City set to tighten grog shop control

JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
A packaged liquor accord could form part of a crackdown on Geelong bottle shops and booze barns, according to a councillor.
The accord would follow a State Government edict requiring packaged liquor stores to apply for planning permits.
City of Greater Geelong and Colac Otway and Surf Coast shires have an existing liquor accord for licensed venues.
Geelong councillor Jan Farrell said the packaged liquor accord was likely to emerge from development of a City policy on siting of retail alcohol outlets.
Cr Farrell said the new permit requirement would increase City control over the proliferation of retail liquor outlets.
The City had initiated the permit requirement through Municipal Association of Victoria. The requirement applied only to new outlets and would not consider suitability to hold a licence, Cr Farrell said.
Applicants still had to apply to Responsible Alcohol Victoria for a liquor licence.
Geelong Police licensing section said the city had 2500 liquor licences.
The section received another 12 packaged liquor licence applications last month.
Cr Farrell said applications for liquor outlets would now have to be advertised with a notice on the premises and a letter to adjoining residents.
Applications would also go to Victoria Police’s licensing section, she said.
“Applications will be assessed on amenity such as the proximity of community facilities like schools. They will also be assessed on social impact for the neighbourhood,” Cr Farrell said.
“They will be treated similarly to gambling licence applications. This will give local government the ability to limit the downside of alcohol use and abuse.”
Cr Farrell said “extensive research and data” had demonstrated adverse impacts from high densities of liquor outlets in areas of socioeconomic disadvantage.
Alcohol Policy Coalition spokesperson Michael Livingston said 75 per cent of booze sold in Victoria came from bottle shops and liquor barns.
The number of packaged liquor outlets in Victoria had more than doubled in the past two decades, he said.
“Research shows that with every additional liquor shop the rates of assault, domestic violence and chronic disease go up,” Mr Livingstone said.
“Alcohol remains a major cause of preventable death and illness across the state. It hospitalises 24,700 Victorians and kills more than 750 every year.