Bills
Liquor Control Amendment Bill 2025
Introduction and first reading
Ms Caitlin Collins (Parliamentary Secretary) Bill introduced, on motion by , on behalf of Mr Paul Papalia (Minister for Racing and Gaming), and read a first time.
Explanatory memorandum presented by the parliamentary secretary.
Second reading speech
Ms Caitlin Collins (Hillarys—Parliamentary Secretary) (12:19 pm): I move:
That the bill be now read a second time.
The Cook government is committed to growing Western Australia's hospitality and tourism sectors, boosting our night-time economy and supporting vibrancy, small businesses and jobs. The Liquor Control Amendment Bill 2025 will modernise the Liquor Control Act 1988 by reflecting changing business models and addressing community expectations. The bill forms part of a broad package of liquor reform to support our election commitments and promote better regulatory processes. The bill will improve the consistency of trading hours for hotels, taverns, small bars and nightclubs in response to stakeholder feedback. On Christmas Day, Good Friday and Anzac Day trading hours are being increased to enhance alignment on Sunday trading hours.
Several members interjected.
The Deputy Speaker: Members! Sorry, parliamentary secretary. Can we just continue any conversations outside, thank you. Please continue.
Ms Caitlin Collins: The bill will also remove outdated restrictions, such as the requirement for alcohol to be served with a meal on both Good Friday and Christmas Day. The changes will reduce the administrative burden on licensed premises of having to apply for extra approvals on those days. For example, this year there were over 90 successful applications to serve alcohol on Good Friday without a meal. Those applications will become unnecessary under these amendments.
The bill will streamline administrative processes for extended trading permits so that they will no longer have to be renewed every 10 years by licensees and will instead run for the life of the licence. Producers of spirits will be able to attract new markets by making and selling a greater range of innovative products—for example, ready-to-drink beverages such as hard seltzers. Building on the government's previous initiatives for increasing vibrancy, the bill will raise the maximum capacity from 120 to 150 people for small bars. The amendments will also recognise new digital forms of identification. Digital drivers' licences are coming into use across Australia and this legislation will support the recognition and verification of Australian digital drivers' licences in proving both age and identity to enter licensed premises.
The minimisation of alcohol-related harm is one of the primary objects of the Liquor Control Act. Tackling alcohol-related harm is a longstanding and complex issue, and not something that the Western Australian Government can achieve alone. Collaboration is required between licensees, the Western Australia Police Force and other state agencies, support service providers, local governments and the entire WA community. Alcohol restrictions are an important part of a multifaceted approach implemented by the WA Government to reduce alcohol-related harm in our communities. The banned drinkers register is a targeted alcohol restriction that is designed to operate as a harm-minimisation tool in areas where there are heightened concerns around the misuse of alcohol and its impact on individuals and communities. Our government strongly supports communities taking ownership of harm minimisation and alcohol restrictions as we find that the best results come from community-driven initiatives.
We were pleased to support the work being done by the communities in the Kimberley, Pilbara and Goldfields regions and Carnarvon and Gascoyne Junction by implementing reforms in late 2023 to enable the time-limited trial of a mandatory banned drinkers register in those areas. Since then, the banned drinkers register has been an important part of the response to alcohol harm by preventing people who are on the register from having access to takeaway liquor. Importantly, the register has empowered individuals to make a positive change by voluntarily placing themselves on the register. It is still relatively early days in terms of the banned drinkers register, but based on preliminary information, it appears the impact of the register and other alcohol restrictions has been positive and almost immediate. In addition to the emerging evidence, consultation with stakeholders has identified support for the banned drinkers register to become a permanent fixture in those areas where the trial has been operating.
The trial is scheduled to expire on 13 December 2025 due to a sunset clause in the legislation and the WA Government is seeking to repeal that sunset clause through this bill to permanently establish the banned drinkers register in the Kimberley, Pilbara and Goldfields regions and Carnarvon and Gascoyne Junction. It is anticipated that this will provide certainty for stakeholders, support the effectiveness of the banned drinkers register and underpin support services and harm-minimisation strategies in those communities.
I want to thank the communities, liquor accords, licensees, WA police, local governments and other stakeholders for their ongoing support of the banned drinkers register and other restrictions that have been implemented to reduce alcohol harm and improve safety and wellbeing. Our government will continue to work with communities and other stakeholders to tackle the complex issue of alcohol-related harm.
Sly grogging is a practice that undermines measures to minimise alcohol-related harm. The significant increases to the maximum penalty for sly grogging offences under the act will be a strong deterrent. A range of other penalties are being updated to reflect approximate present values.
Other improvements include modernising the enforcement provisions for authorised officers with respect to immunity and determining breaches of the act. The review and disciplinary responsibilities of the Liquor Commission are being transferred to the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) and the Liquor Commission will be disestablished. The movement of responsibilities to SAT will bring the act into line with similar legislation and SAT offers a well-established dispute resolution pathway with a strong record for resolving matters. Consistent with the current review provisions in the legislation, the act will maintain the approach that SAT may consider only material that was previously before the Director of Liquor Licensing when the director made the decision.
The bill will also simplify administrative processes for the Director of Liquor Licensing approving applications for licences under the act, and the framework for delegations and the provisions for objections and making submissions have been modernised and simplified. A licensed premises will now be able to continue operating for longer if the licensee has died or become incapable of carrying on the business. The period will be extended from 28 days to three months in most cases. Within this period, a suitably authorised person will be able to apply for the transfer of the licence. This longer timeframe will allow legal and personal situations to be dealt with without extra unnecessary pressure.
Finally, this bill contains various technical and operational amendments to provide clearer processes, support contemporary business practices and improve the administration and application of the act for applicants, licensees and the licensing authority. The amendments in the bill will be introduced in stages to assist with implementation. The changes are designed to make it easier for hospitality and tourism operators to continue to thrive, while balancing the need to foster a safe drinking culture. The Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries has worked with stakeholders during the reform process and will continue to engage as it investigates and progresses improvements to WA's liquor regulatory processes. The bill takes us further along the path of liquor reform. Many liquor legislative reforms are in the final stages of policy development and will support the tourism and hospitality industry in ways such as removing restrictions on certain licence types and allowing for greater creativity in the business models that can receive a liquor licence.
I commend the bill to the house.
Debate adjourned, on motion by Mr Liam Staltari.
