City Vision’s candidates for the Portage Licensing Trust stand for the following guiding policies and principles.
As City Vision:
- We believe the Licensing Trust model delivers positive benefits to the community through the responsible sale of alcohol and well-managed pokie venues
- We will advocate for the profits to be invested back into the community through grants, donations, community projects and events
- We acknowledge the harmful impacts of alcohol and gaming on our communities and will ensure that these impacts are minimised
- We consider that as West Auckland’s third largest employer, The Trusts must ensure the business is sustainable and socially responsible
- We will advocate for The Trusts to become a Living Wage Employer
The Trusts needs strong governance and decision-making that supports our communities, and as your Trust members, we will:
- Keep the Trusts. We are committed to keeping the Licensing Trusts model and the community owning and controlling the sale of alcohol through retail stores and the number of taverns
- Grow our community-owned business. Ensure the Trusts are profitable, responsible and give back to the community
- Work towards a Living Wage. To ensure our employees are paid for the hard work they do and can participate fully in society
- Focus on a strong, safe community. By promoting safe alcohol sales and act to minimise pokie harm
- Ensure attractive, socially responsible, local venues
- Provide career opportunities for locals
- Push for sound financial management with open books
- Continue the Million Dollar Mission and other funding to community groups so we can support the community through profits
The City Vision team for the Portage Licensing Trust are:
Your policy states: “We acknowledge the harmful impacts of alcohol and gaming on our communities and will ensure that these impacts are minimised”. How will you prioritise funding to help break dependency on alcohol and gambling?
I was horrified to see Trusts billboards on school property, what is your policy about promoting the Trusts and their products on school property? Why promote to school children?
How will you create entertainment, music, dance and dining experiences for younger (but legally able to drink alcohol) demographics? What impact do you think not having these facilities does to young people?
How will you turn around the Portage Trust underperformance, when compared to other Trusts?
Thank you
Simon
Hi Simon. Minimising harm is about a variety of actions. We are committed to being good hosts and not selling alcohol to intoxicated people, meeting obligations under the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act, not selling to underage people, controlling the density of off-licenses in the area, paying gaming duty for machines on our premises which is directed by DIA into organisations like the problem gambling foundation and we are decreasing the number of gaming machines being used across our venues. We have closed/sold 2 venues in the last year and both were taverns that had gaming machines.
The Portage Elected Members do not decide on the location of signs, but we would appreciate you forwarding the location of the sign if it is within the Auckland City Number 1 Ward. Are the election signs or Trusts signs? It may be about the Million Dollar Mission and encouraging people to apply for the funds as part of the giving back to the community strategy, but would appreciate it if you could advise us of the location please.
As for our venues, our candidates are committed to progressing venues that are appealing and in areas that are viable business-wise. And finally, the Portage Licensing Trust is turning around its profitability and is now returning more profit and our investment plans aim to increase profitability and our ability to give back even more financial support to the community.