Page 1927 - Week 06 - Thursday, 2 May 1991
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I have referred the matter to the Ministerial Youth Advisory Committee for advice. That is an independent ministerial advisory committee from the youth sector. At the same time I am continuing to look at comparative attitudes interstate. In New South Wales, for instance, it appears to me that the regulations are somewhat tighter. Firstly and interestingly - I am sure my colleague Mr Humphries would be interested - all cigarette machines on the premises must be locked. Some of the comments made by parents on the radio have been to the effect that the only hazard they thought the children encountered was the thick smoke. Clearly, they are smoking on these premises, and that raises a number of other issues, when we are talking about 13- and 14-year-olds, that I am happy to transfer to my colleague Mr Humphries.
There are significant issues in that regard that I have also discussed with my colleague Mr Duby in the last few months, and they are to do with an ongoing program between the liquor authorities and the fire brigade to reach an occupancy loading formula so that we know where we are at and what the recognisable and acceptable person loading is in terms of fire hazards and the rest. During that exercise, as Mr Duby can tell me, we did find an institution in this city - I think it was an underground one - that was operating with no exit, other than the entrance. That is a matter for concern, and I believe that Mr Duby's authorities attended to it very promptly, as soon as they discovered it.
Members interjected.
MR COLLAERY: The opposition members laugh and smirk again; they find very little of seriousness in this chamber, Mr Speaker. A few opportunists have taken the chance to frighten the kids, as probable future voters, into thinking that I am banning these things.
The other issue that we need to face - and I will probably refer this to the Social Policy Committee, because my concerns arose out of proper recommendations from Mr Wood's committee - is that our current law says that a person under 18 shall not enter or remain on licensed premises unless in the care of a responsible adult. On some of the evenings our assessment is that being in the care of a responsible adult means that with 600 to 700 youngsters there are 9 or 10 employed adults. That is a very high ratio for any parent, let alone employee, and that seems to test the credible definition of the term "responsible adult". I have had my Law Office looking at that.
The issues are complex. I am looking forward to hearing whether the two main proprietors involved in this enterprise in the city - and I have not directed my comments to any prohibition discos held elsewhere - will
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