❓ The Minister outlines upcoming liquor law reforms, including relaxed restrictions for small restaurants, producers, pop-up events, and retirement villages, aiming to reduce red tape and support the hospitality and tourism sectors.
AnsweredQoN 516Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
LIQUOR LAWS —
REFORMS
516. Mrs J.M.C. STOJKOVSKI to the Minister for Racing and Gaming:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to supporting and growing local hospitality
businesses, reducing unnecessary burdens on industry and creating more jobs
through what are the biggest reforms to liquor laws in a decade. Can the
minister outline to the house what these reforms will mean for WA's
hospitality industry when they come into effect this weekend?
REFORMS
516. Mrs J.M.C. STOJKOVSKI to the Minister for Racing and Gaming:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to supporting and growing local hospitality
businesses, reducing unnecessary burdens on industry and creating more jobs
through what are the biggest reforms to liquor laws in a decade. Can the
minister outline to the house what these reforms will mean for WA's
hospitality industry when they come into effect this weekend?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for her question.
It is true that the first phase of the most significant amendments to the
Liquor Control Act since the McGowan small bar legislation was introduced will
come into force this weekend. It is a momentous time for the hospitality sector
and the tourism industry in Western Australia. Phase one of the changes will
see a range of big initiatives, a number of which I will cover today, but we
have covered many more in the Parliament and many people here will be familiar
with them.
Firstly, restaurants with a capacity
of fewer than 120 people will no longer have to seek a permit to be able to
serve liquor without a meal. That is a significant change; it has been sought
by the industry for a long time. It will cut red tape and enable small bars and
cafes to access the after-work crowd who want a couple of drinks on their way
home. It is a good thing.
Secondly, the reforms will allow all
producers to sell and supply liquor for consumption on and off licensed
premises, whether they produce beer, wine or spirits. For the first time, the
very high quality range of micro distilleries in Western Australia will be
afforded the same opportunities as breweries and wineries have been in the past
and will be able to pursue their interests. It will allow intrastate and
interstate licensees to attend licensed premises to provide free samples and
take orders on the day at food and wine shows. This is an interesting one that
should have been fixed a long time ago. It was brought to my attention for the
first time at the Dowerin Field Day when we were in opposition and would be
there in more numbers than National Party members, listening to people on the
ground saying what they needed in the regions and what they cared about. It
struck me as extraordinary that people who produced wine were not able to go to
the Dowerin Field Day, serve their wares, give people advice and make sales on
the day. That will be fixed from this weekend.
Thirdly, we will allow pop-up applications that are
advertised to be subject to formal objections. This is a response to the
challenges that have been confronting bricks and mortar outlets for some time
to enable them a fairer playing field on which, subject to certain criteria,
pop-ups of a size and duration that warrant it will be compelled to advertise
and be subject to a public interest assessment. That is a fair and good thing
for the industry.
Fourthly, we will allow barring notices to be issued by
police to people in the vicinity of venues, which will help protect our
established businesses. In the past, barring notices were given only to people
who misbehaved inside the premises. If people misbehaving were in a queue or on
a verge outside a premises, they were not subject to barring notices and
therefore did not receive that deterrent. That is all good. A number of other
changes will come in the future as part of this. We will allow extended trading
permits from the current duration of five years to 10 years. That will reduce
red tape, extend the opportunity for people to operate once their initial
application has been approved and reduce the burden on small businesses
associated with that licensing process. That has been long sought after by the
industry. I am very pleased to be able to deliver it.
There is one more thing that I think the member for Kingsley
will be interested in, as would be a lot of people in this place. Until this
change, residents of retirement villages were deemed immature and incapable of
being trusted to invite people into their bars or clubs on the retirement
village grounds to share a drink and a meal with their visitors. We are fixing
that. We are treating our elders, the seniors of Western Australia, with
respect, as they should have been for a long time. We are changing that rule.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for South Perth, that is a bonus
for you!
Mr P. PAPALIA : I mentioned all these measures and more
in a speech last night at Crown Casino where I attended the Restaurant and
Catering Industry Association of Australia awards, member for Kingsley, in the
company of several other members of Parliament, including the shadow Minister
for Racing and Gaming, the member for South Perth.
