❓ Question regarding the timing of a major consultative review of the Liquor Control Act, including specific issues like the definition of "drunkenness" and the use of minors in enforcement, and the Minister's response indicating no set date for the review and disagreement with using minors in enforcement.
AnsweredQoN 638Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
LIQUOR CONTROL ACT — REVIEW
Will the minister advise the house when the Liquor Control Act will undergo a major consultative review, as noted today in the minister’s response to the Education and Health Standing Committee’s report, including into a definition of “drunkenness” in the act, fines under the act, preventing the sale of alcohol to minors under the act, and liquor outlet density; and can the minister explain to the house why under the Tobacco Products Control Act minors are used in enforcement operations to prevent the sale of tobacco to minors, yet the minister is refusing the use of minors under the Liquor Control Act to prevent the sale of alcohol to minors? Mr T.K. WALDRON
Will the minister advise the house when the Liquor Control Act will undergo a major consultative review, as noted today in the minister’s response to the Education and Health Standing Committee’s report, including into a definition of “drunkenness” in the act, fines under the act, preventing the sale of alcohol to minors under the act, and liquor outlet density; and can the minister explain to the house why under the Tobacco Products Control Act minors are used in enforcement operations to prevent the sale of tobacco to minors, yet the minister is refusing the use of minors under the Liquor Control Act to prevent the sale of alcohol to minors? Mr T.K. WALDRON
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for her question. I think everyone knows that she has some very strong opinions about alcohol in our community, like all of us. As I said in my ministerial statement earlier, the member made the point that 95 per cent of people drink very responsibly. It is that small percentage that do not that we must target. What I have said, and what we have done in response to the report, is that before the act is changed, we will have a review and consult with the public, but we have not done that. The member will recall that only last year we made a lot of changes to the Liquor Control Act and we have since made some changes to the regulations in the act. There is no set date for when that consultation process will happen. As the minister, I will look at when I think there is a need to do that. The issue of entrapment is interesting and I acknowledge that it is open for debate. I understand that that can be done with tobacco, but I do not agree with it. I have a real problem with asking underage children to break the law to try to enforce the law. That is our position on that matter. When we consult with the public, I am always happy to look at those things with an open mind. One of the things that I learnt last year in the excellent debate we had in this Parliament on the Liquor Control Amendment Bill 2010—I learnt a hell of a lot from that debate—was that the wide range of views in the Parliament are very similar to the wide range of views held in the community. I see it as very much the role of government, and my role as minister, to try to strike that balance of the majority of people being able to go out and enjoy a social time—alcohol is part of that social time in lots of cases—while at the same time making sure that we balance that against the real health and safety issues. We as a government, and I as minister, are really trying to reach that correct balance. My balance might be slightly different from that of others, but I think we are pretty much in the area. This debate will continue, and there will be changes in the future as situations in our society change. I will make just one point before I sit down. We really are concentrating on targeting that small percentage of troublemakers, but also we are concentrating on education because I think we can do more in that area. I really strongly believe that through our sporting clubs we have the greatest network to work with the age group that probably has some of the greatest issues. We are already doing good work in that area. I think that is a great resource that we have not capitalised on, and it is my plan to do that.
Mr T.K. WALDRON replied: I thank the member for her question. I think everyone knows that she has some very strong opinions about alcohol in our community, like all of us. As I said in my ministerial statement earlier, the member made the point that 95 per cent of people drink very responsibly. It is that small percentage that do not that we must target. What I have said, and what we have done in response to the report, is that before the act is changed, we will have a review and consult with the public, but we have not done that. The member will recall that only last year we made a lot of changes to the Liquor Control Act and we have since made some changes to the regulations in the act. There is no set date for when that consultation process will happen. As the minister, I will look at when I think there is a need to do that. The issue of entrapment is interesting and I acknowledge that it is open for debate. I understand that that can be done with tobacco, but I do not agree with it. I have a real problem with asking underage children to break the law to try to enforce the law. That is our position on that matter. When we consult with the public, I am always happy to look at those things with an open mind. One of the things that I learnt last year in the excellent debate we had in this Parliament on the Liquor Control Amendment Bill 2010—I learnt a hell of a lot from that debate—was that the wide range of views in the Parliament are very similar to the wide range of views held in the community. I see it as very much the role of government, and my role as minister, to try to strike that balance of the majority of people being able to go out and enjoy a social time—alcohol is part of that social time in lots of cases—while at the same time making sure that we balance that against the real health and safety issues. We as a government, and I as minister, are really trying to reach that correct balance. My balance might be slightly different from that of others, but I think we are pretty much in the area. This debate will continue, and there will be changes in the future as situations in our society change. I will make just one point before I sit down. We really are concentrating on targeting that small percentage of troublemakers, but also we are concentrating on education because I think we can do more in that area. I really strongly believe that through our sporting clubs we have the greatest network to work with the age group that probably has some of the greatest issues. We are already doing good work in that area. I think that is a great resource that we have not capitalised on, and it is my plan to do that.
