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Crowds on Auckland's waterfront - Source: ONE News -
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A third of Rugby World Cup revellers saw people who were drunk and disorderly on Auckland's waterfront during the tournament, according to a survey released this week.
A report, based on a survey of Aucklanders who attended RWC festivities, will today be presented to Auckland Council's regulatory and bylaws committee and may lead to a liquor ban in the city centre being extended to Wynyard Quarter.
According to the survey 33% of respondents said they saw drunk and disorderly behaviour at the waterfront and 19% reported problems on the Fan Trail.
One respondent said there were "lots of drunk people everywhere, mountains of empty bottles, RTD cans and broken glass."
Others said the amount of drunk people made it unsafe for families and one person, who was with their daughter, said a fight broke out near them at Britomart and they were pushed around.
Another respondent said people got drunk in bars regardless of the ban.
Despite this the overwhelming majority of respondents felt safe during the tournament and thought the liquor ban was effectively enforced by police, an opinion shared by police and Auckland Council.
Liquor bans were put in place at Fan Zones and along the Fan Trail during the September 9 to October 23 event.
They were approved before the tournament to reduce potential damage to property, litter and inappropriate behaviour, and to make residents feel safe.
Almost half of respondents said they were unaware a liquor ban had been in place.
Suburban Fan Zones were perceived to attract better behaved crowds with 11% of respondents who visited the Albany Fan Zone saying they saw drunk and disorderly behaviour.
When using public transport only six per cent reported feeling "unsafe" or "very unsafe".
The council agenda item also reports police found temporary bans so successful they want the CBD liquor ban, established in 2002, extended to Wynyard Quarter, which only opened to the public last year.
According to the report the Wynyard Quarter liquor ban combated "preloading" in the CBD, where liquor from an off-license is consumed in significant quantities before patrons go on to a bar or another on-license.
Police say this resulted in reduced violence and aggression at licensed premises.
The report concludes the bans were considered to be more effective than ineffective, but there were "clearly some issues associated with public drunkenness on the waterfront".
The report notes participation in the survey was voluntary and the demographic and geographic distribution of participants was not necessarily reflective of the Auckland population.