A law change coming into force at midnight will let bars, pubs, restaurants and cafes with on-licences operate to their normal hours on restricted trading days, including Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Anzac Day morning and Christmas Day.

The change follows Royal Assent for the Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Sales on Anzac Day Morning, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, and Christmas Day) Amendment Bill, a member’s bill from Labour MP Kieran McAnulty. Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee said the Ministry of Justice has published guidance for licensees and regulators, and agencies will apply the new rules from midnight.

A late amendment from ACT MP Cameron Luxton closes a long-standing gap that would otherwise have forced bars and pubs to stop serving at midnight as a restricted day began, or wait until 12.01am on a permitted day to reopen. The amendment overrides Shop Trading Hours Act restrictions in this narrow on-licence situation so bars can continue trading past midnight under their existing licence conditions.

The law also removes the “substantial meal” requirement for alcohol service at restaurants and cafes, and scraps rules preventing alcohol from being served more than an hour before or after eating.

McKee said venues planning long weekend events “can now proceed with confidence” under their normal licence conditions. She encouraged any businesses advised otherwise to email her office at N.McKee@ministers.govt.nz. She also argued the change improves public safety by avoiding mass midnight closures that push large crowds onto the street at the same time.

Luxton said he advanced the amendment after realising the opening night of Christchurch’s new Te Kaha stadium would have been cut short by the old rules over Anzac weekend.

The Ministry of Justice guidance for licensees and regulators is available at: https://www.justice.govt.nz/about/news-and-media/news/changes-to-alcohol-sales-on-restricted-trading-days/