SIMON Corbell has released an issues paper on potential liquor licensing reforms.
The issues covered include:
- changes to opening hours,
- outlet density,
- liquor promotion
“A six-week consultation on the “Two-year review of liquor: Issues Paper” is the next step in the government’s push to reduce alcohol-related harm in our community,” Simon said.
“These potential reforms are complex and need to be considered in detail, as well as in collaboration with industry and other stakeholders.
“The issues paper seeks to address concerns raised by a range of stakeholders about the continuing adverse impacts of alcohol and the need to do more to address these.
“While the review found that the majority of stakeholders considered the 2010 Liquor Act to have made a positive contribution to community safety there were a number of outstanding issues providing opportunities for further reform.
“Alcohol-related assaults were found to have fallen across the ACT by an average of 11% between the 2010-2011 and 2012-2013 periods, on a month-to-month basis.
“However the report found that in the city, reported assaults on licensed premises were found to have increased. Ambulance data also reveals a disturbing trend of increased underage alcohol-related ambulance attendances and alcohol-related emergency department presentations.”
“The ACT Government has already acted on some of the more straightforward reforms identified in the review, including amending the Liquor Advisory Board’s function and membership, secondary supply laws, liquor license holder’s suitability and the lifting of red tape for service of alcohol outdoors.
The issues paper is available at justice.act.gov.au
Consultation will be open from 21 July to 31 August.
[Photo by Quinn Dombrowski, attribution licence]
UPDATE: The Hotels’ Association has expressed its outrage:
Canberra’s licensed hospitality industry will carefully consider the ACT Government’s consultation paper on addressing alcohol issues in the ACT, the Australian Hotels Association (AHA) ACT said today.
However it would almost appear that the discussion paper has been prepared for the ACT Attorney General by the anti-alcohol lobby, the AHA ACT said.
“Some of the suggested regulations – which will harm the competitiveness of the licensed hospitality sector – are a far cry from the original ACIL Allen Review of the Liquor Act report first released by the Government in late 2013,” said AHA ACT General Manager Brad Watts.
“It’s also disappointing that the Government has side-stepped the key issue of pre-loading, which won’t be considered in the current consultation process.”
Mr Watts said the ACT’s licensed hospitality sector, which is a major driver of the ACT economy, is currently undergoing strong growth but imposing further regulations on the sector could have a negative impact.
“Current alcohol laws are working effectively and there is no need for further, unnecessary regulations such as changes to trading hours and venue density. As a result, the AHA ACT rejects the need for more regulation imposed upon the licensed hospitality industry,” Mr Watts said.
The latest ACT Policing statistics show around a 20 per cent fall in alcohol-related incidents in Canberra over the past three years, which has been applauded by the ACT Government, ACT Policing and the hospitality industry.
ACT Policing figures showed 20 fewer alcohol crime incidents in 2014 compared with 2013. There were also 16 fewer incidents in 2013 compared with 2012.
“The hospitality industry has echoed ACT Policing’s comments that this downward trend is due to the cooperative engagement between authorities and local licensed venues,” Mr Watts said.
“Canberra’s popular entertainment precincts are vastly different and smaller than other major capital city jurisdictions, especially in terms of alcohol-related incidents.
“The hospitality sector has been proactively working with local authorities and looks forward to continuing to work with them to reduce anti-social behaviour and incidents.”
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