Register
Register your party at goodone.org.nz
Put on a spread
Know who's at your party
Think about your neighbours
Look after your mates
Don't hesitate to call the cops if things are getting hairy
Register your party. This will ensure you’ve got all the info you need to ensure an awesome, hassle free night. It will also mean the community Police in your area can provide advice and some back up if things go pear shaped.
To avoid unwanted guests, don’t issue an open invite on Facebook! Just invite the people you want there, and let them know an end time, so they can plan rides afterwards. Check that your mates have a ride home organised before they get to your place. Do your mates have a safe driver sorted? You might even have some spare bedding ready for those mates that crash at your place.
Visit your surrounding neighbours early to let them know you’re having a party and tell them a finish time. They’ll probably be grateful for the heads-up and more patient on the night! You might also want to give them a contact cell phone number, so they can ring you during the party if they have any concerns – before they ring anyone else!
Especially if you’re having a largish event, make sure you run it past your landlord. They’re more likely to be cool with it if you show you’re thinking ahead and taking a responsible approach. You can also use your registration/confirmation email from goodone.org.nz to show that you’re doing the right thing.
A great way to see who’s coming and going is to take turns ‘manning’ the gate throughout the night. As well as keeping an eye out for gatecrashers, you’ll be able to encourage your guests to get home safely (and peacefully!).
Provide plenty to eat throughout the night. Make sure you have some substantial grub, think pizzas, saussies and bread, or savouries, and keep the snacks flowing. Your guests will love you for it!
Have non-alcoholic drinks available and look out for your guests. If you feel worried about someone, ask them to stop or slow down. You might also want to have a central bar area where alcohol can be kept and served by someone sober.
Keep your guests off the road and inside your place. Nobody likes a flat mate.
You’re responsible for who’s at your party and how they behave, so if gate crashers turn up, tell them its a private party. If they come in and won’t leave (or you’re having any issues) you can always call the police for assistance. It’s better to deal with a small problem early before things get out of control.
As the night goes on, avoid complaints by reducing the noise. A key gripe is the bass level so turn down the bass knob on your stereo to reduce how much the sound travels. If a noise control officer does turn up, make yourself known and work with them. If you do, you’ll have a better chance of avoiding further problems (as they do have the power to seize equipment and issue fines).
Sometimes, despite our best intentions and planning, things go wrong. IN AN EMERGENCY - CALL 111 If someone loses consciousness take the following steps: Call an ambulance as soon as possible. Explain to the ambulance crew what has happened. Put the person in the recovery position. Make sure they're breathing and that their mouth is empty. Clear any vomit away from their mouth. If they stop breathing, start CPR (mouth-to-mouth resuscitation). Keep them warm - use blankets or a coat (but not too warm). Don’t give someone fluids, even water, if you think they're in shock or unconscious.
If you notice anyone messing with your drink (or anyone else's drink), call the police. Buy your own drinks and only accept drinks from people you trust. If you feel suddenly drowsy or 'out of it', tell someone you trust and make sure they get you home. Look out for each other! For more information about drink spiking, check out this flyer.
Avoid mixing alcohol, medication or other drugs - this can greatly increase the strain on the body and the risk of an overdose.
If someone has overdosed - Call 111
If someone is having difficulty breathing, extreme agitation, paranoia, losing consciousness, seizures or frothing at the mouth, stay with them - find a safe place to calm them down and reassure -lie them on their side with airways open if they lose consciousness -let the first responder know what they have used.
If you’ve registered with Good One and the police visit, they may call you from the street so that you can go out to meet them. If they come in, make yourself known to them and have a chat. They’re there to help and will be best able to do that if you work with them, and encourage your guests to do the same. If things go pear-shaped don't hesitate to call the police for help.
Registering your party doesn’t stop Noise Control visiting if you are too noisy.
You only get one warning to turn it down so make sure you talk to Noise Control to receive that warning. We’d recommend not getting someone else involved - whether friend or party guest - as you may not get the warning you need.
Play it safe. Turn it down.
If noise is not reduced, the Police and Noise Control can seize your sound system. Then your gear is seized, you will have to pay all costs incurred in the seizure and these costs could be substantial. Gear may not be returned immediately or in some cases not at all. If gear is hired or belongs to a friend that could be a big problem for you.
Stick to the end-time you agreed with your neighbours and ask your guests to leave quietly (in small groups if you can). And if you have any die-hard, party animals, turning the music off is a great way to signal that it’s time to go…
At the start of the night out, think about how you and your mates will get home. The drink driving laws changed at the end of 2014 and now just a few drinks is enough to put you over the limit. To make sure you stay safe you could, arrange a designated driver, share a taxi/Uber or arrange to stay the night. Remember that it takes longer than most people thing for all the alcohol to pass through the body so take it easy!
Early the next day, get out and clean any party rubbish off the street. It’s a great way to flash your Awesome Hosty Prowess to the neighbours… Another great move is to check-in with your neighbours to see if they had any issues, and do what you can to fix any problems.