Liquor Licensing Applications

In reply to Ms MICHAELS (Enfield) (23 November 2020). (Estimates Committee A)

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Planning and Local Government): I have been advised:

The 2019-20 projection was originally estimated to be significantly lower than 2018-19. This was made on the presumption that 'low-risk' events would not need to lodge an application with Consumer and Business Services (CBS) to obtain a liquor licence and would instead only notify CBS of their event. However, further amendments to the Liquor Licensing Act 1997 removed the proposed notification process, meaning 'low-risk' events were required to lodge an application, albeit with no fee attached. This resulted in more applications being received in 2019-20 than anticipated.

The 2019-20 actual also included an additional 900 short term licences which CBS issued free of charge to permanent licensees to allow them to alter their trading rights when COVID-19 restrictions were put in place. Approximately 800 licences were granted to restaurants to allow them to sell takeaway during this period, and another 100 were granted to allow various licensees to extend their licensed area outdoors to allow more patrons into their premises.