The ACT Government has proposed more restrictions on same day alcohol delivery services, in an effort to minimise harms linked to “easy and rapid access to alcohol”.
The Australia-first bill would ban alcohol deliveries after 10pm, and mandate a two-hour delay between when an order is made and when it is delivered.
Advocates have called it a step towards reducing alcohol-fuelled and gender-based violence.
The bill
The bill, introduced by ACT Attorney-General Tara Cheyne, would apply to bottle shops, online retailers, and independent delivery contractors.
Delivery drivers for these services would be required to complete Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) training.
Customers would be able to block themselves from alcohol-delivery services, in a system similar to the national gambling self-exclusion register.
Under the proposed changes, alcohol deliveries would only be permitted between 10am and 10pm, with a mandatory two-hour “pause” between purchase and delivery.
New offences would apply to providers who deliver to minors, restricted locations (such as schools), or people who are intoxicated.
The bill would also mandate ID verification at the point of sale and on arrival, and grant the ACT Fair Trading Commissioner the power to strip companies’ liquor licences for breaches.
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Advocates
The Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE) welcomed the proposed bill.
FARE CEO Ayla Chorley said: “We know that violence gets more severe late at night, when alcohol is being delivered into homes. This... would make a real difference”.
However, the organisation said there was more to do, including restricting alcohol marketing.
The Labor Government needs the support of the Greens or independents to pass the bill.
Industry
Peak industry body Retail Drinks Australia have called the bill the "most restrictive framework" that hinders "the freedoms of Canberrans to use online services".
CEO Michael Waters said the Government's bill fails to consider the "potential perverse outcomes from their restrictions."
"They have not considered the operational impacts on businesses and seem casual about creating profiles on every individual... They are simply out of touch with the digital economy - they don’t understand how it works and don’t want to listen," Waters said.
