Father and son join the picket line in Mangere against booze outlet

Mana Movement leader Hone Harawira and Mana supporters will be standing alongside the Mangere community this Saturday as it protests the decision of the Auckland District Licensing Committee to grant yet another licence to sell cheap booze in the area.

Mana Movement candidate for Mangere James Papali’i feels the issue strongly because the proposed liquor outlet is opposite the school his son attends.

“My son is in the seventh form at Nga Tapuwae and he and fellow students will also be on the picket line come Saturday” says James. “Would the people who granted the licence do the same if it was opening next to their children’s school?”

The protest is timed for 10am Saturday in Wickman Way, Mangere.

“Low-income communities are awash with cheap booze while the industry cynically advertises alcohol to vulnerable teenagers,” says Mana co-vice President John Minto. “Mana would seriously restrict their advertising and give communities the power to close down alcohol outlets which have proliferated in the past 20 years.”

“Low income areas are particularly targeted by the parasites on poverty – alcohol outlets, pokie machines, loan sharks, fast-food joints and until recently legal highs.”

“Mana has successfully campaigned to close the “fast-food pokies” in the Otara shopping centre two years back and we gave strong support to Mangere’s successful campaign to stop the big new motorway carving through the heart of the community.”

“Mana will continue to work with local communities in cases like this where what is needed is a decent dose of democracy to overturn a stupid, thoughtless decision.”

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