Queensland’s Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation (OLGR) has released details that hundreds of liquor licences in the State have recently been cancelled following failure to pay annual licence fees.
The Liquor Act 1992 requires licensees to pay a licence fee by 31 July each year. This regulation has been in place since 2009.
If the business owner fails to pay, the licence is automatically suspended for up to 28 days, providing further opportunity. A person unable to pay may apply to pay it off in instalments, where they can demonstrate personal or financial hardship or that the premises was adversely affected by natural disaster.
If the fee is not paid within the suspension period the licence is cancelled.
In June OLGR issued its customary communication to all licensees via direct and industry channels, stipulating the necessity to pay by 31 July.
The regulator reports 8,104 licensees (92 per cent) were renewed within the deadline, but on 5 August it issued 702 suspensions notices to those that had failed to pay. OLGR made attempt to contact all those holding suspended licences, ending midnight on 29 August.
“279 liquor licences were automatically cancelled as a result of the failure to pay their annual licence fee,” replied a spokesperson for the OLGR. “The majority of these licensees had gone out of business during the 2018-19 financial year.”
Privacy constraints mean the regulator cannot provide further details on the suspended or cancelled liquor licences.
Hotels represent 1,367 (15.5 per cent) of the 8,851 liquor licences in Queensland.