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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 14 Hansard (11 December) . . Page.. 5072 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

5

The Government also supports the restriction of trading hours for Off licences and, as the Assembly is aware, from 1 October 1997 the sale of liquor for consumption off licensed premises was restricted to the hours of 8am to 11pm.

Recommendations in the report that are not supported by the Government are recommendations 7 and 12.

The Government does not propose to undertake a review of the Proof of Age Card scheme. The scheme was introduced in December 1994 and approximately 7,500 cards have been issued. To combat the problem of persons under the age of 18 illegally obtaining cards, the application process was tightened in December 1995. In addition, the Liquor and Adult Services Regulation Branch of my Department has in place a stringent process of checking applications. I am advised that these initiatives have resulted in a significant reduction in the number of false applications and it is believed that the vast majority of false applications is being detected. My Department will continue to oversee the administration of the scheme in liaison with the police and any issues that arise in the future will be quickly addressed.

The Government does not support Recommendation 12 which recommends that an averment provision be included in the Liquor Act to presume a beverage is liquor for the purpose of public drinking offences. There is sufficient capacity for regulatory authorities to deal with public drinking currently in the Liquor Act and

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