RSA Course Online

Tag: RSA Training

  • Indigenous Organisations call for Inquiry into Drinking

    Indigenous communities have called for an effective inquiry to be launched into alcohol abuse in their midst.

    The communities want community consultation to be included in the new federal government inquiry into alcohol consumption in Indigenous communities.

    The new parliamentary inquiry which was originally intended to delve into the issue of alcohol related violence across the country, has now been adjusted to deal with Indigenous communities in particular.

    Health groups in Indigenous communities are hoping that the inquiry will help the government develop better strategies for dealing with alcohol abuse. They are also hoping that Indigenous communities are included as part of the process.

    According to an article by Michael Kenny on Sbs.com.au, the inquiry is to be conducted by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Indigenous Affairs which is to be chaired by Liberal MP Sharman Stone. The inquiry will examine patterns of supply and demand for alcohol in these communities and the problem of alcohol fuelled violence also prevalent among Indigenous communities – as well as non-Indigenous communities across the country.

    The inquiry is also expected to examine how alcohol consumption impacts babies both unborn and newborn. Strategies of other countries in dealing with alcohol abuse will also be examined.

    The Federal Indigenous Affairs Minister, explained that the point of the inquiry was not to victimise Indigenous Australians, he went on to explain:

    “This is about poverty, not ethnicity. But I acknowledge that there have always been and we have never really seen a break, particularly in reports of domestic violence, defence injuries, alcohol, deaths through alcohol…. through cars….and violence.”

    Source: http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2014/02/19/inquiry-alcohol-abuse-indigenous-communities

    The inquiry will also apparently examine socio-economic backgrounds and how they are linked to alcohol abuse. Meanwhile the opposition labour party in the NT has criticised the inquiry saying it is an insult to Indigenous Australians.

    Although the inquiry has received some criticism, some believed it could be a good way to begin tackling alcohol abuse.

    The medical officer with the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress, Dr John Boffa who has worked with Indigenous communities for over 2 decades says that the inquiry is “long overdue”. The article went on to explain:

    “This is a useful inquiry. Alcohol problems are obviously very prevalent in Aboriginal communities. But I think if the inquiry is done well, it’s got the potential to provide some solutions that will address alcohol misuse, not just amidst Aboriginal people but amongst the broader population as well.

    Source: http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2014/02/19/inquiry-alcohol-abuse-indigenous-communities“

    Even the chairman of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, Justin Mohamed said that the inquiry would be a valuable opportunity to examine what policy approaches are working and those that are not when it comes to alcohol abuse among Indigenous Australians.

    The article goes on to quote Mr Mohamed as saying:

    “You need to look at the community. You need to engage the community in the initiatives and the things that can work have to be owned and obviously embraced and I think once you achieve that, the more successful things that I’ve seen, heard about and read about have been ones where there’s been some real leadership from within the community and from the leaders and organisations that are obviously providing services and looking after their community interests.”

    Source: http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2014/02/19/inquiry-alcohol-abuse-indigenous-communities

  • Free Drinks “Pub” films Strangers consuming “Alcohol”

    A clever new study done at London South Bank University involved the setting up of new pub where drinkers could enjoy alcohol for free but there was a catch, the pub wasn’t actually real, not all the drinks were alcoholic and there were cameras rolling the entire time.

    Drinker’s every movement was tracked with little cameras as they drank what they thought were free drinks at the new pub on campus. The psychology students are actually going to be tracking how drinkers get drunk and their behaviour.

    The pub cost £20,000 ($37,000) and is actually the new home of the psychology lab, as this excerpt from Gismodo.com.au explains:

    At London South Bank University’s shiny new pub, the drinks are free, but they, uhh, may or may not actually contain alcohol. And it’s not a real pub, actually. Oh, and there are little cameras all over the place tracking your every movement.

    If that doesn’t like quite the greatest night on the town, that’s because it’s actually the university’s newest psychology lab, built to the tune of £20,000 ($37,000). With psychology students as bartenders and CCTV cameras hidden throughout, room J-407 will be used to study how people get drunk and interact.

