Representatives of the hospitality industry say their viewpoint has been ignored in a Law Commission report that recommends reform of the liquor laws.
The Law Commission made 153 recommendations in April, including closing on-licence premises between four and nine in the morning, and raising the legal purchasing age to 20 years.
At a public forum in Wellington on Tuesday night, the Trinity Group which owns bars around New Zealand, said that would only push more young drinkers into unsupervised environments at home or on the street.
The Alcohol Advisory Council said raising the purchasing age would help stop 18 year olds buying liquor for their younger school-mates.
However, it agreed with Trinity that supermarkets must be stopped from selling extremely cheap alcohol to young people.
