LIQUOR LICENSING

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (14:47): I seek leave to make an amazingly brief explanation before asking the Minister for Consumer Affairs a question about police barring.

Leave granted.

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: On 1 March, new laws that enabled police to bar a person from licensed premises came into effect. Will the minister advise how effective this legislation has been to date?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister Assisting the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Energy) (14:47): I thank the member for his very brief, but nonetheless important, question. Recently, I advised the council that these new laws under the Liquor Licensing Act 1997 had assisted police in the first 24 hours of operation allowing them to bar problem patrons from licensed venues. Since these laws have been in effect, police have issued 47 barring orders in the first month of changes to the law.

I welcome the police efforts in cleaning up crime and disorderly conduct in and around pubs and clubs. As members would be aware, these laws allow police to have the power to bar people from licensed venues in a particular area or from all venues of a particular type for a specific period of time. This can be for reasons based on criminal intelligence or the welfare of the person or their family being seriously at risk. It also includes offences or offensive disorderly behaviour in or around licensed premises.

Significantly, more than half the barring orders have been made in regional areas. In 24 instances, people have been barred for up to 72 hours and, on another 23 occasions, people have been barred for up to three months.

The swift action by our police to stamp out unsavoury behaviour shows that laws are already proving to be very effective. South Australians can be increasingly confident of sharing a good night out without having to run the gauntlet of angry, aggressive and loud-mouthed behaviour. Unfortunately, all of us have probably had the experience of having our night ruined by some offensive bad behaviour.

These laws also mean licensees do not always have to wear the potential backlash associated with clearing out troublemakers, as in the past they have had the power to bar from their premises but have always been reluctant to use those powers for fear of retribution. This appears to be working very well. There have been 24 orders issued on the grounds of offensive and disorderly behaviour, and people breaching a barring order can incur a fine of $1,250.