    Source: http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2014/02/scientists-built-fake-pub-to-film-strangers-drinking-alcohol/

    The psychology faculty went to great lengths to mimic an actual pub, even playing sounds to make it sound like a real pub and rubbing glasses with ethanol so that the pub smells authentic as well.

    The pub also features several props that you would find in an ordinary pub, although the “props” also play a part in the study. For example the cleverly placed jukebox is meant to help psychology students determine what type of music makes people drink etc.

    The fun’n’games that normally keep you at the bar also double as research props. As described by The Guardian, “Props include a fruit machine, to test risk-taking behaviour, and wire loop games will test eye-hand co-ordination. There will, eventually, be a juke box to determine what kind of music makes people drink more quickly.”

    Source: http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2014/02/scientists-built-fake-pub-to-film-strangers-drinking-alcohol/

    The article on Gizmodo questioned the ethics behind the pub as people would be unaware that they weren’t in a real pub or that their behaviour was being studied. Also the researchers say they won’t allow people at the pub to get drunker than the law allows drivers to drink, in case the test subjects get behind the wheel. The post goes on to explain:

    This brings us all back to the beers. They will contain unknown amounts of alcohol to study how the it affects patrons-slash-subjects. When it comes to psychology research, there is also a little thing called ethics, so the pub won’t get people drunker than the legal driving limit. I guess they won’t be studying true drunks then? As for pubs not sanctioned by a university research committee, well, now you know where to find them. [The Guardian]

    Source: http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2014/02/scientists-built-fake-pub-to-film-strangers-drinking-alcohol/

     

  • Curfews and Harsher Penalties part of Crackdown on Violence in Sydney

    The hotel industry isn’t too happy about the new measures introduced by the government to crackdown on alcohol fuelled violence in Sydney’s entertainment district and in particular the 3am alcohol curfew. Pubs and clubs have called the measures harsh and “radical”, fearing that the impact it will have on their businesses will be crippling.

    The hotel industry has also warned that the crackdown by O’Farrell’s government would harm the “night-time economy”. Those in the legal field have also criticized the measures.

    The measures were announced last Tuesday and under them dozens of late night trading venues in central Sydney will have to lock out new customers from 1:30am and will have to stop serving alcohol altogether from 3am.

    According to Barry O’Farrell’s new measures, liquor license fees will be subjected to a risk based system throughout NSW and bottle stores will be forced to close by 10pm.

    Perhaps one of the laws that has gotten the biggest response from the public, some against it and others praising it, is the one-punch law. This law carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 8 years jail time for fatal assaults where drugs and alcohol were a factor and the maximum penalty is 25 years jail time.

    The following excerpt from an article on Smh.com.au explains more about the new measures:

    Police will be given powers to test violent offenders for drugs and alcohol and intoxication will be removed as a mitigating factor in sentencing.

    Legislation for the sentencing changes will be introduced next week and the government expects to have them in place by February 1. Mr O’Farrell said he hoped the new trading laws would be operating by the end of April and would be independently reviewed in two years.

    ”This is not about penalising responsible drinkers,” he said. ”It is about attacking the irresponsible acts of those who allow themselves to be intoxicated, whether by drugs or alcohol.”

    Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/premier-pledges-to-take-action-on-alcoholfuelled-violence-20140121-316y0.html#ixzz2rAMGpmVY

    Licensed venues are being warned that the new restrictions will be in addition to those already in place for pubs and clubs on the violent venues list or subject to the plan of management already in place in Kings Cross.

    The new laws were announced after the government faced increasing pressure to act on the violence in the district following the New Year’s Eve death of 18 year old Daniel Christie. Christie, like Thomas Kelly was a young man killed in the area during a violent assault. Christie’s killer administered just a single punch but it proved fatal.

