1. Liquor Licence Requests Being Rejected due to Alcohol
Fuelled Violence
Fear that new licensed venues may contribute to the increase in alcohol fuelled crime has
resulted in the rejection of a liquor licence for Griffith’s proposed BWS store. The Woolworths
owned business has been denied a liquor licence to operate in the area because the community
is concerned that another licenced venue will result in an increase in the crime already plaguing
the area.
The community of Griffiths apparently has a high rate of domestic violence which research has
linked to alcohol. The number of liquor outlets in the area is thought to be contributing directly to
these.
The main issue affecting the area seems to be the large number of alcohol abuse cases that
bring with them devastating side effects that have an impact on the community.
This issue highlights the need for responsible alcohol service in communities across Oz.
Although it is the law and is meant to decrease the amount of alcohol fuelled violence and
crimes we see, the large number of incidents indicates that there are venues and alcohol
servers that are not doing their legal duties when serving alcohol to their patrons.
Bartenders, bouncers, alcohol shop attendants and shop keepers and anyone who sells or
serves alcohol to the public is required by law to undergo responsible service of alcohol training.
Part of this training involves learning who not to serve alcohol to, including unduly intoxicated
patrons and how to recognise these people.
Either the alcohol service industry is not undergoing this mandatory training or they are not
implementing what they have learnt. Either way they are legally responsible for the
repercussions of their actions. Should servers ignore the warning signs that a person is unduly
intoxicated and serve them more alcohol, that patron could resort to alcohol fuelled violence or
other irresponsible behaviour, for which the server will be held partly responsible.
Brawls, assaults, robberies and other violent crimes are being committed by customers who are
over intoxicated. Unduly intoxicated patrons have also been identified as a contributor to the
drink driving crashes we see on our roads because drunk drivers have the false confidence to
drive while drunk, endangering not only their own lives but the lives of other innocent road users
in the process.
Recognising the signs of intoxication is central to an alcohol servers job and they should be on
lookout for signs of intoxication (As well as other things such as legal drinking age) when
serving alcohol to customers.
Luckily, intoxication presents itself in a number of visible ways and most people, even those not
trained in Responsible Service of Alcohol, can recognise the most common signs. These
includes slurred speech, swaying and bumping into things, inability to walk, rowdiness, anger,
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2. aggression even violence. In a crowded and noisy bar, however, these could be difficult to
notice. Servers should also keep an eye out for previously timid patrons who become
aggressive or vice versa, a social person who becomes withdrawn or a quiet person who
becomes overtly friendly.
Liquor Licence Requests Being Rejected due to Alcohol Fuelled Violence
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