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One of the main aims of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 is to give communities more control. The Act and its 2 related amendment Acts contain measures that allow communities to:
participate in decision-making by having local councillors and community members decide most licence and managers certificate applications
object to licence applications on more grounds than under the previous Act
introduce legally enforceable local alcohol policies.
In addition, the Local Government (Alcohol Reform) Amendment Act 2012 makes changes to alcohol control bylaws (commonly known as liquor bans). The Act gives councils the power to make alcohol control bylaws covering areas such as school grounds, private car parks and other private spaces that the public has legitimate access.