Crack Down on Underage School Liquor Buying
Liquor retailers have been receiving a lot of criticism lately because of their sale of alcohol to underage minors. Now retailers are doing something about it by hiring special staff to police their stores for underage school leavers attempting to obtain alcohol during Schoolies Week.
Hot spots have been identified and security staff will be stationed at these points in an attempt to root out minors trying to obtain alcohol.
BWS and Dan Murphys are leading the pack in cracking down on underage alcohol purchasing by hiring an additional 60 guards to be stationed around the country especially in holiday spots where school leavers frequently congregate to celebrate.
Underage people will not be able to enter liquor stores and those teenagers attempting to gain alcohol from the over 18 counterparts will also be watched. Those school leavers that are over 18 and attempting to purchase alcohol on behalf of the underage friends will also be refused alcohol by the guards.
This post on Brisbanetimes.com website has more:
Liquor retailers are hiring security staff to crackdown on underage school leavers getting hold of alcohol during Schoolies Week celebrations.
Dan Murphy’s and BWS, both owned by supermarket giant Woolworths, will have security staff on the door at designated Schoolies “hot spots” over the week-long festivities.
About 60 guards will be employed across the nation, in particular at popular Schoolies locations such as Surfers Paradise, the Sunshine Coast and Byron Bay.
The guards will prevent underage people from entering stores as well as keeping an eye on teenagers attempting to use over-18s to purchase alcohol for them.
Staff and guards have been directed to refuse service to any member of a group they believe may be purchasing alcohol for minors, even if that person has identification proving they’re over 18.
Security staff will also be used to deny access to stores to intoxicated people.
“BWS and Dan Murphy’s are committed to the responsible service of alcohol and in the lead-up to Schoolies we are reinforcing the importance of this to our customers and staff,” BWS and Dan Murphy’s national liquor licensing manager Shane Tremble said in a statement.
“The secondary supply of alcohol to minors is a significant issue for our stores, the authorities and the community. We know that very few underage drinkers attempt to buy alcohol themselves, preferring to ask others to buy it for them so it is important we tackle this issue head-on.
Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/liquor-stores-hire-schoolies-security-20121113-299g9.html#ixzz2C62Bhpb7
Although there may some patrons that are refused alcohol during this time, the companies have reiterated that their main objective is keeping alcohol out of the hands of under aged youth who have a tendency to abuse it.
These retailers have a larger plan in motion which will see customers having to produce their ID if they look under the age of 25. Although just being implemented by retailers, this is part of Responsible service of alcohol legislation anyway.
Liquor retailers will also have signage posted around their stores to warn customers that it is a crime to buy alcohol for underage people. Schoolies week will see about 30,000 students flocking to the Gold Coast to celebrate and hopefully measures like these will reduce the alcohol induced harm that occurs each year at the celebrations.