Adelaide Oval Alcohol Sales

The Hon. C. BONAROS (15:25): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Primary Industries, representing the Minister for Police in another place, a question about the sale of beer cans at Adelaide Oval.

Leave granted.

The Hon. C. BONAROS: The Police Association last week lost a legal challenge to try to stop beer and other alcohol being sold in cans at Adelaide Oval over safety concerns for police, members of the public, players and officials should a full beer can be thrown from the viewing area. Liquor Licensing Court Judge Brian Gilchrist rejected an application by the Police Association to review a variation to the oval's liquor licence that has allowed the move, stating the appeal was unlikely to succeed.

Senior police opposed the licence variation initially on the grounds of safety to its own employees and the public, but within a matter of weeks did a complete backflip to its opposition after the management authority of the oval made some minor concessions, including that warning signs about the dangers of throwing cans were enough to satisfy SAPOL. That move has outraged the Police Association. Stadiums throughout the world continue to ban alcohol sold in cans for obvious reasons, yet for reasons not fully outlined SAPOL now doesn't have a problem with them being sold at Adelaide Oval. My questions to the minister are:

1. Is the minister satisfied with SAPOL's total backflip on its original rejection of SMA's application? If not, why not, given the obvious potential dangers beer cans have and the Police Association's stringent opposition to them?

2. Does the government have its own concerns over the sale of beer cans at Adelaide Oval and the potential safety risks they present? If not, why not, given that they have previously been banned?

3. Are you aware of any other concessions, other than erecting warning signs about the dangers of throwing cans, the SMA has committed to that initiated SAPOL's complete 180-degree about face and, if so, can a full list of those concessions be provided?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (15:27): I thank the honourable member for her question. I will refer the question to the relevant minister in the other place and bring back a response to the chamber.