Queensland's Tackling Alcohol-Fuelled Violence Legislation

The Queensland Government responded to the community's concerns around alcohol-fuelled violence and alcohol-related harms by implementing a broad-based multi-faceted policy that aims to tackle alcohol-fuelled violence. This policy, whilst having many parts, has three broad aims

1.     To achieve cultural change around drinking behaviour which includes more responsible drinking practices

2.     A safer night time environment, in particular in entertainment precincts

3.     A regulatory framework that balances the interests of the liquor industry with a reduction in alcohol-fuelled violence.

New Legislation

On the 1st July 2016, the following measures commenced as part of the Queensland Government’s Tackling Alcohol-fuelled Violence Policy:

  • A state-wide cessation of the service of alcohol at 2am unless the venue is in a Safe Night Precinct
  • 3am last drinks in Safe Night Precincts
  • A ban on the sale of rapid intoxication, high alcohol-content drinks after midnight
  • Publishing information on liquor licensing, compliance and enforcement activity
  • Networked ID scanners for venues that trade after 12am within safe night precincts will from 1 July 2017, unless the venue is operating under an exempt class of licence.

Changes to the Legislation

On March 4 2016, the Tackling Alcohol-Fuelled Violence Legislation Amendment Act 2016 commenced. On March 9 2017, the Liquor and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2017 became the Liquor and Other Legislation Act 2017. This resulted in many changes to the Liquor Act:

  • New extended trading hours approvals for takeaway alcohol after 10pm are prohibited.
  • Acceptable evidence of age for the purposes of purchasing liquor has been clarified.
  • Community clubs are allowed to sell takeaway liquor to signed-in visitors or guests of members or reciprocal members.
  • Providers of floral arrangements and gift baskets are exempt from needing a risk-assessed management plan.
  • Duplication across the incident register and crowd controller register is removed for Brisbane licensees.
  • The Commissioner must notify an approved manager's employer when the approved manager's approval has been suspended or cancelled.
  • An investigator can require a person to produce documents that are relevant to the administration or enforcement of the Liquor Act.
  • The results of a breath test analysis are admissible as evidence in prosecutions against a licensee (as supplementary evidence) where there is other evidence to suggest a licensee may have committed an offence.
  • The regulation-making power in relation to Risk Assessment Management Plans is reinstated.
  • Reduced extended trading hours, including changes for safe night precinct licensees.
  • Sale or supply of high-alcohol content drinks is prohibited from 12 midnight.
  • New applications for extended trading hours for gaming can only be sought up to 2 hours past the end of alcohol trade.
  • Licensees must seek Commissioner approval to use a car park as a licensed area.
  • Liquor cannot be taken into or away from an event that is subject to a commercial public event permit or a community liquor permit.
  • Craft brewers can apply to sell their product at promotional events.
  • The number of one-off extended trading hour permits (after midnight) that venues can apply for has been reduced from 12 to 6. The criteria for, and frequency of, approvals has been tightened.
  • Networked ID scanners for venues that trade after 12 midnight within safe night precincts will commence from 1 July 2017, unless the venue is operating under an exempt class of licence.