The Queenstown Alcohol Accord (QAA) has been created, comprising of 31 Queenstown bars. The goal of the QAA is to help minimise the impact of alcohol related harm in their community whilst maintaining the vibrancy of the local hospitality industry.
The QAA will aim to achieve this by improving communication amongst bar owners, Police, Council and Public Health South via quarterly meetings of the QAA committee and the respective agencies.
Various initiatives will be implemented by QAA members to create a common standard in the way alcohol is managed and served within bars in Queenstown. The message of the QAA will be communicated to the public through a drink wise Queenstown campaign, under the banner “Don’t Be Dick”, launched on Thursday 5 March. The “Don’t Be a Dick” campaign is to help educate patrons on what behaviour is and isn’t acceptable in Queenstown.
The campaign consists of printed flyers and posters to be displayed within QAA members and QAA affiliated premises, hostels, hotels, taxi companies and various other local businesses that want to endorse the message of drinking wisely in Queenstown.
“The formation of the Accord is the most significant collaboration amongst Queenstown bar owners in the 14 years I have been a licensee in town and I see it as a really positive step forward in improving the management of Alcohol in the Queenstown CBD“, says Mike Burgess, QAA Interim Chairperson.
The QAA will be governed by a seven-person committee, elected by Accord members. The committee will be responsible for ensuring all QAA members are complying with the Accord initiatives, as set out in the Accord document.
More information on the campaign can be found at www.dontbeadick.co.nz.
