Parents Could be Fined for Providing Liquor to Kids in Perth

 In Blog

According to a post on PerthNow.com.au parents who provide alcohol to their children anywhere except in their homes may face fines.

The review of the Liquor Control Act may toughen laws relating to alcohol and secondary supply laws are expected to be the main issue on the agenda.

Other issues that will be under possible review include what the definition of the word “drunk” will be and how it will be defined, exemptions for liquor sold at Parliament House, in police canteens, or provided as part of a religious service, the advertising and marketing of alcohol products and trading hours for hotels.

In 4 other states providing alcohol to minors on private premises carries penalties, including fines of up to $13,300 in the Northern Territory and now some interest groups want similar laws introduced in Perth.

Read more from the post on Perthnow.com.au

417013-liquorA coalition of more than 80 health, community and law-enforcement groups will launch an appeal for similar rules later this month as part of the review into liquor laws.

The McCusker Centre for Action on Alcohol and Youth will take the lead for a submission being prepared by the WA Alcohol and Youth Action Coalition.

The coalition was formed in 2011 and comprises more than 80 organisations, including the Australian Medical Association (WA) and Children’s Commissioner Michelle Scott, who last year called for laws to prosecute people who supplied liquor to minors.

McCusker Centre director Mike Daube said secondary supply legislation was needed to protect children from the harmful effects of alcohol.

“That legislation is already in place in four other states and it’s important because it will reduce access to kids and because it sends out a really important signal that kids shouldn’t be drinking alcohol,” Prof Daube said.

Cancer Council WA nutrition and physical activity manager Steve Pratt said advertising curbs would also feature heavily in the council’s submission especially when linked to sport.

“We are finding there are a lot of ads that target, intentionally in some cases but certainly indirectly target young people and have a very large audience of young people and that’s a concern,” Mr Pratt said.

Source: http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/parents-face-fines-for-giving-kids-grog-under-new-wa-state-liquor-laws/story-e6frg13u-1226574616137

Parents (and anyone providing liquor to minors) need to understand the unique and severe consequences that alcohol consumption can have on a young body and mind. That is why if the new amendments to laws go through, parents will not only be fined for providing alcohol to their own children, but to their kids friends or any other minors.

Also there are concerns that the current definition of the word drunk is too broad. According to an expert Perth barrister , Mr Prior who commonly works in the area of liquor licensing, a more evidence based approach will likely be introduced which will replace the current definition of drunk which makes it easy for people with a disability or under the influence of drugs to be assumed drunk. More camera surveillance in bars will likely be necessary to monitor people’s consumption and deduce whether or not they are inebriated and how to proceed with them.

 

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