    But not everyone is pleased with the new laws. The president of the NSW Bar Association, Phillip Boulten, condemned the mandatory sentencing as a “one size fits all form of justice”, which failed to take account of the circumstances of each case. He went on to explain:

    ”The government’s suite of practical measures aimed at reducing the availability of alcohol on our streets is the appropriate response to the problem of alcohol-related violence, rather than the knee-jerk changes to the criminal law that have been tagged on to the package,” he said.

    Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/premier-pledges-to-take-action-on-alcoholfuelled-violence-20140121-316y0.html#ixzz2rAMGpmVY

     

  • Booze Cruise Staff to Complete Responsible Service of Alcohol Training

    Staff on booze cruises are no different than those employed in pubs and bars and so aren’t exempt from Responsible Service of Alcohol rules, however senior police officials in NSW say these party boats on Sydney Harbour are operating as “pubs without rules”. Police say these party boats should be held to the same liquor laws and regulations as other licensed venues.

    Some of the boats operating on Sydney harbour carry up to 900 people and the manner in which some of them serve alcohol is becoming a problem to police in the area. According to one police officer, the boats get people intoxicated by serving them multiple shots and then “dump them” at wharves where they become a problem to local police with their menacing behaviour.

    The police officer was quoted as saying,

     “They can be a nightmare,’’ one senior police officer said. “Many go out for four and five hours at a time where people drink non-stop and then (they) turf them out at Darling Harbour and Circular Quay and then it’s our problem.’’

    Read more at: http://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/harbour-party-fun-boats-face-new-controls/story-fnii5s3x-1226821950057

    This article highlights an important issue – the need for Responsible Service of Alcohol training.

    RSA training applies not only to the employees of pubs, clubs and bars but also to those working on booze cruise party boats. Each boat’s employees must have a responsible service of alcohol certificate according to the law and although they currently are some slipping under the radar because of little policing on boats, authorities are likely to begin cracking down on these vessels as their fight against alcohol fuelled violence grows stronger, one officer suggests scanning customers getting on boats.

    Although most operators are abiding by RSA rules, there are some that are getting away with irresponsible practices, the following excerpt from the post on News.com.au explains:

    Most boats dock between 10pm and midnight but operators admit there are rogues in the business.

    “We have security guys on our vessels but there are a few operators out there who cater to the backpacker market and give a $50 all-you-can-drink package,’’ one employee of a well-known harbour vessel company said.

    “They are pretty much no-holds-barred and they don’t care what goes on.’’

    Read more at: http://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/harbour-party-fun-boats-face-new-controls/story-fnii5s3x-1226821950057

    It is likely that as government cracks down on alcohol fuelled violence in entertainment districts, party boats will also come under the spotlight.

    With the measures announced by government last week, included 3am last drinks calls and 1:30am lockouts, greater regulation of party boats were also announced.

    The following is a quote from a licensee who runs a harbour cruise and said that boats were safer than pubs and clubs,

     “We’re very wary we don’t want a volatile situation on a boat so it’s pretty much a code within the charter boat industry that we take exceptional control in alcohol usage,” he said.

    “I’m not interested in making an extra five, 10, 20 bucks out of a person when they’re going to create havoc and start spewing all over the boat and there’s no area to kick them off.”

    Read more at: http://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/harbour-party-fun-boats-face-new-controls/story-fnii5s3x-1226821950057

    If you or your venue is not complying with RSA laws it is vital that you do so before the government’s scrutiny of party boats hea

  • Fears that Non-violent Venues Unfairly Penalised by New Laws

    I recently came across an article on Smh.com.au which discussed the so-called ‘epidemic’ of alcohol fuelled misconduct and assaults in particular. The writer of the post questioned the validity of calling the problem an epidemic, providing statistics from an independent report into the 5 year statutory review of liquor laws.

    According to the report there were significant reductions in the following areas:

    ”on licensed premises (-28 per cent); alcohol-related assaults on police (-35 per cent); alcohol-related domestic assaults (-12 per cent); alcohol-related non-domestic assaults (-28 per cent); and hospital emergency department attendance rates for acute alcohol problems (-9 per cent) between 2008 and 2012”.

    Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/comment/sydney-liquor-laws-a-blunt-instrument-that-misses-the-mark-20140201-31trx.html#ixzz2sRJNO0Ai

    Much of the fuss surrounding alcohol fuelled issues is related to cowardly one-punch incidents such as the one that resulted in the death of Daniel Christie on New Year’s Eve. Not too long ago another teen lost his life after being assaulted in Kings Cross, Thomas Kelly. These 2 deaths certainly indicated a serious problem which needed attention but many believe that Barry O’Farrell’s tough new laws will not achieve this.

    Many people believe that the measures are penalising responsible drinkers along with the problematic ones.

    The writer of the article on Smh.com.au detailed the side effects of implementing the new measures such as the lockouts and last drinks calls. Certain musical genres thrive only after dark and these musicians as well as their fans will be negatively affected and unfairly so.

    The article goes on to detail some of the other “injustices” of the measures:

    There seems an injustice that a venue supporting late-night entertainment, which has worked hard to keep its liquor licence without a mark to its name, should face the same fate as those venues proven to attract and service the violent and unsociable characters responsible for this debate.

    It is quite clear that there is a disconnect between young people and those changing the laws.

    Simon Caldwell has worked as a DJ for 20 years and has become somewhat of an icon of Sydney’s electronic music scene.

    Caldwell states the obvious fact that people want to go out and they don’t want to have to go home at either one or three in the morning. And should they have to?

    (Read more about the writer’s opinion here: http://www.smh.com.au/comment/sydney-liquor-laws-a-blunt-instrument-that-misses-the-mark-20140201-31trx.html#ixzz2sRJNO0Ai)

    There are also concerns that Barangaroo and The Star are being exempted from the laws which many see as unfair.

    Perhaps one of the most extreme of the measures implemented is the laws that tackle alcohol-fuelled crime, including a mandatory minimum sentence of eight years in jail for fatal “one-punch” assaults where drug or alcohol use is a factor.

    Also venues in the Sydney City precinct will be subject to a 1:30am lockout and a 3am last drinks call. Bottle stores across the state also didn’t escape the reach of the new laws and are now forced to shut their doors at 10pm.

     

  • FARE pushes for 10pm Alcohol Ban

    Prominent anti-alcohol campaigners, the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE) are lobbying for Tasmanian licensed venues to be banned from selling strong alcoholic drinks after 10pm.

    FARE has made a number of recommendations but one of the most notable is the 10pm strong alcohol ban. The group wants licensed venues in the state to stop serving shots, pre-mixed drinks with more than 5 per cent alcohol and mixed drinks with more than 30ml of alcohol after 10pm.

    FARE made the recommendations to a review of Tasmania’s Liquor Licensing Act which included forcing venues to record alcohol sales data, trading hours and attendance numbers and have the data released publicly.

    An article on TheShout.com.au went on to describe some of the other recommendations made by FARE,

    It wants venues forced to have supervisors from 11pm with a sole role of monitoring responsible serving of alcohol practices.

    The laws should also force venues to stop alcohol sales half an hour before closing time, FARE argues.

    The review is likely to lead to changes to licensing laws.

    FARE also wants more challenging requirements for people to obtain and keep liquor licences, and naming and shaming of venues found to have breached responsible service of alcohol requirements.

    Source: http://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/2003232/10pm-drinks-ban-push/

    According to the submission made by FARE, stronger controls are needed because alcohol is now more affordable than it has been over the last 3 decades. It is also more available than ever before with alcohol costing as little as 24c for a standard drink in the state. FARE has urged the review to consider these issues relating to low cost, wide availability and the promotion of alcohol. The article went on to explain:

    “Across Australia today, alcohol is more affordable than it has been in over three decades,” the FARE submission said.

    “It is more available than it has ever been and it is more heavily promoted.”

    It said alcohol could be bought in Tasmania for as little as 24c per standard drink.

