9 November 2011

Liquor fees finally released

| johnboy
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With liquor licence fees due on 30 November publicans will be thrilled to hear that Simon Corbell has at last announced what they will be:

In summary the revised fee structure includes:

— A small bar trading to 2am with an occupancy loading less than 150 patrons will pay $1,911 less and a bar with less than 350 patrons trading to 4am will pay $1,661 less

— A large nightclub with an occupancy loading of more than 350 patrons trading to 4am will pay $7,714 more. The maximum fee for a large nightclub with an occupancy loading greater than 350 patrons which is open till 5am is $23,625.

— A large club trading to 4am will pay $589 more for a licence next year because the review found it was less of a risk than a large nightclub. The most a large club with an occupancy loading greater than 350 patrons and open till 5am will pay is $15,750, which is $411 less than last year’s fee.

— The new off licence fees for bottleshops and supermarkets have been reduced for smaller businesses to reflect the findings of the review and provide greater equity. Off licensees who purchase smaller amounts of liquor for sale will pay less than those who sell more. Off licensees selling between $100,000 and $500,000 will pay $1,500 less and those selling between $500,000 and $1m will pay $1,000 less.

— The Government has also introduced a new category of off licence for those small, boutique businesses, which sell small quantities of liquor under $5,000, who will pay $500 for their licence instead of $1,638 which they paid last year.

UPDATE: The Greens’ Shane Rattenbury has applauded this return to sanity. Shane would, however, like the fees to not be an annual lump sum.

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given that licensed clubs (ie pokie clubs) cant operate their machines between 4am and 9am i doubt they would operate their liquor licences after 4 am. Although I’m sure the ACT Gambling and Racing Commission would be interested to hear about any clubs operating their pokies outside those hours…

dvaey said :

buzz819 said :

Well, a club, ie Sports Club, Vikings, Southern Cross Club etc and a Nightclub, ie Mooseheads, ICBM/Meche, Academy etc.

Two very different organisations both defined under the new liquor act.

The easier explanation, is that no night clubs are owned by political parties, so they cant lobby for lower fees.

Nightclubs aren’t expected to pay a percentage of their profit on the community, clubs are.

buzz819 said :

Well, a club, ie Sports Club, Vikings, Southern Cross Club etc and a Nightclub, ie Mooseheads, ICBM/Meche, Academy etc.

Two very different organisations both defined under the new liquor act.

The easier explanation, is that no night clubs are owned by political parties, so they cant lobby for lower fees.

frontrow said :

What part of:

“The maximum fee for a large nightclub with an occupancy loading greater than 350 patrons which is open till 5am is $23,625.”

followed by:

“The most a large club with an occupancy loading greater than 350 patrons and open till 5am will pay is $15,750, which is $411 less than last year’s fee.”

makes any sense?

Well, a club, ie Sports Club, Vikings, Southern Cross Club etc and a Nightclub, ie Mooseheads, ICBM/Meche, Academy etc.

Two very different organisations both defined under the new liquor act.

Jivrashia said :

So… a large night club that wants to extend its opening hour from 4am to 5am will pay $17,000 extra?

the review found it was less of a risk than a large nightclub.

Implying that this money goes to the policing resource to ensure that drunken mobs don’t misbehave, defecate various dark places around business districts, take the next “fat man” statue, shag the ewe, play with the dogs, glass people, king hit people, vomit all over the place…. (actually preventing people from vomiting isn’t the police’s job).

I seriously think policing these drunks costs more than $17,000 each year.

Both are correct, risk analysis shows that being open during that time is where the highest likelihood for alcohol related harms to occur.

If clubs were to shut at 4, they would not have to pay the extra $17,000 a year, that is on average 154 hours in the year (assuming they are open Thursday, Friday and Saturday each weekend till that time) means that they need 54 people to order a drink in that last hour to recoup that $17,000 (assuming they don’t put up prices at other times.)

So let’s say the big clubs, Academy, Mooseheads, ICBM/Meche, Cube and Krave/The Clubhouse all decide, well blow this for a joke, I want a 4am licence to cover that cost, then wont all the problems just happen at 4am instead of 5am?

Ohh and that $17,000 for one hour would probably pay for about 10 extra Police to be present on the street for one extra hour each week. All the fee increases were reportedly put towards the formation of a Police Alcohol Team.

What part of:

“The maximum fee for a large nightclub with an occupancy loading greater than 350 patrons which is open till 5am is $23,625.”

followed by:

“The most a large club with an occupancy loading greater than 350 patrons and open till 5am will pay is $15,750, which is $411 less than last year’s fee.”

makes any sense?

So… a large night club that wants to extend its opening hour from 4am to 5am will pay $17,000 extra?

the review found it was less of a risk than a large nightclub.

Implying that this money goes to the policing resource to ensure that drunken mobs don’t misbehave, defecate various dark places around business districts, take the next “fat man” statue, shag the ewe, play with the dogs, glass people, king hit people, vomit all over the place…. (actually preventing people from vomiting isn’t the police’s job).

I seriously think policing these drunks costs more than $17,000 each year.

Does this mean I can get drunk again?

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