I thank the member for her question. I think everyone knows that she has some very strong opinions about alcohol in our community, like all of us. As I said in my ministerial statement earlier, the member made the point that 95 per cent of people drink very responsibly. It is that small percentage that do not that we must target. What I have said, and what we have done in response to the report, is that before the act is changed, we will have a review and consult with the public, but we have not done that. The member will recall that only last year we made a lot of changes to the Liquor Control Act and we have since made some changes to the regulations in the act. There is no set date for when that consultation process will happen. As the minister, I will look at when I think there is a need to do that. The issue of entrapment is interesting and I acknowledge that it is open for debate. I understand that that can be done with tobacco, but I do not agree with it. I have a real problem with asking underage children to break the law to try to enforce the law. That is our position on that matter. When we consult with the public, I am always happy to look at those things with an open mind. One of the things that I learnt last year in the excellent debate we had in this Parliament on the Liquor Control Amendment Bill 2010—I learnt a hell of a lot from that debate—was that the wide range of views in the Parliament are very similar to the wide range of views held in the community. I see it as very much the role of government, and my role as minister, to try to strike that balance of the majority of people being able to go out and enjoy a social time—alcohol is part of that social time in lots of cases—while at the same time making sure that we balance that against the real health and safety issues. We as a government, and I as minister, are really trying to reach that correct balance. My balance might be slightly different from that of others, but I think we are pretty much in the area. This debate will continue, and there will be changes in the future as situations in our society change. I will make just one point before I sit down. We really are concentrating on targeting that small percentage of troublemakers, but also we are concentrating on education because I think we can do more in that area. I really strongly believe that through our sporting clubs we have the greatest network to work with the age group that probably has some of the greatest issues. We are already doing good work in that area. I think that is a great resource that we have not capitalised on, and it is my plan to do that.
The issue of entrapment is interesting and I acknowledge that it is open for debate. I understand that that can be done with tobacco, but I do not agree with it. I have a real problem with asking underage children to break the law to try to enforce the law. That is our position on that matter. When we consult with the public, I am always happy to look at those things with an open mind. One of the things that I learnt last year in the excellent debate we had in this Parliament on the Liquor Control Amendment Bill 2010—I learnt a hell of a lot from that debate—was that the wide range of views in the Parliament are very similar to the wide range of views held in the community. I see it as very much the role of government, and my role as minister, to try to strike that balance of the majority of people being able to go out and enjoy a social time—alcohol is part of that social time in lots of cases—while at the same time making sure that we balance that against the real health and safety issues. We as a government, and I as minister, are really trying to reach that correct balance. My balance might be slightly different from that of others, but I think we are pretty much in the area. This debate will continue, and there will be changes in the future as situations in our society change. I will make just one point before I sit down. We really are concentrating on targeting that small percentage of troublemakers, but also we are concentrating on education because I think we can do more in that area. I really strongly believe that through our sporting clubs we have the greatest network to work with the age group that probably has some of the greatest issues. We are already doing good work in that area. I think that is a great resource that we have not capitalised on, and it is my plan to do that.
I will make just one point before I sit down. We really are concentrating on targeting that small percentage of troublemakers, but also we are concentrating on education because I think we can do more in that area. I really strongly believe that through our sporting clubs we have the greatest network to work with the age group that probably has some of the greatest issues. We are already doing good work in that area. I think that is a great resource that we have not capitalised on, and it is my plan to do that.
