Retail Drinks Australia has raised concerns over the ACT Government’s proposed Liquor Amendment Bill 2025, which has proposed a number of reforms including restricting delivery quantities, limiting delivery hours to 10am to 10pm and implementing a two-hour “safety pause” before delivery.
Retail Drinks CEO, Michael Waters said that while the industry supports sensible harm minimisation measures, many of the measures in the Bill are disproportionate, lack evidence, and risk negative unintended consequences for consumers, the public and industry.
“The ACT Government has rushed this Bill that has no evidence base and without proper consultation with those it will impact the most,” Waters said.
“The Bill will create the most restrictive framework in the country hindering the freedoms of Canberrans to use online services the same way everyone else in the country can.
“While we share the ACT Government’s objective to minimise alcohol-related harm, the Bill’s proposed two-hour same day delivery delay, strict 1.5 litre daily purchase limits and meal exemptions, a narrow 10am – 10pm delivery window, and extensive six-year data retention requirements are excessive and not supported by any credible evidence.”
He added: “Retail Drinks developed and have been operating a self-regulatory framework (the Online Alcohol Sale & Delivery Code of Conduct) for the past six years, with Code Signatories representing around 85 per cent of the national market, who have been subject to over 40,000 compliance audits with a 94 per cent compliance rate – the Code principles are the most comprehensive and extensive anywhere in the country and globally.
“Our substantial research in online alcohol sale and delivery, including analysis of over 10 million transactions in 2023 and a recent survey of over 1,600 households demonstrates that most users of online alcohol sale and delivery services are responsible adults who typically order infrequently, in small quantities, and for an evening meal, gathering with family and friends, or a gift.
“If a two-hour delivery delay was imposed, our data indicates that 91% of respondents would simply access alcohol by other means, including potentially less safe, means, including forcing them into their cars, which directly undermines public safety goals.
“The ACT Government seem to be missing or ignoring the facts. Alcohol consumption’s been in steady decline for decades, now at its lowest point in over 50 years, and alcohol-related domestic assaults have also been declining for many years whereas non-alcohol-related incidents have been rising at alarming rates.
“The rates of domestic and non-domestic alcohol-related violence have been decreasing at the same time as the number of liquor licences have been increasing, and online alcohol sale and delivery, including express delivery services, has grown in popularity by consumers.
“Rather than add further regulation and restrictions on licensees and customers, Retail Drinks calls on the ACT Government to focus their energy and resources on what we consider to be the real problem area, the escalating licit and illicit drug use and offences, largely due to the recent decriminalisation of heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine.
“The draft Bill sits in stark contrast to every other jurisdiction in the country and will create a two-tiered system, particularly between NSW and the ACT where those in border suburbs will be restricted but just down the road they won’t be.
“Instead of punitive restrictions that risk pushing consumers towards unsafe behaviours, the ACT Government should build on frameworks that have been proven to work across Australia.
“This is simply not good enough. It is policy on the run, and we call on the ACT Government to pause the Bill and do its due diligence by obtaining its own body of robust evidence before enacting the most restrictive framework in the country,” Waters said.