AHA calls for liquor licensing reform
The Australian Hotels Association (AHA) today gave evidence to the WA Liquor Control Act Review Committee calling for changes that encourage licensee professionalism, more responsibility for drinkers and greater confidence for investors to build and maintain quality hospitality businesses.
AHA CEO, Bradley Woods, said “We focus on ensuring that the Liquor Control Act enables and supports a vibrant and diverse hospitality sector and reinforces WA having some of the best run and safest licensed premises in Australia.
“The AHA submission reinforces the responsibility of consumers to behave and drink responsibly and specifically:
- Making it an offence for a person to be drunk on licenses premises; and
- Strengthening Police barring powers to include people in places around licensed premises.
“The AHA however wants protection for the public against the Police recommendation to change the definition of ‘drunk’ from ‘impaired’ to “affected”. This change could mean a single sip of alcohol ‘affects’ a person according to health advocates terminology –and results in convictions in unreasonable circumstances.
“The AHA submission recommends that Western Australia drop the 1950’s restriction of closing on Sundays at 10.00pm and allows small bars and hotels to remain open until midnight, in line with Monday to Saturday trading.
“The AHA has also called for a reduction in red tape and a better balance between consumer needs and the limitations put in place by health agencies and the Police”, said Mr Woods.
Source: Australian Hotels Association, Western Australia, 22 May 2013
