Page 2379 - Week 06 - Thursday, 24 June 2010
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These reforms are the latest in the government’s ongoing program to improve safety and amenity in our city. Since 2007, the Labor government has provided funding for an additional 127 police, the largest increase in police officers for the city since self-government.
The government has modernised and expanded the city’s CCTV network, expanded it for the first time to Manuka and Kingston, as well as major venues such as Exhibition Park, Manuka Oval and Canberra Stadium. In the 2009-10 budget, the government also invested in the real-time monitoring of this network from a purpose built CCTV monitoring centre at the Winchester Police Centre to assist police on the busy nights of Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The government has also introduced new on the spot fines for antisocial behaviour, such as urinating in public and defacing property. This sends home the clear message that such behaviour is not tolerated by our community.
The Liquor Bill 2010 is the product of a measured and comprehensive approach to the development of new liquor laws for the territory. The bill is the result of extensive research and broad community, industry and government consultation. The process has included a discussion paper released in April 2008, a final report to the government released in September 2009, and an exposure draft bill released in March this year. The government has responded to growing community and liquor industry concerns about the antisocial and violent behaviour associated with abuse of alcohol, and has recognised that wholesale reform of our liquor laws was required.
The government received 32 formal submissions from the consultation process on the discussion paper, and the views of these stakeholders were strongly represented in the exposure draft bill. Since the exposure draft bill was released for public comment in March this year, the government has made further changes to the bill arising from the 16 formal submissions received to further improve policy outcomes.
The bill is designed to balance the needs of the community and the liquor industry by requiring licensees to better manage the risks associated with the sale and consumption of liquor within the framework of the expectations and aspirations of our community.
The government appreciates the significant contribution made by the liquor industry to the vibrant Canberra nightlife we all enjoy today, and the role our liquor laws play in the responsible promotion of related industries such as live music entertainment, tourism and the hospitality sectors.
If we are to make a difference for the benefit of the people of Canberra and visitors to our territory, the government needs the community and the industry to come together in a strong and enduring partnership dedicated to minimising the harms that result from abuse of alcohol.
The reform of the territory’s Liquor Act involves the introduction of important new concepts which govern the operation of the new laws. Today I will highlight eight major areas of reform in the government’s Liquor Bill 2010. These are: first, introduction of new harm minimisation and community safety principles; second, new
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