however we recommend that this work takes place no earlier than Q1 2027, to allow at least twelve months for businesses to experience a full trading year under the new level of interchange fees (based on Figure 1.3 in the Draft Decision and Reasons Paper) and collect a more accurate range of data to inform levels of surcharging to cover their costs.

Should the Commission initiate work to regulate surcharges, this should not be initiated without having developed clear guidance for businesses. As many have agreed through the first stage of consultation, the current level of merchant service fees paid by businesses are confusing – with many businesses having to estimate a surcharge fee to cover their costs of accepting payments. This estimate is based on their best assessment of the fees they incur, and it will take time and assistance to transition to a new fee structure, and any enforcement model should recognise the difference between a large business that has access to corporate support staff which surcharges 4% over what would be considered reasonable under the new system, and a small business run by owner/operator who mistakenly charges 0.5% over what would be considered reasonable.

Finally, we recognise that interchange fees are only one portion of merchant service fees, and we reiterate that there must be a regulatory framework that ensures accountability and transparency on the part of financial institutions.

Conclusion

Thank you for the opportunity to provide feedback on your dra decision and reasons paper. We would be happy to discuss any part of this submission in more detail, and to provide any assistance that you may require.

March 2025

Porirua City Council
PO Box 50218
Porirua 5240
New Zealand

Introduction

The Restaurant Association of New Zealand (the Restaurant Association) welcomes the opportunity to submit on the Porirua City Council’s review of its 2017 Local Alcohol Policy and new draft Local Alcohol Policy.

Since 1972, the Restaurant Association has worked to off er advice, help and assistance in every facet of the vibrant and diverse hospitality industry, covering the length and breadth of the country. We’re passionate about our vibrant industry, which is full of interesting, talented and entrepreneurial people.

The Restaurant Association’s priorities for local alcohol policies include:

• Differing licence risk profiles
• Modernising approaches to Restaurant licensing
• Restrictions on the number and location of licensees
• Conditions relating to minimum numbers of qualified managers
• Renewal of licences
• Hours of trade

Differing licence risk profiles

Our priority for Local Alcohol Policies is to ensure that they accurately reflect the diff erent levels of harm rom off – and on- licence venues, and the potential impact of LAPs to those in our sector who operate on-licence venues and are already heavily regulated by the conditions of holding such a licence.

We are not opposed to those trading conditions – in fact, we see them as commonsense rules which ensure the safe and responsible sale and supply of alcohol. While our more than 2,500-strong membership is made up of hospitality businesses where food is the hero of their operations, many off er alcohol beverages as a supplement to the culinary experience they provide.

In a practical sense, there are far fewer restrictions and regulations for off -licence holders in terms of the responsible sale and supply of alcohol when compared to on-licence holders. For example, when serving alcohol in an on-licence venue, staff must monitor intake and determine when they must stop service to prevent intoxication.

Alternatively at an off -licence venue, customers can purchase as much alcohol as they want, to take home and then consume as much as they want without any concerns. It is clear that a large part of enabling that problem comes from the proliferation of off -licence venues, and those on-licence venues whose primary business is not food.

Modernising approaches to Restaurant licensing

There is a risk of LAPs impacting the food and beverage sector of hospitality by regulating through broad “on-licence” and “off -licence” categorisation, and we submit there is a need to consider the diff ering risks posed by sub-class of licences.

We would like to see LAPs be more specific, where for example, when considering any kind of restriction or regulation (such as one way door policies, proximity and density rules or time of sale restrictions), that conditions be set by specific license type, rather than taking a blanket on licence or off -licence approach to regulation.

Restrictions on the number and location of licensees

Decisions regarding restrictions on proximity to sensitive sites should be evidence-based rather than based on intuition or speculation about what could reduce alcohol-related harm. It is the Restaurant Association’s position that any proximity restrictions should be considered on a case by case basis, in particular taking into account:

• The type of licence being applied for (e.g. a Class 3 Restaurant on-licence vs bottle store off -licence)
• How long a business has been operating (e.g. if an ECE or school decides to open near a licensed venue, knowing they will be near a licensed venue, the licensee should not be penalised when they come to renewing their licence).

If the Council did implement a temporary freeze on new licence applications, the Restaurant Association believes this should not be implemented as a blanket freeze – rather, it should only apply to certain licence types. It is our position that the risk from on-licence restaurants and cafes is significantly lower than that of off -license outlets (or even other on-licences, such as night clubs). The Council should not deter restaurants and cafes from investing in high deprivation communities which is likely to occur if they are unable to obtain an on-licence.

Conditions relating to minimum numbers of qualified managers

Some Councils have adopted (or are looking to adopt) a discretionary condition whereby the DLC and ARLA are recommended to consider imposing conditions that specify a minimum number of certified managers be present onsite, if appropriate for large capacity premises at peak times. The exact number would depend on the layout, use and capacity of the premises.

This condition fails to recognise the current cost and administrative burden associated with becoming a licensed manager, with those barriers often imposed by the DLC and ARLA themselves. We do not support the imposition of minimum numbers of certified managers without first reforming restrictions around who can hold a managers’ licence, to ensure that we have the appropriately certified workforce available.

Renewal of licences

There is no reason that a licence renewal should be as cumbersome as a new licence application, yet both applicants and councils are facing significant administrative burdens for every licence renewal.

Restaurant Association recommends the Council consider adopting third-party accreditation programmes, such as HospoCred, to streamline application and renewal processes for hospitality businesses.

This could be utilised in conjunction with current council processes: by checking whether any complaints or infringements have been recorded against an applicant in the Council’s own database, and then utilising the comprehensive vetting and benchmarking off ered by the HospoCred accreditation programme, local and central governments can streamline workflows, reduce costs, and build stronger partnerships with the hospitality industry.

Hours of trade

Compared to international standards, New Zealanders traditionally eat dinner and go to bed earlier than many countries around the world. As an industry that relies heavily on international tourism to thrive, our hospitality businesses need to be able to make operating decisions that service a wide variety of customer preferences – from the regular who lives down the road, to the group of friends visiting from overseas who are looking for somewhere to sit down for dinner at 10pm.

We’re proud of the contribution our businesses make to our vibrant towns, cities and communities – but we need policy settings to enable that to continue. As such, we recommend that any hours of trade are set by specific licence type, to enable those low-risk restaurants to service an increasing number of tourists looking to eat later in the evening than what we would consider usual.

Conclusion

Thank you for the opportunity to provide feedback on your draft local alcohol policy. We would be happy to discuss any part of this submission in more detail, and to provide any assistance that you may require.