Liquor and Other Acts Amendment Bill

_{09 September, 2008}

LIQUOR AND OTHER ACTS AMENDMENT BILL
Ms JARRATT (Whitsunday—ALP) (8.53 pm): It is a pleasure to rise in support of the Liquor and
Other Acts Amendment Bill knowing that this bill has come before the House following wide consultation
across stakeholder groups and the community over a period. The discussion paper was first released in
April 2006 under former Minister Keech. As part of her caucus committee at that time, I had some
involvement with that process.
Mr Reeves interjected.
Ms JARRATT: That is right. We undertook a little bit of work on the accords that were established in
various states of Australia. In December 2007 the position paper was released, followed by the RIS and
draft public benefit test in February 2008. This document drew more than 8,400 submissions, which is
testament to the effort undertaken to consult with stakeholders and the community on what is and can be
quite a contentious subject.
Alcohol has long played a prominent role in the way we as Australians celebrate special occasions,
socialise and relax. I put my hand up to enjoying a great Queensland wine from time to time, but I also
acknowledge that too many people, particularly young people, have not heeded the drink in moderation
message. Therefore, I support this effort to prioritise a safe drinking culture in this state.
Generally speaking, the amendments in this bill aim to encourage the responsible sale and
consumption of alcohol. It is about harm minimisation. Nobody wants to establish a nanny state where
freedom of choice is totally removed in relation to decisions about alcohol consumption, but we need to set
guidelines for those who have demonstrated an inability to act responsibly, whether that be in the manner
in which alcohol is sold or the environment in which it is consumed.
In relation to our desire to keep our young people safe, this bill contains new provisions that will see
the creation of an irresponsible supply offence targeting parents, older friends and siblings. This is a
contentious but necessary step in making all of us think about the harm that alcohol can do to developing
brains and bodies. The current act prohibits the sale and supply of liquor to minors. It also prohibits minors
consuming liquor in licensed premises and public places, but it does not address the issue of minors being
supplied with alcohol in private places such as the home. The bill addresses this issue by formalising a
widely accepted belief that alcohol is detrimental to the health of young people, regardless of where it is
consumed.
The bill includes a new provision providing ministerial power to ban those alcohol products that
target minors. This banning power, which is based on the same principle as section 85 of the Fair Trading
Act, will enable urgent action to be taken to prevent the sale of undesirable liquor products that target youth
markets. It is perhaps a sad reflection on our society that we should need to introduce such measures to
protect young people, but it is nevertheless a reality that in some instances the urge to find new ways to
make money overrides the obligation to abide by moral standards. In other cases, the quest for novelty
appeal clashes with the need for moderation in the way that alcohol is taken or absorbed. I hope that the
minister never has to use this new power, but I am pleased that it now exists.
Speech by Jan Jarratt extracted from Hansard of Tuesday, 9 September 2008
File name: jarr2008_09_09_91.fm Page : 2 of 2
Another important change imposed by the bill is an expansion of the responsible service of alcohol
provisions. RSA is considered industry standard and a best practice tool used to minimise risk on licensed
premises. With the passage of the legislation, mandatory training becomes required for employees of
licensed premises and responsible management of licensed premises training and RSA will be required for
managers of licensed premises. Importantly, an exemption will exist for small community clubs run by
volunteers, although they must have an RSA credited supervisor present. This is a common sense
exemption that was raised earlier this year with the Premier by members of the Whitsunday Sailing Club.
They were concerned that the supply of volunteers for community events would dry up should they be
required to undergo RSA training for a one-off event. The unintended consequences of such a requirement
would have seen the end of community events and functions that build community spirit and draw visitors
and tourists to towns all over Queensland.
Acknowledgement of the liquor accords in this bill gives recognition to the important role that these
bodies can play in the maintenance of safety and good order in local communities. In the past in this House
I have spoken about the public safety task force that exists in Airlie Beach. This group is guided by the
local police with input from a variety of stakeholders including security providers, licensees, the taxi
industry, liquor licensing and the local council. When accords such as this work well, they can pre-empt
problems and address issues before they become serious or even criminal incidents. In Airlie Beach where
tourists, locals and building contractors mix in licensed premises, the risk of alcohol fuelled violence is an
undesirable but ever-present potential consequence. Unfortunately, the use of drugs does a great deal to
heighten this risk, so the oversight of the task force is important to public safety.
I take this opportunity to put on record my sincere thanks to the local police whose job regularly puts
them in personal danger or at the very least exposes them to pretty unsavoury acts and behaviours. I also
say thank you to members of the task force and encourage them to continue to work together in good faith
for the betterment of our community.
In a related amendment, the bill also addresses the thorny issue of trading hours. The legislation will
impose a regime of ordinary trading hours, which will be from 10 am to midnight. Approval for extended
hours will be available but under stricter conditions and requirements based on the underlying theme of
harm minimisation. I fully support these amendments because it sends a clear message that extended
licences are a privilege, not a right. Maybe it is my age, but there is no occasion that I could think of that
would induce me to dance and drink until 5 am.
Honourable members interjected.
Ms JARRATT: I respect the right of others to do this as long as it does not impinge on the rights of
others to be safe and does not result in self-harm.
Honourable members interjected.
Ms JARRATT: Protect me, Mr Deputy Speaker.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr English): Order! The member for Whitsunday has the call.
Ms JARRATT: Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I might be old but I am on my feet. Allowances are
included in the bill to support opening prior to 10 am for community clubs but only where a demonstrated
need exists—for example, where there are shiftworkers or sporting activities. Again, I consider this to be a
common-sense exemption that should be seen as a privilege, not a right.
Together with a streamlined system of licences and permits, which allow greater flexibility matched
with an increased level of responsibility and annual payment of licence fees based on risk to the
community, the measures contained in this bill represent the actions of a government determined to
establish a safe drinking culture in the state. Therefore, this bill has my support and I commend it to the
House.

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