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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 1 Hansard (18 February) . . Page.. 7 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

This Bill amends the Liquor (Amendment) Act 1996 by introducing a provision to extend the restricted trading hours trial for the sale of liquor from licensed premises and amends the Liquor Act 1975 to enable the restriction of the conduct of sexually explicit entertainment on licensed premises to premises in prescribed locations. The trial restricted trading hours for the sale of liquor for consumption on licensed premises between the hours of 4.00 am and 7.00 am and for the sale of liquor for consumption away from licensed premises between the hours of 1.00 am and 7.00 am. That trial ends on 31 March this year.

The Assembly will recall that legislation enabling the trial contained a sunset clause which takes effect on 10 April 1997. I have been advised that the consultants engaged to evaluate the trial will be able to report, at the earliest, by the middle of April 1997. Once the report is received there will need to be, of course, an adequate period of time to consider the findings. The question arises as to what should occur pending the consideration of the consultants' report and the making of a final decision whether to continue or cease trading hours restrictions.

I propose to extend the trial restricting trading hours for the sale of liquor pending a final decision to continue or cease restrictions. I propose to extend the sunset clause until the end of September 1997. If a final decision is reached prior to September 1997 - and I trust that will be the case - that will be implemented in a timely fashion. The extension of the trial will provide stability for all interested parties until a final decision is made. I am pleased that in this respect I have the support of the industry for this short extension.

Earlier this month a tabletop dancing venue opened at a licensed premises in Civic. The Government believes that such activities and venues are appropriately located in the commercial areas of Fyshwick, Mitchell and Hume. This is consistent with the policy restricting the location of commercial brothels and the display for sale of X-rated videos and films. To restrict the location of these activities, I propose in this Bill to make it an offence to conduct sexually explicit entertainment on licensed premises other than in prescribed locations. Prescribed locations will be determined by regulation, and I propose that the prescribed locations be defined as Fyshwick, Mitchell and Hume.

To ensure this legislation can keep pace with the industry, I propose to define the core matters which constitute sexually explicit entertainment and to provide a regulation-making power to deal with any other issue which may emerge from time to time. The core matters defined in the legislation as sexually explicit entertainment are the display of genitalia by any person included in a performance or entertainment and sexual intercourse as defined in the Crimes Act 1900. This legislation will prevent the continuation of sexually explicit tabletop dancing at the recently opened Civic venue.

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