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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-03-23 Daily Xml
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LIQUOR LICENSING

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (14:36): I seek leave to make an explanation before directing a question to the Minister for Consumer Affairs on the subject of lack of replies to my questions on liquor licensing.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: On 14 October last year, I asked the following questions of the minister:

1. How many licensed premises in South Australia have not had an inspection in the last three years?

2. How long does the average inspection take?

3. How many fines were issued, for what types of offences, and how many in each category?

4. How many prosecutions were recorded, for what types of offences, and how many in each category?

5. What action was taken as a result of prosecutions?

6. What has been the impact of the initiative from the 2009-10 budget of conducting 400 additional priority 1 inspections?

The minister answered some parts of those questions in relation to the estimated number of visits but took the rest of the questions on notice. My question to the minister is: when will she reply to these questions, or do I have to lodge an FOI to get an answer?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Public Sector Management, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises) (14:37): Given that the honourable member has in the past lodged FOIs for information that was already on the public record—what a waste of time and resources; she FOI'd a report that was already tabled in parliament and on the public record; what a joke—by all means go right ahead and FOI.

I took those questions on notice. I answered those that I had information on at the time and took them on notice. The agency is very busy beavering away to obtain that information, and I am sure they are doing their very best amongst all their other priorities, including putting together this fabulous legislation that is about to be tabled. In terms of the categories for inspection—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: —my understanding is that currently the various hotel licences are designated a particular category that roughly aligns with the level of risk of an establishment—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: —and then there is a protocol of visiting in terms of particular timing, and I do not have that in front of me. The higher risk venues are inspected more frequently than categories 2 and 3, the lower risk categories. That work goes on year, in year out, and our inspectors are obviously very diligent in the way they conduct themselves, and I commend them for their very difficult task.

The good news is that the bill that is about to be tabled looks at new money, and that includes new money for new inspectors. That will enable us, no doubt, to provide answers to questions like these more quickly in the future, which we can look forward to. I can absolutely guarantee that inspectors in the agency are extremely diligent and hardworking. They prioritise the work that they do, and I can assure you that they will be addressing these particular questions and giving them the level of priority and attention they deserve.

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