Bars To Open For Rugby World Cup Games

A bill allowing bars and to open at any time of the morning to televise 2015 Rugby World Cup games has passed in Parliament last night by 99 votes to 21.

The Green Party, six Labour MPs and the Maori Party voted against it.

Labour allowed a conscience vote and 26 MPs supported it.

Sponsored by Act leader David Seymour, it will allow bars, pubs and licensed clubs to open and televise any of the 2015 Rugby World Cup games.

The licensee can open up an hour before each televised game but must close for the sale of alcohol 30 minutes after the end of each game - unless it is within an hour of the next televised game.

There will be conditions to bars extending hours to show RWC games:

• There must be no outdoor speakers; no discarding of empty bottles and no use of outdoor courtyard areas.
• The police have to be given seven days' notice.
• Premises which have had their licenses varied or suspended in the previous 12 months will not be able to extend their hours to show Rugby World Cup games.
• And if the police lodge an application to suspend or cancel a license during the RWC period, the premise concerned will no longer be able to show games during extended periods.

Source- NZ Herald