In excess of 14,000 premises are licensed to sell liquor in New South Wales, which makes alcohol widely available and enjoyed by many. While the majority of Australians enjoy low to moderate consumption of alcohol there is increasing concern about the continuing patterns of excessive and binge drinking.

Hard facts to swallow

RSA is a whole-of-business approach to attracting patrons to a venue, managing them at the venue and ensuring they are safe when they leave the venue. The positives are that communities are safer and the local amenity of the community is enhanced by a venue that is doing the right thing.

The health, social and economic costs linked to excessive and binge drinking range from offensive behaviour to death, and include violence, road accidents, injury, property damage, hospital treatment, counselling, detoxification programs, workplace absenteeism and opportunistic sexual assault.

In 2008, new liquor laws commenced which reinforced measures to address alcohol-related problems within the community by:

• the introduction of enforcement power

• introducing intoxication and responsible promotion guidelines

• enhancing liquor harm minimisation measures

• enabling the Director General, Department of Trade and Investment, Regional Infrastructure and Services to determine complaints about noise and disturbance in relation to licensed premises

• providing for the establishment of local liquor accords with the aim of eliminating or reducing alcohol-related violence or anti-social behaviour

• allowing for disciplinary action by the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority against licensees and certain other persons (including fines or the cancellation or suspension of licences)

• the introduction of new offences for patrons.