Posted on September 28, 2009 by by jr

Multiple news sources (Canberra Times, iPrime and ABC News Online) are reporting on the ACT Government plans to overhaul liquor licensing laws in the ACT to curb binge drinking and improve public safety.

The changes proposed are to increase liquor licensing fees for venues that stay open extended hours and see news penalties introduced for staff serving an intoxicated person, a crackdown on binge drinking promotions and specialist police teams to enforce the laws.

The review document is available for download here: Discussion Paper – Review of the Liquor Act 1975

I haven’t had a chance to go through the paper in any detail, but from the gist of the media coverage the emphasis for reducing problems will be placed on the licensed clubs, pubs, nightclubs and restaurants. There seems to be very little responsibility placed back on the individual for their own actions.

Perhaps the ACT Government needs to investigate options as recently suggested by the Dutch Interior Minister Guusje ter Horst

Ter Horst wil blaastest voetgangers

AMSTERDAM -  Om overlast te voorkomen in uitgaansgebieden waar problemen zijn met openbare orde of geweld, wil minister Guusje ter Horst (Binnenlandse Zaken) een blaastest invoeren voor voetgangers in zo’n gebied. Met haar collega Ernst Hirsch Ballin (Justitie) treft ze voorbereidingen om de gemeentewet hiervoor aan te passen.

De bewindsvrouw kondigde de maatregel dinsdag aan in het televisieprogramma Pauw & Witteman. Ter Horst wil zo overlast door agressie en geweld voorkomen, aangezien veel problemen volgens haar worden veroorzaakt door overmatig alcoholgebruik. Alcohol werkt bij ieder mens anders. Hoewel openbare dronkenschap is verboden, kun je niet altijd zien of iemand dronken is, betoogde ze.

Ter Horst wees erop dat de blaastest niet zomaar zonder wettelijke grondslag kan worden afgenomen. Dat kan nu al wel bij bijvoorbeeld (brom)fietsers, automobilisten en piloten. Gemeenten krijgen wat haar betreft de mogelijkheid risicogebieden aan te wijzen waar op bepaalde tijdstippen veel overlast of geweld plaatsvindt. Uitgaanspubliek dat te voet in zo’n aangewezen gebied is, kan daar dan aan de blaastest worden onderworpen.

Source: De Telegraaf [English translation]

Or as Radio Netherlands Worldwide more succinctly reported in English:

Minister proposes breathalysing pedestrians

De Telegraaf reports that Interior Minister Guusje ter Horst has proposed a change to the law that would allow police to breathalyse pedestrians. The interior minister is consulting with her colleague over at the justice ministry about the changes, as the courts could challenge the law. At present, the law allows police officers to breathalyse motorists and people riding mopeds and scooters but pedestrians are exempt, even though public drunkenness is a punishable offence.

According to the minister, the change will help to prevent drunken and aggressive people causing problems in areas with lots of cafés and bars. The populist paper writes that the minister believes that many problems in entertainment districts are caused by excessive alcohol consumption.

ACT Government crackdown on excessive alcohol consumption - but will it be effective?, 5.0 out of 5 based on 3 ratings

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