Queensland venues are gearing up for the commencement of the Newman Government’s new ‘Safe Night Out’ legislation, which stands to be a better solution for pubs.
Passed late last August, the new regulations included amendments to the definition of ‘unduly intoxicated’ that importantly now includes the recognition drugs and “other intoxicating substances”, as well as an evidence-based process for implementing ID scanners.
The application of networked ID scanners, which has proven a valuable part of the successful venue-driven measures within Newcastle, is currently in the final throes of the approval process ahead of rollout by July 2015.
Speaking to PubTIC, a leading ID scanning company remarked that the process was shaping up to be far more effective than the one hastily applied to the Kings Cross precinct.
Unable to speak on the record at this stage of the tender process, the company’s representative was confident of a result that would “both improve the [situation] and benefit venues”.
The use of scanners will apply to venues trading past midnight, with the option of voluntary usage by licensed premises seeking to be an authorised “regulated premise”. All venues using scanners will be required to engage an approved supplier company and operator.
The new legislation also ended the moratorium on applications for permanent extended trading hours after midnight, which had been quashing trade for five years since its introduction in 2009.
Both existing and new liquor licensees and permit holders in Queensland need to be aware of the changes. Details can be found here at the Queensland Government’s website.