March sees the introduction of the final stages of the Liquor Act Review by the NSW OLGR and WA’s DRGL roll out its URS, with mixed blessings for licensees.
In an attempt to encourage its Multi-Occasion Extended Trading Authorisation (MOETA), Government has dropped the $1000 application fee for 2015.
The MOETA system allows regional venues to trade past midnight up to 12 times per year and provides an alternative to the late-trading licence – the fee for which will be increasing as of 15 March.
The Office has also made it easier for venues with an existing extended trading authorisation to reduce their opening hours or surrender the authority, ahead of the fee increases to$2,500 or $5,000.
Venues wishing to avoid this fee by surrendering the license are encouraged to begin the process as soon as possible.
Yesterday also saw the beginning of the OLGR’s Environment & Venue Assessment Tool (EVAT), which will be applied to all new off-premise and licence change applications across NSW.
EVAT is an evidence-based tool designed to assist submissions to the Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority (ILGR) that takes into account location and risk factors. It does not determine the outcomes, and Community Impact Statements public submissions and relevant authority reports will continue to be part of the decision-making process.
For more information on any of these matters, visit the NSW OLGR website.
Beginning 16 March, West Australia’s Department of Racing, Gaming & Liquor (DLGR) will go live with its Unified Regulatory System (URL), aiming to allow improved and expanded online functionality for liquor and gambling licensees.
All documentation relevant to the existing online application system must be completed by COB 12 March.