Last financial year went back into our communities
Community Stories
We're really proud to help all the different
communities in The West to thrive.
Our Stores & Venues
Your support keeps our communities thriving.
The money we distribute comes from surplus profits made by our retail and hospitality businesses.
Your West Support Fund
The latest recipients of funding from our Your West Support Fund have been announced!
Media Releases & Meetings
Here's where you'll find updates on your stores & venues, monthly meetings, annual reports, financial statements & our Statement of Social Responsibility.
FAQs
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Up until the 1940s, alcohol was prohibited or restricted in many parts of New Zealand. As prohibition faded out, many communities were still concerned about having a community-minded approach to the sale of alcohol. Licensing trusts were established in response to this and the first, the Invercargill Licensing Trust, was established in 1944 and is still going strong today.
It wasn’t until the early 1970s that West Aucklanders voted to establish the Waitakere Licensing Trust and Portage Licensing Trust. The law allows for the Trusts’ mandate to manage alcohol sales in West Auckland to be challenged and every so often it is. The last time was in 2003 when a referendum was held and residents voted to retain the model.
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No. The Trusts do not control liquor licensing, that is Auckland Council’s responsibility. Like anyone who wants to open a licensed venue in West Auckland, we must apply to the Auckland Council for a licence to operate our stores and venues.
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We don’t. We have not opposed any licence applications in West Auckland for several years. The only venues that we have a community granted mandate to operate exclusively are those that trade late into the night (bars) where the primary focus is the sale of alcohol. These venues operate under a Tavern licence as required by the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act (2012).