Page 200 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 10 February 2010
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(d) the tabling in the Assembly of an exposure draft of legislative changes to the Liquor Act 1975 by the last sitting day in March 2010; and
(e) the introduction of legislation for debate and commencement prior to the start of the 2010/11 summer.”.
I thank Mr Rattenbury for bringing forward this motion today. The government’s commitment to undertake a major comprehensive review of ACT liquor laws is the first such major review since the Liquor Act was first introduced 35 years ago. In April 2008 I released a detailed discussion paper raising a number of key questions and possible options for reform for public comment. The government was keen to seek community input on the best way forward to ensure the responsible sale and safe consumption of alcohol in the territory.
The review process undertaken was complex. I make no apology for the period of time that it took to complete. It required not only careful consideration of a large number of public submissions received but also a detailed analysis of national and overseas evidence-based research data on measures adopted elsewhere to combat the ever-increasing alcohol-related costs on Australian communities. The cost on communities across Australia is significant. It is estimated that it costs Australian communities up to $11 billion annually in terms of alcohol-related harm and the costs associated with that harm.
The final departmental report to government in September 2009 made 50 recommendations for reform. In a review of this type it is important to ensure that any recommendations finally adopted by government would be effective in minimising harm to patrons. Most Australian jurisdictions have now moved to introduce risk-based licensing frameworks with significant licensing renewal fees and penalties for those licensees who continue to serve alcohol irresponsibly, contributing to drunkenness and alcohol abuse in the marketplace.
The government’s proposal to require licensees to prepare risk assessment management plans with their application indicating how they would propose to manage risks associated with their venue would require them to consider alternative courtesy transport options, for example, for patrons in circumstances where public transport is not available in the early hours of the morning. While the availability of courtesy transport would be a matter for the liquor industry to provide, the government would be keen to work with the industry to ensure that this occurs.
In relation to the government’s intention to introduce a risk-based licensing framework and a new harm minimisation and community safety philosophy into our written legislation, the government has been careful to maintain a balance—a balance between acknowledging the significant contribution made by the liquor industry to Canberra’s economy and to a more vibrant community and the growing financial and social costs on the community associated with the abuse and misuse of alcohol. For this reason the government welcomes the Greens’ support in this endeavour and notes the significant consensus in the Greens’ paper supporting the government’s key recommendations for reform.
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