Trading Hours Are Extended in WA

November 23, 2015
By Alana House
The Government of Western Australia has extended trading hours in the state. The reforms came into effect last weekend and allow hotels, taverns and small bars to trade until midnight on both Saturday and Sunday and nightclubs through to 2am on the following Monday morning.

The WA Government hopes the changes, which form part of the 2015 Red Tape Reduction Report Card, will help to increase revenue and tourism for businesses.

“The changes recognise modern community expectations and the seven-day week economy”, Racing and Gaming Minister, Colin Holt said.

Finance Minister, Bill Marmion said that the legislative reforms highlighted the practical benefits the WA Government is aiming to deliver to businesses and community.

“By cutting red tape, we can make operating a business easier and provide greater convenience, more choice and flexibility for the community,” Mr. Marmion said.

The 2015 Red Tape Reduction Report Card also allows beer and wine producers to establish a second cellar door operation or collective cellar door with other producers within the same region off-site.

“This allows producers to sell their products from a retail outlet that is situated away from their licensed premises, for example on the main street of a nearby town,” Mr. Holt said.

“It will ultimately provide beer and wine producers greater flexibility, while also driving tourism outcomes and meeting consumer demand.”

Other reforms under the Liquor Legislation Amendment Act 2015 also remove restrictions that previously prohibited beer, wine and spirits producers from taking sales over the phone or the internet from an office not located on their licensed premises. Producers will also be able to sell alcohol other than their own, ancillary to a mean or for comparative tasting, and beer producers to sell their product for consumption (not just tasting) on a licensed premises between 10am and 10pm.

The representative body for the state’s hotels, Australian Hotels Association WA, said it was pleased with the reforms, but that there is still more work to be done.

“This is a small step towards bringing Western Australia into line with other parts of Australia”, AHA WA CEO, Bradley Woods said. “Other changes remove unnecessary red tape, making hospitality venues far more enjoyable for western Australians and tourists and reducing administrative and operational costs for businesses.

“[But] for Perth and WA to thrive as an international hospitality destination, more reforms like this have to occur for the industry to reach its full potential.”

Additional reforms are expected to be introduced into state parliament early in 2016. These will form stage two of the Liquor Legislation Amendment Bill, further addressing licensing red tape.

 
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