❓ Mr Catania asks about the progress of regulations for liquor-restricted premises. The Minister outlines various strategies to combat alcohol-related harm, including prohibition orders, barring notices, tempered glassware, alcohol bans, and alcohol-free residences, highlighting positive results in the Kimberley and Pilbara.
AnsweredQoN 70Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ALCOHOL-RELATED HARM AND ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOUR
70. Mr V.A. CATANIA to the Minister for Racing and
Gaming:
Alcohol-related harm and antisocial
behaviour in our community are an ongoing issue, and the Liberal–National
government has adopted a targeted approach to this complex problem. Late last
year regulations were introduced to establish provisions for liquor-restricted
premises. Could the minister please outline how this process works and detail
progress achieved to date with this important reform?
70. Mr V.A. CATANIA to the Minister for Racing and
Gaming:
Alcohol-related harm and antisocial
behaviour in our community are an ongoing issue, and the Liberal–National
government has adopted a targeted approach to this complex problem. Late last
year regulations were introduced to establish provisions for liquor-restricted
premises. Could the minister please outline how this process works and detail
progress achieved to date with this important reform?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question
because this is a really important strategy and one that certainly will help
not only in his electorate, but also in many other parts of the state. Just
before I get to that, I want to say that the Liberal–National
government has adopted a targeted strategy to try to tackle the many alcohol
and alcohol-related issues, and, at the same time, we have supported choice and
diversity. We want to ensure that we still have a vibrant hospitality sector
and tourism industry. We have resisted calls for blanket controls that would
damage that sector, because the vast majority of Western Australians drink
responsibly, and they should be able to do so. As I have said many times, it is
about the balance.
The focus has been in two areas. One
is alcohol-fuelled antisocial behaviour. Just quickly, we have prohibition
orders that look after the worst offenders, including glassing offenders. There
have been 117 orders issued. We have also undertaken barring notices, which
have been a really important tool—one of the tools in a toolbox trying
to address these issues. These are for young kids and designed to give them
time on the bench and to give them a second chance. In a little over 12 months,
245 barring notices have been issued, and they are proving to be very successful.
We have worked with the industry on tempered glassware.
Mr
M.P. Murray : Very slowly.
Mr
T.K. WALDRON : No; we have had a very strong voluntary take-up, member. It
has been reported that up to 75 per cent of new glassware in licensed premises
is tempered glassware.
Mr
M.P. Murray interjected.
Mr
T.K. WALDRON : It is a good figure; 75 per cent is a good figure.
In dealing with alcohol-related harm
through section 175 alcohol bans, 15 communities now have safer environments
for their families. That is what this is about—the restricted premises—and
we have also strengthened the sly grogging provisions. Therefore, lots of tools
are being used.
The latest strategy, which the
member for North West raised and is one that he has helped drive, is aimed at
reducing alcohol-related harm by restricting liquor in certain premises and by
which a person can have their residence declared alcohol-free. We based this on
a similar system in the Northern Territory that has worked well. This is about
protecting people, particularly mums and little kids, in their own homes when
alcohol is brought in; lots of people come in, and parties and bad things
happen in those houses. I will just let the member know what is happening right
at the moment with that. I will give a little detail so that people will
remember.
The application can be made only by the owner or the occupier
of the private premises or by the Department for Child Protection. The
applications are determined by the Director of Liquor Licensing, who takes the
public interest into account in making his decision. He can consult with
various authorities, including the police, but I just stress that the police
cannot make an application. Once an order has been issued, signage has to be
displayed and there is a penalty of up to $2 000. So far, 10 residences have
been declared in the Kimberley and the Pilbara.
Reports from the police in Wyndham are very encouraging. The
feedback from residents who have had liquor banned in their houses has been
really, really encouraging; it is making a big difference to their health and
safety. It also makes a difference, can I say, to the neighbours and to people
in the street. Even this morning, the officer in charge at South Hedland, Peter
Pope, was singing its praises on ABC radio, saying what a difference this is
making. I know of four other applications that are before the director.