    “Alcohol has also become more readily available in Tasmania, with the number of liquor outlets increasing by 25 per cent over nine years.”

    “Given the importance of these factors in contributing to alcohol-related harms, it is important that this review considers the price, availability and promotion of alcohol.”

    Source: http://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/2003232/10pm-drinks-ban-push/

    To avoid stricter controls being implemented across Tasmania it is important that licensed venues act to prove that these controls are not necessary. The best way to do this is to ensure responsible service of alcohol in venues.

    Licensees need to ensure that they have completed Responsible Service of Alcohol training and that all staff employed within the licensed venue have also done so, whether they are serving alcohol directly or simply clearing tables – everyone from security staff to management and bartenders must be in possession of an RSA certificate if they are employed in a licensed venue.

    The RSA course can be completed quickly, conveniently and easily online. Visit our homepage today for more info.

  • Best Way to Tackle a Hangover this Holiday Season

    With Christmas and New Years behind us most of us will be getting back into the routine of normal life but chances are you may have one or two more soirees planned before this happens and after all that drinking you will probably need a few quick fixes to help to feel your best.

    Although we should be drinking responsibly enough to avoid a hangover, sometimes we tend to overdo it over the holidays so remember these tips to help you avoid that dreaded morning after feeling.

    Because dehydration is the cause of that horrible feeling you get when you’re hung-over it is important to drink plenty of water especially in-between drinks and before you go to bed.

    Instead of the unhealthy and heavy comfort food we crave, have a healthy pasta dish with protein, fat and anti-flammatory nutrients obtainable from garlic to clean the gut and keep the immune system healthy.

    Nutritionists also suggest eating full fat Greek yoghurt to help restore beneficial gut flora in the intestines which are disrupted by alcohol.

    Another excellent “super food” is coconut water which will not only hydrate your body but replenish lost electrolytes while milk thistle tablets will help to detox it. Charcoal supplements are also a good way of absorbing toxins from the gut.

    Remember that alcoholic drinks are high in calories, so if you don’t want to put on added pounds keep track of how many calories you’re not only eating but drinking as well.

    Vitamin B3 is a good way to start the recovery process as it will help break down the alcohol in the body and thereby help minimise the effect of the hangover the next day.

    When embarking on a heavy night of drinking, avoid greasy and fatty foods which are harder to metabolise and break down, they alcohol slows this process even more, causing your body to store more fat.

    According to a post on BrisbaneTimes.com.au which was compiled using the advice of nutritional experts and trainers, this is how you cure a hangover:

    Eat a avocado pasta dish (quinoa pasta, avocado, garlic, Greek yoghurt and parmesan cheese)

    Drink coconut water before during and after eating the dish

    Take milk thistle and Vitamin B before during and after the meal

    Take charcoal capsules to absorb toxins

    Take carnitine and hydroxycitric acid to burn fat

    Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/how-to-cure-a-christmas-hangover-20131223-2zuc9.html#ixzz2oZns8Ods

    Let’s not forget the importance of moderation over the silly season. Although most view it as the season for excess, drinking in excess over the holidays may seem like fun at the time but it can have dire consequences, more severe than just a hangover or some weight gain. Alcohol fuelled sicknesses, diseases, violence and road accidents are also a common part of the festive season, don’t let your new year’s fun be ruined by a tragedy caused by drinking too much.

  • Dubbo Police Break-up Wild Alcohol Filled Party

    Undoubtedly the people most at risk of being the victims of alcohol fuelled harm as well the biggest perpetrators are young people.

    A man was arrested at Narromine after assaulting a police officer and an out-of-control part involving more than 100 people had to be broken up.

    According to reports police were generally satisfied with the behaviour of the general public during Operation Unite but some young people are still exhibiting dangerous drinking behaviour, placing themselves at risk and becoming a menace to others.

