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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 989 asked in the Legislative Council on 22 September 2020 by Hon Robin Scott

Parliament: 40 Session: 1

ALCOHOL-RELATED HARM — PILBARA

989. Hon ROBIN SCOTT to the minister representing the Minister for Racing and Gaming:

I refer to recent reports that the director of Liquor Licensing has started an inquiry into liquor restrictions, following a submission from the Commissioner of Police about alcohol-related harm in the Pilbara.

(1) Can the minister confirm that the director sent letters out in July, inviting submissions on the extent of alcohol-related harm?

(2) If yes to (1), how is this any different from the inquiry done following the report in January 2017 by the Commissioner of Police?

(3) When will the government stop holding pointless inquiries into obvious problems and, instead, start doing some real work to stop alcohol abuse?

Hon ALANNAH MacTIERNAN replied:

I thank the member for the question. The following information has been provided by the Minister for Racing and Gaming.

(1) Yes. Letters have been sent to government agencies and other key stakeholders.

(2) New evidence has been submitted by the Commissioner of Police on the extent of alcohol-related harm in five Pilbara towns. As part of the process of determining whether imposing restrictions on licensees is in the public interest under section 64 of the Liquor Control Act 1988, the director of Liquor Licensing is seeking information from stakeholders to help inform the inquiry.

(3) The director of Liquor Licensing, a statutory role independent from the Minister for Racing and Gaming, is responsible for the administration of the Liquor Control Act 1988—the act. One of the primary objects of the act is to minimise harm or ill health caused to people, or any group of people, due to the use of liquor. Given that the director's statutory obligation under the act is to address alcohol-related harm, it is therefore reasonable that he should investigate these matters and use the tools available to him to address harm. Currently, one of the director's only tools to respond to liquor-related harm in a community is population-based measures, such as liquor restrictions.

The McGowan government is committed to tackling liquor-related harm and is the first state government to work in collaboration with the industry and community to come up with an alternative tool that focuses on individuals rather than the entire community. The member should be aware that a banned drinkers' register trial will commence in the Pilbara on 1 December this year, and the McGowan government is working with the Kimberley region to progress a similar initiative with the community's support.