Carnarvon booze business concerned about alcohol refusal backlash after liquor licensing announces measures

Liquor outlets in Carnarvon fear strict new booze controls — the toughest restrictions in Australia, even more so than in Alice Springs — could do more harm than good. Business stakeholders agree something needs to be done to combat the crime crisis in town, but they say the jury is out on how productive the measures announced last week will be. Outlets in Carnarvon are adjusting to the new rules after WA’s director of liquor licensing Lanie Chopping revealed last Thursday the sale of takeaway alcohol would be banned on Sunday and Mondays, with restricted hours from 12pm-7pm every other day. Customers are limited to one carton or 11.25 litres of beer with less than 6 per cent alcohol content, 3.75 litres of beer higher than 6 per cent, 1.5 litres of wine or 1 litre of spirits per day. The minimum spend of wine is $15 per bottle or cask. Where a product is available in cans, it should not be sold in glass containers Carnarvon Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Paul Dixon said the restrictions were harsh and seemed “counterproductive” but something needed to be done. “It’s about being able to supply a service to the people of Carnarvon, and not all people in Carnarvon are behaving in a manner that would warrant these restrictions,” he said. “Monday is a travelling day, and people get a couple of bottles of wine or a carton of beer and that’s not excessive . . . now they’ll either leave Carnarvon or just keep going and not stop at all.” Mr Dixon said it seemed some of the alcohol restrictions didn’t resolve the town’s problems but rather restricted businesses. “If people are losing their jobs because of these restrictions, I don’t view that as being fair,” he said. A spokesperson for a licenced premise in Carnarvon said the rules would heavily affect business sales being the only business offering takeaway alcohol from 10am-10pm, but hoped they would benefit the community. “People are always getting drunk in the morning, they can’t now. There’s a lot of fights and between the fights they break glass bottles on the road, only takeaway cans will be safer for people on the street,” he said. But the spokesperson said he worried the restrictions would create aggression in customers who were refused service. “Some people are going to get aggressive at us for takeaways, they’ll come here on Sundays and Mondays, there could be fights here as well with no takeaways, they will start yelling at us,” he said. The spokesperson estimated the business would lose more than $1000 in revenue per week. “Let’s see what happens . . . it’s going to affect us but we follow the rules,” they said. Carnarvon BWS began adjusting their stock ordering prior to the announcement to reduce the impact of the new restrictions. A BWS spokesperson said BWS was working to implement all additional measures announced by the State Government and supported the change. “BWS fully supports the extension of the trial of the Banned Drinkers Register to Carnarvon and will take all necessary steps, including further training of team members, to ensure it complies with it in its strengthened format,” the spokesperson said. Premier Mark McGowan last week said the ban had been prompted by “out of control” alcohol-related crime and the reluctance on the part of some licensees to agree to a voluntary liquor accord. “This could be a template for other communities in WA with these issues,” he said. “You’ve got to see how it works and the improvements it makes but it’s tougher than what’s been put in place in Alice Springs and it’s more well-thought through in my view.” Shire president Eddie Smith said he would continue to work with local outlets following the decision. “We hope that the majority of our responsible residents and visitors can continue to make their regular purchases while also seeing a reduction in the alcohol-related incidents of domestic violence and abuse in the community,” he said. “A proper and full review to assess the results of these changes can be conducted in 12 months.” It was announced in March that a banned drinkers register would be extended to Carnarvon, although it is yet to be operational in the Gascoyne town. Carnarvon Restrictions