By Ian Neubauer
The NSW Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing (OLGR) has announced a moratorium on induction courses for new licensees while a new curriculum is drafted by the Casino, Liquor and Gaming Control Authority (CLGCA).
“The authority still requires licensee training. However, there is a review of the course and content at the moment to ensure it is up to date,” said OLGR spokesperson, Mark Nolan.
“So at this stage applicants can lodge an application for a liquor licence without having completing the current course in recognition of the fact that it may change substantially.”
Nolan said applicants have a choice of completing the existing course or undergoing the new course once it is approved. He said the new course would reflect the new licensing environment and reforms as stipulated under the 2007 Liquor Act.
But Hostec director, Raman Manbiar, described the situation in which licensees can take effective control of a premises with nothing more than a Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) certificate as a “potentially disastrous” situation.
“This seems bizarre and hypocritical given their supposed ‘strong’ stance on harm minimisation,” he said. “The OLGR [has] done a complete back flip on the training requirements for licensees.”
The OLGR’s structured course for licensees is run over four to five days and costs approximately $500-$600.
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