State resolute on new alcohol laws
Racing and Gaming Minister Terry Waldron hopes laws that ban adults giving alcohol to other people's children will act as a deterrent, rather than result in parents being hit with heavy fines.
The secondary supply legislation, which was recommended by a review of the Liquor Control Act released in January, is yet to be drafted and will not be introduced into State Parliament until next year.
But Mr Waldron said the Government was committed to the laws before its response to the recommendations in the liquor review, due to be tabled in Parliament this week.
The laws, already in place in NSW, Queensland, Tasmania and Victoria, were in doubt earlier this year when Premier Colin Barnett labelled them "nigh on impossible to administer".
Mr Waldron yesterday flagged "tough penalties" for adults who supply minors with alcohol at unlicensed premises without the permission of their parent or guardian.
He said if an adult did have consent from a parent or guardian, they must supply alcohol in a "responsible manner".
He conceded policing the laws would be difficult, but said the legislation would empower police to charge people who had knowingly offended.
"We haven't made a decision on the fines, but we will have strong fines in place," Mr Waldron said. "What this will do is provide a great deterrent to stop people supplying people under 18 with liquor, but the main point is this will empower parents to make a choice."
A secondary supply Bill brought on by the Opposition mid-last year was voted down.
Shadow health minister Roger Cook said the laws would come into force 18 months late because the Government had been "sitting on its hands".
