West Auckland Licensing Trusts Action Group

Group of West Aucklanders dissatisfied with the Portage and Waitakere Licensing Trusts and advocating for change.

[West Auckland Licensing Trusts Action Group @trustsaction]

So, it’s finally official - no Beer Spot for New Lynn.

Another example of the monopoly getting in the way of great local hospo.

https://t.co/1e0IOxtGOc

[West Auckland Licensing Trusts Action Group @trustsaction]

Toby Hyman, our candidate in the Waitakere ward for WLT on RNZ this morning.
https://t.co/W3Rs8Spbeu

[West Auckland Licensing Trusts Action Group @trustsaction]

The Trusts’ annual meetings are coming up – a good opportunity to ask them questions directly:
▪️PLT: Monday 29 September, 6pm – Bricklane Restaurant & Bar, 5 Clark St, New Lynn
▪️WLT: Tuesday 30 September, 5pm – The Trusts Support Office, Level 1, 703 Rosebank Rd, Avondale

[West Auckland Licensing Trusts Action Group @trustsaction]

ℹ️Annual Report ℹ️

The Trusts have just released their annual report. A first look shows a mixed picture – some positive signs, but probably not the “outstanding” FY25 the CEO has described.

[West Auckland Licensing Trusts Action Group @trustsaction]

🏦Assets and Liabilities
Net assets remains steady at $122M.
The most notable feature is the $46M being held in cash deposits.

[West Auckland Licensing Trusts Action Group @trustsaction]

Why?
1️⃣ Pokies wreck the vibe
2️⃣ Pokies wreck lives
3️⃣ Pokies wreck the Trust

And as non-pokie funding from the Trusts grows, we’ll take out the rest - ensuring the total amount of community funding available doesn't drop.

🎯 Check out all our policies https://t.co/tG9yumLC2u

[West Auckland Licensing Trusts Action Group @trustsaction]

⚠️ Our policy: Fewer Pokies ⚠️

Pokies might be harmless fun for some, and they provide valuable funding. But on balance, they do far more harm than good - and pokies and the Trusts just shouldn’t mix.

💥 We’ll take out half the pokies immediately

[West Auckland Licensing Trusts Action Group @trustsaction]

Don’t sit this one out – every vote counts

📬 Voting packs arrive in your mailbox: Sept 9 – 22
📮 Post it back: by Oct 7 (free postage)
📦 Drop it in a vote box: by midday Oct 11

If you don't receive a voting pack in the mail, you can cast a special vote
https://t.co/53F3FMBLRp

[West Auckland Licensing Trusts Action Group @trustsaction]

✅ VOTING IS NOW OPEN – 2025 Local Elections

West Auckland – this is our chance.

For over 50 years we’ve been stuck with a monopoly. Now your vote decides if we finally get the same freedom as the rest of NZ:
🍻 Better local bars
🍷 Wine & beer with your groceries

[West Auckland Licensing Trusts Action Group @trustsaction]

We'll ensure Trust assets are invested to deliver maximum community benefit.

🎯 Check out all our policies:
https://t.co/tG9yumLC2u

[West Auckland Licensing Trusts Action Group @trustsaction]

💰 Our Policy: More Community Funding 💰

$121 MILLION in community assets. Only $1.5M given back yearly. We can do better.

We want to grow community funding and we'll do it in two steps.

[West Auckland Licensing Trusts Action Group @trustsaction]

Step 2️⃣: Open the door to competition and grow it to $5M+

Market returns on Trust assets would deliver community distributions of $5+ million a year, perhaps $8 million. That's hard while they're obliged to run bars and bottle stores, but easier without.

[West Auckland Licensing Trusts Action Group @trustsaction]

Check out all our policies
👉 https://t.co/tG9yumLC2u

[West Auckland Licensing Trusts Action Group @trustsaction]

✅ Our Policy: Competition 🤜🤛 Monopoly ✅

The Trusts have held a monopoly on pubs and off-licences since 1971.

In all that time, West Aucklanders have had just one vote - back in 2003.

[West Auckland Licensing Trusts Action Group @trustsaction]

👉 Almost half of today’s voters were too young to vote then
👉 Only ~7% of today’s voters supported the monopoly in 2003
👉 The Trusts’ own 2023 research shows a majority would choose competition today

It’s time to let the community vote again.