Māori wardens are putting up a fight against more liquor stores and bars opening in south Auckland.

Warden David Rātu has gone so far as to lodge a claim to include a Treaty of Waitangi clause into the country's liquor laws.

"Enough is enough," the warden from Turehou Māori Wardens Ki Ōtara Trust says.

It's honed its focus on suburbs around Māngere, Ōtāhuhu, Ōtara, Manurewa, Papakura and Pukekohe.

"They have a high Māori population and a high deprivation level as well," Rātu says.

The trust stepped in recently when a tavern style on-licence was granted to Curlew Bar in Papatoetoe, operated by Sunbeam Services Limited.

KYMBERLEE FERNANDES/FAIRFAX NZ Graces Place in Mangere had its on licence application declined by the District Licensing Committee (DLC) in 2017.

In 2017, Opal Lounge, the former occupant of the bar's location, was denied a licence as it was found to be operating as a venue for the purpose of gambling instead of a tavern.

The only difference between the two businesses was that the former applicant proposed to install a PlayStation. The likelihood of teenagers being attracted to the venue posed a concern to the District Licensing Committee.

When Curlew Bar was granted a licence, the Māori wardens appealed the decision that led the applicant withdrawing their application.

"I applaud the applicant for doing that. It also sends a very clear message to the community that we will respond and we will object," Rātu says.

If he had it his way, he says there "wouldn't be any liquor stores or bars in south Auckland, but that's unrealistic".

"In a neighbourhood like Ōtāra, even one is too many, in my opinion."

Rātu says in every objection he filed he's "argued the Treaty, [but] it's been thrown out."

He is always countered with a comment that the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 has no Treaty reference making his argument "irrelevant".

"Our people are dying as a result of this drug ... it has to have relevance."

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Rātu has filed a claim to have a treaty clause put into the Act.

He says the basis of the Māori wardens being established was to mitigate the harmful effects of alcohol.

"Alcohol is a major curse on our people. We believe that Māori were more prone to alcohol harm than anybody else. The legislation needs to be changed to reflect that."

The next application he will be objecting is that of Hi Sport Bar in Māngere.

Last year Graces Place, operating at the same venue was denied a licence because, among other reasons, the layout of the premises was more suited to that of a gambling venue than a tavern.