About the Liquor Accord Advisory Committee
Established in 2019, the Liquor Accord Advisory Committee (LAAC) supports the liquor accord network, bringing together members with the expertise and reach to coordinate resources and efforts.
The committee meets quarterly to discuss:
- emerging issues and trends
- propose future campaign ideas
- provide feedback on the development of resources.
Members also help raise the profile of liquor accords through their networks. They are integral to the ongoing commitment to industry and government collaboration.
Members
| Membership type | Member/Organisation |
|---|---|
| Peak bodies, industry associations and government agencies. |
|
| Liquor accord representatives |
|
Terms of Reference
The LAAC provides a forum for members to work together on their support of the liquor accord network.
Liquor accords are partnerships among:
- licensed venues
- community members
- local businesses
- local councils
- police
- government departments and other community groups.
Liquor accords aim to reduce alcohol-related issues, anti-social behaviour and violence. In NSW, there are over 140 liquor accords in operation. Each with varying levels of structure and governance in place.
Purpose
The purpose of the committee is to draw on the reach, expertise and background of its members from industry and government to:
- coordinate resources and efforts for strengthening the liquor accord network
- identify and understand emerging issues and risks
- leverage effective strategies across the network.
The advisory committee will:
- recommend actions or strategies to strengthen the liquor accord network and increase its impact on local communities across NSW
- identify emerging trends, risks and issues across NSW
- discuss and promote resources and education initiatives that develop and support liquor accord groups to implement harm minimisation strategies
- identify and develop relevant governance tools that support liquor accord groups to function effectively
- encourage liquor accord groups to implement and adopt proven strategies that are effective in addressing local issues
- foster collaboration between committee members to assist in the support provided to the liquor accord network.
Membership and tenure
The committee comprises representatives from key peak bodies, industry associations and government agencies. They have specific expertise and experience in the field of the liquor industry and liquor accords.
Liquor accord representatives may also receive invitations to attend the committee meetings as subject matter experts, when relevant.
| Membership type | Representation and tenure |
|---|---|
| Peak bodies, industry associations and government agencies | A designated representative from the organisation can attend meetings. With the option to send an alternative delegate based on availability. If an organisation opts to send multiple representatives to a meeting, the organisation will have only one vote (if there is voting required). Membership on the committee will be ongoing. |
| Liquor accord representatives | A designated representative from the accord may attend meetings. Accords have the option to send an alternative delegate based on availability. If an accord opts to send multiple representatives to a meeting, the accord will have only one vote (if there is voting required). Liquor accord representative appointments are for a fixed term of 12 months. After this date, members will need to reapply through an expression of interest. |
Peak body, industry association and government agency member organisations can nominate peer organisations at any time for consideration/vote by the broader committee.
An expression of interest (EOI) process is annually held to seek representation from liquor accords. This process involves submitting an application detailing:
- qualifications
- experience
- reasons for wanting to join the committee.
Once received, peak body, industry association and government agency members will review the applications. They will assess suitability of each candidate based on predetermined criteria. Following this review, the peak association and government agency members only will vote on each candidate.
Attendance
To maximise efficacy of the committee, members should make every effort to maintain consistent participation. There is a requirement that committee members will attend a minimum of two committee meetings in a 12-month period.
A member may send a delegate in their absence with the approval of the Chair.
Role of Participants
Participants are to:
- contribute honestly and in the spirit of open and effective collaboration
- be prepared for meetings by reading/reviewing all relevant documentation
- undertake consultation and research to support and promote discussion of agenda items.
Chair
The chair of the committee is the director of Industry & Community Engagement, Liquor & Gaming NSW, the Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport (DCITHS) or a delegated representative.
The chair will nominate another member to be chair in their absence.
Secretariat
The liquor accord team provides secretariat services.
The secretary is responsible for preparing the agenda for all meetings and circulating it to members and attendees in accordance with the table below.
The secretary is responsible for recording the proceedings and the decisions of LAAC meetings, including the preservation of those records in the CM10 information management system. All members will receive the minutes of a meeting, as appropriate, taking into account any conflicts of interest that may exist.
Do not distribute minutes to persons outside the group without the prior approval of the chair.
Meetings
The committee will meet quarterly on the third Wednesday of February, May, August and November. Additional meetings may convene to pursue specific matters outside the regular committee meeting. Meeting dates may change if needed with prior reasonable notice to members.
Agenda papers and minutes
Agenda, minutes and supporting documents will generally follow the timeframes:
Item | Timeframe (business days) |
|---|---|
| Nomination of agenda items to secretariat | At least fourteen (14) days prior to meeting |
| Agenda and papers to committee members | At least seven (7) days before meeting |
| Minutes circulated to committee | Within two (2) days of meeting |
Confidentiality
Members and observers may, from time to time, be privy to confidential or personal information. Participants acknowledge their responsibility to maintain confidentiality of all information not in the public domain and to follow relevant department policies and applicable legislation. This includes the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998.
In the event a participant becomes aware of a potential privacy breach they will report the incident to the chair immediately. The chair may take further action.
Conflicts of interest
All attendees and observers must declare any conflicts of interest in relation to any item on the agenda. This includes actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interest. Attendees must declare this at the start of the meeting or as soon as they become aware of the conflict.
Review
There will be an annual review of the terms of reference. The terms revised to reflect changes in policy and membership.