Mr T.K. WALDRON replied: I thank the member for her question. I think everyone knows that she has some very strong opinions about alcohol in our community, like all of us. As I said in my ministerial statement earlier, the member made the point that 95 per cent of people drink very responsibly. It is that small percentage that do not that we must target. What I have said, and what we have done in response to the report, is that before the act is changed, we will have a review and consult with the public, but we have not done that. The member will recall that only last year we made a lot of changes to the Liquor Control Act and we have since made some changes to the regulations in the act. There is no set date for when that consultation process will happen. As the minister, I will look at when I think there is a need to do that. The issue of entrapment is interesting and I acknowledge that it is open for debate. I understand that that can be done with tobacco, but I do not agree with it. I have a real problem with asking underage children to break the law to try to enforce the law. That is our position on that matter. When we consult with the public, I am always happy to look at those things with an open mind. One of the things that I learnt last year in the excellent debate we had in this Parliament on the Liquor Control Amendment Bill 2010—I learnt a hell of a lot from that debate—was that the wide range of views in the Parliament are very similar to the wide range of views held in the community. I see it as very much the role of government, and my role as minister, to try to strike that balance of the majority of people being able to go out and enjoy a social time—alcohol is part of that social time in lots of cases—while at the same time making sure that we balance that against the real health and safety issues. We as a government, and I as minister, are really trying to reach that correct balance. My balance might be slightly different from that of others, but I think we are pretty much in the area. This debate will continue, and there will be changes in the future as situations in our society change. I will make just one point before I sit down. We really are concentrating on targeting that small percentage of troublemakers, but also we are concentrating on education because I think we can do more in that area. I really strongly believe that through our sporting clubs we have the greatest network to work with the age group that probably has some of the greatest issues. We are already doing good work in that area. I think that is a great resource that we have not capitalised on, and it is my plan to do that.
I thank the member for her question. I think everyone knows that she has some very strong opinions about alcohol in our community, like all of us. As I said in my ministerial statement earlier, the member made the point that 95 per cent of people drink very responsibly. It is that small percentage that do not that we must target. What I have said, and what we have done in response to the report, is that before the act is changed, we will have a review and consult with the public, but we have not done that. The member will recall that only last year we made a lot of changes to the Liquor Control Act and we have since made some changes to the regulations in the act. There is no set date for when that consultation process will happen. As the minister, I will look at when I think there is a need to do that. The issue of entrapment is interesting and I acknowledge that it is open for debate. I understand that that can be done with tobacco, but I do not agree with it. I have a real problem with asking underage children to break the law to try to enforce the law. That is our position on that matter. When we consult with the public, I am always happy to look at those things with an open mind. One of the things that I learnt last year in the excellent debate we had in this Parliament on the Liquor Control Amendment Bill 2010—I learnt a hell of a lot from that debate—was that the wide range of views in the Parliament are very similar to the wide range of views held in the community. I see it as very much the role of government, and my role as minister, to try to strike that balance of the majority of people being able to go out and enjoy a social time—alcohol is part of that social time in lots of cases—while at the same time making sure that we balance that against the real health and safety issues. We as a government, and I as minister, are really trying to reach that correct balance. My balance might be slightly different from that of others, but I think we are pretty much in the area. This debate will continue, and there will be changes in the future as situations in our society change. I will make just one point before I sit down. We really are concentrating on targeting that small percentage of troublemakers, but also we are concentrating on education because I think we can do more in that area. I really strongly believe that through our sporting clubs we have the greatest network to work with the age group that probably has some of the greatest issues. We are already doing good work in that area. I think that is a great resource that we have not capitalised on, and it is my plan to do that.
The issue of entrapment is interesting and I acknowledge that it is open for debate. I understand that that can be done with tobacco, but I do not agree with it. I have a real problem with asking underage children to break the law to try to enforce the law. That is our position on that matter. When we consult with the public, I am always happy to look at those things with an open mind. One of the things that I learnt last year in the excellent debate we had in this Parliament on the Liquor Control Amendment Bill 2010—I learnt a hell of a lot from that debate—was that the wide range of views in the Parliament are very similar to the wide range of views held in the community. I see it as very much the role of government, and my role as minister, to try to strike that balance of the majority of people being able to go out and enjoy a social time—alcohol is part of that social time in lots of cases—while at the same time making sure that we balance that against the real health and safety issues. We as a government, and I as minister, are really trying to reach that correct balance. My balance might be slightly different from that of others, but I think we are pretty much in the area. This debate will continue, and there will be changes in the future as situations in our society change. I will make just one point before I sit down. We really are concentrating on targeting that small percentage of troublemakers, but also we are concentrating on education because I think we can do more in that area. I really strongly believe that through our sporting clubs we have the greatest network to work with the age group that probably has some of the greatest issues. We are already doing good work in that area. I think that is a great resource that we have not capitalised on, and it is my plan to do that.
I will make just one point before I sit down. We really are concentrating on targeting that small percentage of troublemakers, but also we are concentrating on education because I think we can do more in that area. I really strongly believe that through our sporting clubs we have the greatest network to work with the age group that probably has some of the greatest issues. We are already doing good work in that area. I think that is a great resource that we have not capitalised on, and it is my plan to do that.
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