Strategies for managing alcohol at large events in New Zealand

This article proposes strategies that can be applied to eliminate or reduce alcohol-related problems when planning for large events at venues throughout New Zealand. It further recommends the development of an alcohol management plan specific to an event and its venue that identifies alcohol-related risks and details how the strategies proposed in this article will be implemented. Alcohol-related problems at large events including violence, anti-social behaviour and traffic-related offences are commonly reported in the media. An important approach to prevent and reduce such problems is the use of specific alcohol control strategies. The management of alcohol consumption is a major part of event management that must be planned with harm-minimization strategies well in advance of the event itself. For some time, there has been a recognized need in New Zealand for nationally applicable strategies for managing alcohol at large events as well as a need for a nationally consistent and holistic planning approach with effective collaboration between all relevant stakeholders.