It was an interesting evening, as the news evolved through
social media during the course of the dinner. I reflect on one thing: in the
context of all these changes being well received by the audience, it was interesting
that the one thing that was not well received was my greeting to the member for
South Perth, which has become almost standard now—have you fired up the
barbeque for the weekend, John? He did laugh. I do not think he is going to. He
had not yet, but he may do next weekend.
It is true that the first phase of the most significant amendments to the
Liquor Control Act since the McGowan small bar legislation was introduced will
come into force this weekend. It is a momentous time for the hospitality sector
and the tourism industry in Western Australia. Phase one of the changes will
see a range of big initiatives, a number of which I will cover today, but we
have covered many more in the Parliament and many people here will be familiar
with them.
Firstly, restaurants with a capacity
of fewer than 120 people will no longer have to seek a permit to be able to
serve liquor without a meal. That is a significant change; it has been sought
by the industry for a long time. It will cut red tape and enable small bars and
cafes to access the after-work crowd who want a couple of drinks on their way
home. It is a good thing.
Secondly, the reforms will allow all
producers to sell and supply liquor for consumption on and off licensed
premises, whether they produce beer, wine or spirits. For the first time, the
very high quality range of micro distilleries in Western Australia will be
afforded the same opportunities as breweries and wineries have been in the past
and will be able to pursue their interests. It will allow intrastate and
interstate licensees to attend licensed premises to provide free samples and
take orders on the day at food and wine shows. This is an interesting one that
should have been fixed a long time ago. It was brought to my attention for the
first time at the Dowerin Field Day when we were in opposition and would be
there in more numbers than National Party members, listening to people on the
ground saying what they needed in the regions and what they cared about. It
struck me as extraordinary that people who produced wine were not able to go to
the Dowerin Field Day, serve their wares, give people advice and make sales on
the day. That will be fixed from this weekend.
Thirdly, we will allow pop-up applications that are
advertised to be subject to formal objections. This is a response to the
challenges that have been confronting bricks and mortar outlets for some time
to enable them a fairer playing field on which, subject to certain criteria,
pop-ups of a size and duration that warrant it will be compelled to advertise
and be subject to a public interest assessment. That is a fair and good thing
for the industry.
Fourthly, we will allow barring notices to be issued by
police to people in the vicinity of venues, which will help protect our
established businesses. In the past, barring notices were given only to people
who misbehaved inside the premises. If people misbehaving were in a queue or on
a verge outside a premises, they were not subject to barring notices and
therefore did not receive that deterrent. That is all good. A number of other
changes will come in the future as part of this. We will allow extended trading
permits from the current duration of five years to 10 years. That will reduce
red tape, extend the opportunity for people to operate once their initial
application has been approved and reduce the burden on small businesses
associated with that licensing process. That has been long sought after by the
industry. I am very pleased to be able to deliver it.
There is one more thing that I think the member for Kingsley
will be interested in, as would be a lot of people in this place. Until this
change, residents of retirement villages were deemed immature and incapable of
being trusted to invite people into their bars or clubs on the retirement
village grounds to share a drink and a meal with their visitors. We are fixing
that. We are treating our elders, the seniors of Western Australia, with
respect, as they should have been for a long time. We are changing that rule.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for South Perth, that is a bonus
for you!
Mr P. PAPALIA : I mentioned all these measures and more
in a speech last night at Crown Casino where I attended the Restaurant and
Catering Industry Association of Australia awards, member for Kingsley, in the
company of several other members of Parliament, including the shadow Minister
for Racing and Gaming, the member for South Perth.
It was an interesting evening, as the news evolved through
social media during the course of the dinner. I reflect on one thing: in the
context of all these changes being well received by the audience, it was interesting
that the one thing that was not well received was my greeting to the member for
South Perth, which has become almost standard now—have you fired up the
barbeque for the weekend, John? He did laugh. I do not think he is going to. He
had not yet, but he may do next weekend.
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