L&GNSW Inspectors will be in venues across NSW over the coming months working with staff and operators to help build safe and practical measures to minimise risk and maximise success.
In addition to general regulatory requirements, there are a few core considerations that will help you prepare your business and support your staff through the busy period.
Staff training
Maintaining staff training is a valuable measure to reinforce the safety of your business model. Internal processes and legislative requirements should be shared with your staff to increase their knowledge of business expectations to maximise a safe space for all.
- Conduct regular staff meetings so your team is across relevant information about your venue’s operations, liquor licence and plan of management.
- Ensure all staff have completed their Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) training. Encourage those staff who have completed the training some time ago to undertake refresher training, so everyone is aware of their individual obligations.
- Have conversations with your staff about the responsible service of alcohol and make sure everyone is aware of your venues internal policies and steps for the prevention of intoxication and unsavoury behaviour.
Incident Registers
The Liquor Incident Register format has changed.
From 1 January 2025 you are legally required to have the current version of the approved Incident Register for your venue. L&GNSW Inspectors will conduct compliance checks of incident registers in early 2025. Please visit our liquor incident registers page to ensure you have the new version.
Liquor promotions
L&GNSW Inspectors routinely engage with venues on liquor promotions. It is important you take a considered approach regarding your current or proposed liquor promotions across the summer and festive season.
Venue operators should review current and proposed liquor promotions to ensure they support the responsible service of alcohol and align to the Liquor Promotion Guidelines.
In addition to following your operational plans of management to ensure promotions reduce risk and support responsible service, consider the:
- duration of the promotion and understand back-to-back promotions may create risk.
- type of product being promoted.
- Type of supervision, management and RSA processes in place to ensure the promotion is conducted safely and responsibly.
Prevention of supply to minors
During this season studies come to an end, and we typically see an increase in young people attending licensed premises in celebration of the end of the year.
Ensuring alcohol is not sold or supplied to minors is everyone’s responsibility. Whether you are a café, restaurant, club or hotel, the requirement is the same.
What you can do:
- Include ID checks within your daily work practice. You have a legal right and responsibility to ask someone for their ID to confirm their age.
- Ensure persons under 18 are accompanied by a responsible adult when entering, or remaining in, a bottle shop (packaged liquor outlet).
- Penalties apply for the licensee and the minor if they access and remain in the store and ID checks were not conducted or attempted.