    During the operation one man, an 18 year old was arrested after he became violent with a police officer, wrestling him to ground and striking the officer before being taken to the police station. This excerpt explains:

    After striking the officer the man was wrestled to the ground and arrested before being taken to Narromine Police Station and charged with assaulting a police officer, resisting arrest, failing to comply and breaching bail for an unrelated issue.

    The man appeared in Dubbo Local Court on Sunday and was given bail with conditions. The officer suffered minor facial injuries.

    Less than 24 hours earlier police were called to a residence in Fairview Street for reports of an out-of-control party and underage drinking. Police attended and found about 50 to 60 teenagers present.

    Officers were abused and bottles were thrown at police. Additional police were called and the crowd was dispersed with no arrests made.

    Source: http://www.dailyliberal.com.au/story/1973834/police-shut-down-wild-teenaged-party/?cs=112

    Orana Local Area Command Operation Unite Commander Gemini Bakos said that the incidents were the only really major concerns during the blitz by police officers. This year’s operations yielded much better results than last year with fewer arrests being made.

    Police in Dubbo arrested 4 people during the operation but not all of these arrests were linked to alcohol. The DailyLiberal.coom.au post also explains:

    An additional 21 officers were on duty between 6pm Friday and 6am yesterday when the operation concluded. During that time, police in the city visited 50 licensed premises and issued four people with infringements for failing to comply.

    Source: http://www.dailyliberal.com.au/story/1973834/police-shut-down-wild-teenaged-party/?cs=112

    It is interesting that a total of 323 random breath tests were issued and only one person was caught drink driving, this shows improvement in the city in alcohol behaviour and that people are becoming more responsible drinkers.

    Commander Bakos went on to explain:

    “It’s been a successful operation. It’s good to see the public has taken the message on board about responsible drinking,” Inspector Bakos said. “We had a really good police presence and that was effective. It was good to get around to all the licensed premises and talk to licensees and security personnel.”

    Source: http://www.dailyliberal.com.au/story/1973834/police-shut-down-wild-teenaged-party/?cs=112

    According to the article, during the weekend of the operation across the state of NSW 540 arrests were made and 1062 charges were laid. Common assaults and people drinking past intoxication were the greatest concerns.

    Another issue being tackled by authorities during Operation Unite was drink driving. Across NSW 40.000 people underwent random breath tests.

  • Drink Drivers Arrested During Operation Unite

    Alcohol related violence and drunken behaviour have been getting a lot of attention recently particularly in the aftermath of Operation Unite but another alcohol fuelled social issue which was identified as problematic during the blitz is drink driving.

    The police across Australia, in all states embarked on the blitz on alcohol fuelled misconduct and made hundreds of arrests relating to drink driving, violence and assaults.

    In the WA area of Esperance alone 5 motorists were arrested during the operation for drink driving and while the focus was on licensed venues and entertainment precincts, people getting behind the wheel while intoxicated is another huge problem that we need to tackle.

    According to Esperance police Sergeant Swadkins, officers charged 5 motorists with drink driving during the Operation Unite, designed to heighten the community’s awareness of social issues relating to alcohol. The following excerpt from www.esperanceexpress.com.au explains further:

    The operation was designed to heighten awareness in the community of the social issues that need to be addressed in the community, in particular excessive consumption and risky drinking behaviour, especially among young adults which leads to the risk of injury, assault and other violence.

    WA Police deployed its resources across the state, with a focus on licensed venues and entertainment precincts.

    Sgt Swadkins said police issued five street drinking infringements over the weekend.

    “We had three arrests that resulted in two disorderly charges and one obstruct police charge,” he said.

    Locally, police ran a number of rolling random breath tests to target any alcohol-related crime.

    “It’s disappointing that we had five people drink driving,” Sgt Swadkins said.

    Read more at: http://www.esperanceexpress.com.au/story/1975455/5-drink-drivers-nabbed-in-esperance-leg-of-operation-unite/?cs=1520

    According to Sgt Swadkins police operations will continue to target drink drivers over the Christmas and New Year periods. He issued a warning to drinkers that if they are going to drink, do not under any circumstance get behind the wheel of a vehicle.

