Earlier this year, an independent review of the Queensland Government’s Tackling Alcohol-Fuelled Violence Policy was released.

The review of the policy found ID scanners made Queensland’s entertainment precincts safer. It also found that further refinements could address unintended consequences being experienced by licensees, particularly on quieter weeknights.

Based on these findings and following extensive consultation with licensees and industry representatives, changes to operating hours and re-entry requirements for ID scanners have been introduced.

Under these new liquor laws, licensees who operate a mandatory ID scanner at their venue no longer have to:

  • scan patrons on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday nights provided they stop selling liquor by 1am
  • scan patrons when they re-enter their venue, provided the venue has a suitable re-entry pass system.

Regulated licensees are still required to scan patrons from 10pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and the day before a public holiday, if they are authorised to sell liquor after 12 midnight during that trading period.

Patrons must still be scanned from 10pm on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights if the licensee continues to sell liquor after 1am.

Licensees also have the option to implement a re-entry pass system. This means patrons do not need to be scanned more than once during the compulsory regulated ID scanning period (i.e. after 10pm) in the same trading period.

There is no obligation for licensees to implement these changes at their venue if they prefer the current system.

Further details about these changes can be found in the Holidays and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2019 and on our website at www.business.qld.gov.au/liquor-gaming

Reminder – digital driver licences are acceptable ID

With interstate tourists flocking to Queensland for the holiday season, you should expect to see some of your patrons offering interstate digital driver licences as an acceptable form of ID. Digital driver licences are in addition to driver licence photo cards and there are no plans to phase out the cards.

Please check out the information on the Business Queensland website for more details on digital IDs.

Electronic security register guideline

The Commissioner for Liquor and Gaming has released a guideline for the use of an electronic security register (ESR).

In Queensland, it is common practice for licensees to combine a security register and incident register and maintain a single register that contains all the required information. These requirements may now be sufficiently met through the use of an ESR.

Find out more information on the new electronic security register guideline.