D'arcy And Goran

The Government will introduce a bill to enable bars and clubs to stay open and serve drinks during Rugby World Cup games next month.Justice Minister Andrew Little made the announcement today, following pressure from Act leader David Seymour in the previous days.Little said the bill would allow eligible licensed premises to open during the RWC games, even if those games are outside their usual trading hours."It's pretty clear some clubs are having difficulty persuading their district licensing committees to grant a special licence to extend their hours for this obviously special event, and so it makes sense for Parliament to allow clubs to meet a community desire."There are some premises, such as clubs in rural areas, who tend to have earlier closing times and we want to make sure that these communities have the opportunity to enjoy the games."Little thanked Seymour for his work drafting a bill on the issue, which Seymour intended to bring to the House yesterday, but he held off after the Government requested