Latest News
Get to know your local Alcohol Harm Prevention Officer
Over the course of this year Clubs New Zealand has been in regular communication with Graham Shields, Alcohol Harm Prevention Coordinator with the New Zealand Police as well as other Alcohol Harm Prevention Officers across New Zealand. The development of this relationship with the New Zealand Police has been hugely beneficial in that we have been able to effectively convey and discuss the difficulties faced by club licence holders while also achieving a better understanding of the role and work carried out by Alcohol Harm Prevention Officers.
It is clear from our meetings to date that there is a desire for greater consistency across the country and we are committed to continuing to meet with the Police as well as members of the Institute of Liquor Licensing Inspectors to help facilitate this.
Pause the Pokies for Gambling Harm Awareness Week
This year, Gambling Harm Awareness Week (GHAW) is taking place 3 - 9 September. The Problem Gambling Foundation (PGF), Mapu Maia, Asian Family Services, and several community partners are inviting clubs to participate in a nationwide ‘Pause the Pokies’ campaign as part of this important awareness raising week. This involves venues turning off their pokie machines for one hour during GHAW to increase community awareness of gambling harm.
DIA Mystery Shopper to become a part of regular compliance activity
Last week the Department of Internal Affairs released information on mystery shopper scenarios that will form part of the 'rolling mystery shopper' campaign for Class 4 venues. Unlike the previous Mystery Shopper Exercises that were conducted over a specific time period and across a small segment of the industry, the new campaign will take place as part of the departments regular compliance activity - meaning that every Class 4 venue should expect to be mystery shopped.
The aim of the mystery shopper campaign is to foster a culture of care within Class 4 venues which enables staff to identify behaviours that may indicate gambling harm, confidently approach gamblers to check in about their gambling and offer information and support to seek help.
Gambling Compliance - 11 June 2018
Qualified Auditors
The Department of Internal Affairs have been advised by the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants that the person who audited financial statements for two clubs for the 2016 and 2017 financial years is not a qualified auditor.
The Gambling Act (2003) requires an auditor’s report on the annual report submitted with a licensing application. An auditor must be a person who is a qualified auditor within the meaning of section 35 of the Financial Reporting Act (2013). Further detail on qualified auditors and how to ensure that your auditor meets the requirements can be found on the Charities Service website.