    One of the major aims of Operation Unite this year, according to Metropolitan regional officer acting Commander Charlie Carver was to encourage the public to think about their behaviour and whether it would impact them personally in terms of their health, career or family relationships.

    As the Commander explained, going out and having fun is not a problem neither is having a few drinks but people need to stop binge drinking and learn what their limits are and stick to them – not only for their own personal wellbeing but also to be considerate of the people around them.

    The article goes on to explain:

    “Alcohol-fuelled anti-social behaviour is not acceptable, and it is time for a cultural shift in the way we drink to make our drinking behaviour safer and more responsible.”

    WA Police released its Operation Unite 2013 summary, detailing that state-wide, some 516 individuals were charged with offences over the period, 62 of those were excess 0.08 per cent charges, 66 for drug offences and 65 for disorderly behaviour.

    Read more at: http://www.esperanceexpress.com.au/story/1975455/5-drink-drivers-nabbed-in-esperance-leg-of-operation-unite/?cs=1520

  • Researchers want Community Defender Office to help Fight Bars and Alcohol Shops

    According to a group made up of medical and research groups established in NSW to review alcohol fuelled misconduct and its impact on communities, a community defender’s office is called for in order to protect residents and communities from alcohol fuelled problems stemming from “unwanted” bars and pubs in the area.

    A community defender’s office should be established under the liquor law so that residents, schools and hospitals can fight a flood of unwanted bars and bottle shops, an alliance of medical and research groups claim.

    According to an article on Smh.com.au the number of active liquor licences in NSW increased by 13 per cent between 2008 and 2011. Councils across Sydney complain that the community is locked out of decision-making and does not have the resources to fight applications from companies with money and resources at their disposal.

    The following excerpt from www.Smh.com.au explains further:

    The NSW Alcohol Policy Alliance, which includes the NSW Police Association, Australian Medical Association and hospital and surgeon groups, has called for a defender’s office to be funded through the introduction of annual licence fees for pubs and clubs.

    A report to be released on Thursday at a forum at NSW Parliament has found the community impact statements lodged by liquor licence applicants are often misleading while spot checks by the regulator have revealed many pubs and hotels don’t tell communities – giving them no chance to object.

    A community defender’s office would notify communities of a new licence application, help prepare affidavits and gather data needed to challenge a new licence under complex rules.

    ”NSW communities are demanding a say in liquor licensing decisions but are increasingly frustrated at being locked out by a process that is unfairly weighted in favour of the alcohol industry,” said Michael Thorn, chief executive of the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education.

    Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/push-for-help-fighting-bars-bottle-shops-20131019-2vtja.html#ixzz2iKdVFFSl

    As one member of the community, Kandy Tagg explained, liquor licences arent the problem but the concern is that more big bars bring more drinking, more violence and noise and subsequently more disruption for the community.

    The Fairfield City Council explained that it is extremely difficult for the community to challenge a licence proposal because they often dont have the means to do so and sometimes they arent even aware of the applications.

    It is important that in areas where there is a high density of bars, pubs and licenced premises that Responsible service of alcohol regulations are strictly adhered to because often it is the only defence against the alcohol fuelled problems that communities are so fearful of.

    The post on Smh.com.au goes on to explain:

    Applicants were only required to provide the location of nearby schools, churches and hospitals, not the views of these groups. The only way a community discovered an application had been lodged was if they happened to see an A4 piece of paper stuck on a building, she said.

    Manly Council uses its planning powers to alert community groups if a development application for a new pub or restaurant is received. Any objections go to an independent panel. Cr Griffin said the NSW government should adopt the same approach for liquor licences.

    Residents on Thursday took objections to a restaurant Justin Hemmes plans to open on the Manly wharf to an independent hearing. It ruled the project could proceed but must address noise and environmental concerns.

    Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/push-for-help-fighting-bars-bottle-shops-20131019-2vtja.html#ixzz2iKdVFFSl