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Tag: AHA

  • BOSCAR Shows On-Premises Assaults Down on Central Coast

    According to data from BOCSAR (The Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research), assault rates in licensed premises on the New South Wales Central Coast have more than halved since 2008, a result the AHA NSW accredits to the efforts by hoteliers, police and local community.

    In the Gosford Local Government Area (LGA), assaults are down by 50.6 per cent from 2008 figures, and are at their lowest since 1995, similar results were acheived in Wyong LGA, with assault rates in licensed premises down 49.3 per cent since 2008.

    According to the AHA NSW, assaults in pubs and clubs have dropped 32 per cent in the last year alone. The communal rule ‘barred from one, barred from all’ has been a major contributor in this.

    John Green, director of liquor and policing for AHA NSW explained,

    “This strategy sees patrons committing violence, barred from all participating premises in the liquor accord,” said Green.

    “Rather than shutting venues earlier or locking out law abiding patrons, this strategy targets anti-social people. It also sends a strong message to everyone that your own behaviour and that of your mates is what allows you to enter venues. Abuse that and you can spend time on the sidelines.”

    Source: http://www.theshout.com.au/2016/04/27/article/Central-Coast-on-premise-assaults-halved/HKYNDIPLAM.html

    Sadly drug use has climbed during this period as alcohol misuse drops.  As servers of alcohol, we also have a role to play in ensuring alcohol is sold and consumed responsibly. In order to understand our responsibilities when serving alcohol, we should complete Responsible Service of Alcohol training, this is a mandatory federal requirement.

    Whether you’re an experienced barperson or someone looking to start out in hospitality, this industry is lucrative and attractive because you don’t need alot of experience to find work. If you want to work while you study or look for a full time career, there are opportunities for everyone.

    Before you look for work in a licensed venue in any state or territory, you will need to complete RSA training, this includes bartenders, waitrons, security staff, managers etc.

    This mandatory requirement is aimed at minimising the negative impact of alcohol misuse on society and when combined with the measures mentioned above, have yieled positive results.

    As a server of alcohol its important to keep in mind the consequences of irresponsible drinking including car crashes due to drink driving, hospital admissions due to alcohol violence and the long term effects of alcohol on the health of drinkers, as well as alcohol fuelled assaults and brawls which have declined but is still a concern.

  • Minimum alcohol price would hurt hospitality: AHA

    According to The Australian Hotels Association, imposing a minimum national alcohol price would be harmful to the hospitality industry in Oz.
     

    A paper released by The Australian National Preventative Health Agency has advocated that government implement a minimum pricing for alcohol in an effort to reduce the amount of alcohol addictions that occur in the country. Such an initiative has already been put in place in other countries in Europe such as Russia and Scotland in order to prevent the health consequences caused by excessive drinking and its cost on the economy.
     

    Basically by increasing the minimum price consumers have to spend on alcohol, the amount of alcohol consumed is lowered. Such a strategy has even been advocated by The World Health Organisation. The organisation also claims that problem drinkers tend to prefer cheaper alcohol, so implementing a national minimum price would discourage them from drinking so much.
     

    The Australian Hotels Association has criticised the proposition, citing a lack of evidence in the claims that it would reduce excessive alcohol consumption and alcohol abuse.  The Association believes that moderate drinkers who do not abuse alcohol are the ones who will suffer the most from this initiative. Hotels would also suffer financial losses together with Australian wine producers, according to the Hotels Association.
     

    The issue was highlighted by a post on Hospitalitymagazine.com:
     

    The Australian Hotels Association (AHA) has announced its opposition to a national minimum alcohol price, claiming it would have an adverse impact on the country’s hospitality industry.
     

    AHA’s position is in response to an Issue Paper released by the Australian National Preventive Health Agency (ANPHA), which provides an overview of alcohol consumption in Australia and promotes discussion on the issue of minimum pricing.
     

    Already seen in countries including Russia, Scotland and Ukraine, minimum pricing would introduce a minimum price per standard drink (or unit of alcohol) that alcoholic beverages must be sold for.
     

    The paper released by ANPHA, a government agency aimed at strengthening Australia’s investment and infrastructure in preventive health, states “…evidence consistently suggests that the price of alcohol influences alcohol consumption and harms. Whilst the relationship between alcohol price and consumption of specific beverages can vary significantly, in general, an increase in the price of alcohol leads to a decrease in alcohol consumption and alcohol related harm.
     

    “The Preventative Health Taskforce’s technical report on alcohol reviewed more than 50 studies from around the world indicating that when alcohol increases in price, consumption is reduced. The World Health Organisation states that increasing alcohol price is one of the most effective strategies for reducing alcohol consumption at the population level.”
     

    However the AHA argues that there is insufficient evidence that such a policy would actually result in a reduction in excessive and harmful drinking. In fact a statement issued by AHA argues that minimum pricing could actually hurt responsible, moderate drinkers more than problem drinkers.
     

    “The available evidence on minimum alcohol pricing suggests a national minimum alcohol price would have a significant impact on the majority of Australians who consume alcohol responsibly in moderation, and a lesser impact on the minority of people who engage in harmful drinking behaviour,” it reads.
     

    To counter this, the ANPHA argues that problem drinkers prefer cheaper alcohol beverages, more so than responsible drinkers, and therefore a minimum pricing policy could achieve the desired result of curbing excessive alcohol consumption.
     

    The hospitality industry would also suffer reduced patronage at the hands of minimum pricing and the viability of the domestic wine industry would be threatened, says the AHA.
     

    “The available evidence suggests the introduction of a national minimum alcohol price would have a significantly adverse impact on the hospitality industry despite the fact that most alcohol sold in hotels for consumption on the licensed premises is sold for well above any suggested minimum alcohol price.”
     

    It is also possible that the clustering of products around the nominated minimum price would see other products hike up their price in order for them to differentiate themselves and be perceived as being a higher quality offering.
     

    Source: http://www.hospitalitymagazine.com.au/beverage/minimum-alcohol-price-would-hurt-hospitality-aha

     

    The initiative seems to have been successful in countries like Scotland, which previously saw a large number of alcohol related deaths, a figure which has dropped since the implementation of the national minimum pricing on alcohol as many drinkers simply could no longer afford to abuse alcohol.  Whether or not it will have the same effect on Australian drinkers remains to be seen.