Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Mayor has answer to boozing

Updated at 12:44 pm on 17 June 2012

Auckland Mayor Len Brown says a uniform closing hour for bars could be one of the solutions to curbing drunken behaviour in the city, after spending some of Sunday morning on Karangahape Road and Queen Street.

Mr Brown and a taskforce of police officers, business owners and residents, is keen to end anti-social behaviour.

Police took Mr Brown on a tour of the more troublesome spots in the city between 4am - 6am so he could see first hand what the problems are.

The mayor had the chance to mingle with some of his inebriated constituents on the streets between bars, clubs and bottle shops.

Many were keen for a chat, even if they did not always know who he was.

He says the tour affirmed for him what some of the solutions should be, such as bars closing earlier and at the same time.

The taskforce last week announced a plan to solve the problem of boozy and violent behaviour in the central city.

It wants night clubs to introduce a one-way door policy to stop people from being allowed back into premises once they have left.

It also says one of the biggest problems is people drinking in their vehicles in city carparks.

Mr Brown says a uniform closing hour for bars could be one of the solutions.

The taskforce will meet again in a fortnight.

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