A Port Macquarie licensee has copped fines and disqualification for ‘unacceptable’ behaviour.
Monique Louise Turner, licensee of the Settlers Inn Hotel, pleaded guilty in Port Macquarie Local Court to seven offences under gaming and liquor laws. She was disqualified from holding a liquor licence or managing a venue for a year, and fined $2,300 plus an additional $1,800 in “investigation costs”.
The result stemmed from an inspection by the Office of Liquor, Gaming & Racing (OLGR) officers last November, where three children were observed playing unsupervised in a ‘minors authorised area’.
The inspectors spoke to Ms Turner about this, at which point she became abusive and swore at them. She subsequently refused to provide her RSA competency card and provide CCTV footage of the area the children had been observed.
OLGR director of Compliance and Enforcement, Anthony Keon, said this matter arose from a joint venture between OLGR and NSW Police focusing on licensed venues.
“OLGR inspectors and NSW Police play an important role in ensuring licensed premises are operated responsibly and in line with community expectations,” said Keon.
“Licensees and staff must comply with requests made by inspectors and it’s an offence for any person to wilfully obstruct, delay, hinder or threaten or insult an inspector in the exercise of their duties.
“For inspectors to be subject to a torrent of verbal abuse and swearing and a lack of cooperation from a licensee while performing their duties is not acceptable, and the court’s decision to disqualify the licensee for 12 months sends a very clear message that this type of irresponsible behaviour will not be tolerated and has no place in the industry.”
