As featured in the most recent edition of Bowler Magazine
In Queensland, the sale and supply of alcohol are tightly regulated to protect the community, encourage responsible consumption and minimise harm. Most bowls clubs have a liquor licence and therefore any events held on club premises will be regulated by their liquor licence. However, for bowls clubs that do not have a liquor licence, or for any other non-profit community clubs that want to hold a one-off event involving liquor, a Community Liquor Permit (CLP) will be required.
Community Liquor Permit
A CLP can be obtained from the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation (OLGR) and you should note the following:
- The CLP can only be issued to a non-proprietary club, organisation or association. It cannot be issued to individuals or commercial operations that will personally benefit from the sale of liquor; and
- The application for a CLP must be lodged at least 21 days in advance of the event, or it will not be processed, however, it is strongly recommended that you begin the application process as early as possible to allow sufficient time for the application to be processed, the provisions of any additional documentation or requirements and receive the OLGR approval.
Whilst the organisation does not need to have a person with an Approved Manager’s Licence, you do need to take reasonable steps to ensure that any volunteers serving liquor are under the general supervision of someone that holds a current RSA training certificate.
High Risk Events
The OLGR takes a harm minimisation approach to these types of events, accordingly, when applying for a CLP, you must consider the risk level of your event. In particular, if any of the following apply:
- the estimated attendance throughout any particular day exceeds 2000 people;
- the estimated patrons consuming liquor throughout any particular day exceeds 1000 people;
- the application includes a request to supply liquor between 12 midnight and 10 am; and/or
- the application includes a request for liquor consumption area/s totalling more than 400 square metres,
then it will be considered a high risk event and you are required to prepare an Event Management Plan that can be provided to an OLGR officer or a Queensland Police Officer upon request.
Exemptions
There are exemptions for smaller events that are being run as a fundraiser or a raffle. The requirements to be eligible for an exemption include:
- no history of non-compliance with the Liquor Act;
- no individual or commercial organisation will benefit from the proceeds;
- the event is not held at a licensed premises;
- the event is a one-off event that occurs on a single day and liquor is not sold for more than 8 hours;
- liquor is not sold before 7am or after 12 midnight; and
- the sale of liquor must not be the main source of income for the fundraising event.
If your club is planning to organise an event an event, it is strongly recommended you engage experienced professionals for trusted advice that is appropriate and tailored to your circumstances, your organisation and your needs.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me on 07 3224 0353 if I can assist you with this.