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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 7 Hansard (26 June) . . Page.. 2268 ..

MS TUCKER (continuing):

What is also definitely undisputed is that alcohol is a drug which is widely abused in our society. This abuse has clearly documented costs and other not so clearly documented costs. I can tell you that 5 per cent of all deaths, 30 per cent of all road deaths, 23 per cent of all suicides, 51 to 73 per cent of assaults, 40 per cent of domestic violence offences, 77 per cent of street offences, 58 per cent of malicious damage, 59 per cent of noise complaints and 20 per cent of all medical work are related to alcohol harm. We do have a problem. It is a significant public health issue.

The trial of 4.00 am closing was in response to concern about these issues. However, in my view, enforcing the time of closing will not necessarily solve the problems, or even any of them; but it may solve some of the problems. It may have some advantages. I believe that we have to address the problems in a more comprehensive way. What has been quite clear in all the reports is the importance of serving practices in licensed premises. We must address this issue. Accountability must be improved, maybe through the process of licensing and perhaps how the liquor licensing unit works. The Australian Hotels Association has told me that it is happy to work with the Minister on this issue. They have constantly said - and I am sure that they have said it to all members - that there are only a few premises where licensees are not being responsible, and they feel generally that everyone else is suffering because of those few people. So, they are happy to see greater accountability in their industry. There needs to be a process whereby perhaps each year licensees show that they are meeting their obligations to train staff in appropriate serving practices. Quite possibly, as I said, the liquor licensing people could operate more effectively.

The code of conduct for security personnel needs to be speeded up - this is consistent in all reports - to make sure that there is an accreditation system for people in that industry. There needs to be recognition of the fact that availability of transport is absolutely critical if alcohol-related harm is to be reduced. This also has come out of all the reports. In relation to extended trading, the report from Perth came out with the conclusion that there needed to be effective public transport. It was interesting that licensees in that State wanted to see that the licensees who traded past a certain hour partly funded the additional transport to be made available at the time that they stayed open. That is another interesting approach that has been taken there.

The report also thought that the level of violence and drink-driving should be very closely monitored by police. I noted in that report that, when police apprehend anybody for offences related to alcohol, they always ask where was the last place of drinking. Members here have pointed out that this would not be particularly useful in prosecution; but it would certainly be useful for police in looking at their data. They could certainly see - and they could communicate it to the liquor licensing board - where the trouble spots are. Then they would obviously be able to focus their attention where it was relevant. So, I think that sounds like a pretty useful suggestion as well from Perth. They also had a proposal there that an additional harm reduction levy should be applied to those premises or licensees who trade past a certain time, which is something that perhaps will be discussed here. I think the period of time is slightly different in Perth. There was a much greater difference between those premises that were granted an extension and those that were not.

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