Growth in liquor outlets reviewed 

The government is looking to tackle the problem of cheap liquor outlets in poor suburbs.

Since the shooting of Manurewa liquor store owner Navtej Singh, community groups and councils have expressed their concern over the high number of licensed premises in some communities.

Prime Minister Helen Clark is also concerned.

She says the recent spate of crime in south Auckland has to be addressed, and she believes its roots lie in alcohol abuse.

Clark says the government needs to re-examine the criteria on which licenses are granted and has called welfare agency bosses together to discuss what can be done.

In Manukau City, for example, recent statistics show there are 156 off-licences. Thirty three are located in Manurewa; Botany-Clevedon has 26 outlets; Mangere has 24.

Many outlets are also clustered together - in one area there are five outlets within 600 metres of each other.

Clark says when parliament passed the Sale of Liquor Act in 1989, it couldn't have envisaged that alcohol would become as widely available as it has become.

Since the act came in to force the number of licensed premises around New Zealand has grown from just over 6,000 to almost 15,000.

As a result Clark says it could be time to revisit the act.