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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 9 Hansard (4 September) . . Page.. 2922 ..

MRS CARNELL (continuing):

Mr Whitecross may like to have made some smart comments there, but 20 per cent-plus of our patients come from the region around Canberra. That level tends to be increasing, again because Canberra's services are being seen as being the best around. Mr Whitecross made the point of Canberrans being sicker. He would have seen, as I did, and read in depth, as I did, the recent wellness statistics around Australia which showed Canberrans to be the fittest and with the highest level of wellness, shall we say, in Australia.

MRS LITTLEWOOD: Mr Speaker, my question is to the Attorney-General. Is the Attorney aware of the Australian Hotels Association's concern about the B and S Ball held at EPIC last weekend; namely, that alcohol was being sold without a licence? What has the Minister done about these concerns?

MR HUMPHRIES: I thank Mrs Littlewood for this question.

Mrs Carnell: He was there, so - - -

MR HUMPHRIES: No, I was not there. I am a bit old for B and S balls, I am afraid. I am also not eligible in other respects. The ball was held at EPIC on 30 August, a Saturday night. The promoter was Lewis Entertainment, but liquor sales were controlled by the EPIC Trust, which had a special liquor licence for the event.

Mr Stefaniak: Did those two blokes who can drink milk all night turn up?

MR HUMPHRIES: No, they do not always drink milk, but I imagine that things other than milk were drunk on that occasion. There was a suggestion at one point that a licence had not been obtained; but that, I can assure the house, is not true. Initial advice was that the problems were minimal and that the Liquor Act compliance was quite good. That was my initial advice. The promoter gave assurances about dispensing liquor in a responsible manner, staff training and security in relation to entry by minors, occupancy loadings, serving in plastic containers not glass containers, and the provision of toilets and things like that. Liquor inspectors attended the event for about two hours during the evening to monitor compliance with the Liquor Act.

My office was advised that there were no breaches of the Liquor Act detected by those officers at least, and perhaps other officers of the ACT; but I did see footage on WIN Television news last night which certainly looked as if there were matters going on which could constitute a breach of the liquor legislation, including serving intoxicated people and matters of that kind. Therefore, I want to ensure that the advice received is soundly based and accurate. I have asked the Director of Liquor and Adult Services to review the investigations made by his staff on Saturday night, to ensure that if there were breaches of the Liquor Act they are acted upon and, in turn, to brief me on those investigations.

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