No. 17

MORE LIQUOR INSPECTORS TO ENFORCE LAW

The Stanhope Government is ensuring that our community is safer into the future with a $1 million dollar investment over four years in the 2008-2009 Budget, for additional staff to enforce liquor licensing laws in the ACT, Attorney General Simon Corbell said today. 

“The ACT Government will provide the Office of Regulatory Services (ORS) with $1 million dollars over the next four years to improve the liquor regulatory regime in the Territory,” Mr Corbell said.

“The funding will allow ORS to employ an additional two liquor inspectors. This means an extra 160 inspections can be carried out on licenced premises throughout the ACT each year.

“ORS inspectors already perform around 400 inspections a year to ensure liquor licencees are complying with the law.

“The additional funding comes while the Government undertakes a review of the current liquor licensing laws and follows the recent review by the Auditor-General.”

The employment of two additional liquor licensing inspectors is part of a number of measures being funded in the ACT Budget aimed at lessening alcohol‑related violence and anti-social behaviour in the Territory. 

“The Stanhope Government has also announced $8 million over four years for the expansion of the CCTV network to some of Canberra’s major entertainment areas,” Mr Corbell said.

This includes upgrading current cameras in Civic as well as installing a new series of CCTV equipment in Manuka and Kingston.

The funding will also allow the placement of CCTV cameras at two of our major public gathering places, Exhibition Park at Mitchell and Manuka Oval.

This significant investment in infrastructure will enhance the safety of Canberra for the community and for visitors to our city.

The cameras will act as a deterrent to anti-social behaviour and will be an important tool to fight crime in our city’s major entertainment areas.”

Statement ends

6 May 2008
Enquiries:    Tim Colquhoun	6205 0401		tim.colquhoun@act.gov.au