I firmly believe that this is a good
initiative. It is something that is working along with all the other
initiatives because with alcohol-related harm and the problems we have, it is
not just one thing; it is a whole suite of things. We are trying to do the best
by looking at what is happening in other areas and introducing them
appropriately, and I am very happy with this. I think there is a need for us to
continue to focus on education and trying to change cultures and attitudes. We
are doing that but it is something that we have to keep working at. We are
certainly committed to making a difference and this is a really important
initiative.
House adjourned at 7.00 pm Adjournments
__________
because this is a really important strategy and one that certainly will help
not only in his electorate, but also in many other parts of the state. Just
before I get to that, I want to say that the Liberal–National
government has adopted a targeted strategy to try to tackle the many alcohol
and alcohol-related issues, and, at the same time, we have supported choice and
diversity. We want to ensure that we still have a vibrant hospitality sector
and tourism industry. We have resisted calls for blanket controls that would
damage that sector, because the vast majority of Western Australians drink
responsibly, and they should be able to do so. As I have said many times, it is
about the balance.
The focus has been in two areas. One
is alcohol-fuelled antisocial behaviour. Just quickly, we have prohibition
orders that look after the worst offenders, including glassing offenders. There
have been 117 orders issued. We have also undertaken barring notices, which
have been a really important tool—one of the tools in a toolbox trying
to address these issues. These are for young kids and designed to give them
time on the bench and to give them a second chance. In a little over 12 months,
245 barring notices have been issued, and they are proving to be very successful.
We have worked with the industry on tempered glassware.
Mr
M.P. Murray : Very slowly.
Mr
T.K. WALDRON : No; we have had a very strong voluntary take-up, member. It
has been reported that up to 75 per cent of new glassware in licensed premises
is tempered glassware.
Mr
M.P. Murray interjected.
Mr
T.K. WALDRON : It is a good figure; 75 per cent is a good figure.
In dealing with alcohol-related harm
through section 175 alcohol bans, 15 communities now have safer environments
for their families. That is what this is about—the restricted premises—and
we have also strengthened the sly grogging provisions. Therefore, lots of tools
are being used.
The latest strategy, which the
member for North West raised and is one that he has helped drive, is aimed at
reducing alcohol-related harm by restricting liquor in certain premises and by
which a person can have their residence declared alcohol-free. We based this on
a similar system in the Northern Territory that has worked well. This is about
protecting people, particularly mums and little kids, in their own homes when
alcohol is brought in; lots of people come in, and parties and bad things
happen in those houses. I will just let the member know what is happening right
at the moment with that. I will give a little detail so that people will
remember.
The application can be made only by the owner or the occupier
of the private premises or by the Department for Child Protection. The
applications are determined by the Director of Liquor Licensing, who takes the
public interest into account in making his decision. He can consult with
various authorities, including the police, but I just stress that the police
cannot make an application. Once an order has been issued, signage has to be
displayed and there is a penalty of up to $2 000. So far, 10 residences have
been declared in the Kimberley and the Pilbara.
Reports from the police in Wyndham are very encouraging. The
feedback from residents who have had liquor banned in their houses has been
really, really encouraging; it is making a big difference to their health and
safety. It also makes a difference, can I say, to the neighbours and to people
in the street. Even this morning, the officer in charge at South Hedland, Peter
Pope, was singing its praises on ABC radio, saying what a difference this is
making. I know of four other applications that are before the director.
I firmly believe that this is a good
initiative. It is something that is working along with all the other
initiatives because with alcohol-related harm and the problems we have, it is
not just one thing; it is a whole suite of things. We are trying to do the best
by looking at what is happening in other areas and introducing them
appropriately, and I am very happy with this. I think there is a need for us to
continue to focus on education and trying to change cultures and attitudes. We
are doing that but it is something that we have to keep working at. We are
certainly committed to making a difference and this is a really important
initiative.
House adjourned at 7.00 pm Adjournments
__________
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