THE Sale Turf Club has been ordered to donate $800 to charity for allowing a drunken patron onto its premises.
Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation inspectors attended Greenwattle Racecourse in late 2018 for a routine inspection when they discovered the venue had permitted a drunken person to be on the licensed premises contrary to a section of the Liquor Control Reform Act.
The VCGLR issued charges against the club, with a hearing at the Sale Magistrates’ Court resulting in the issuing of a diversion order, requiring the licensee to make an $800 donation to a charity, pay $400 in legal costs, and be of good behaviour for six months.
Under the diversion order, Sale Turf Club is also required to work collaboratively with the VCGLR to mitigate any future risks of similar incidents, including conducting additional in-person briefings to crowd controllers and staff who serve liquor about the responsibilities they and the venue have in ensuring drunken or disorderly persons are not permitted on the licensed premises.
The licensee must complete all conditions under the diversion order or the matter will be returned to court.
Under the Liquor Control Reform Act 1998, it is an offence for a licensee or permittee to supply liquor to a person in a state of intoxication, or to permit drunken or disorderly persons to be on the licensed premises, or on any authorised premises.
Licensees and staff are subject to mandatory responsible service of alcohol requirements including, for some licence types, attending compulsory training.
Responsible service of alcohol training is compulsory for anyone selling, offering or serving liquor under an on-premises licence.
This is the same licence type held by Sale Turf Club.
During the 2018-19 financial year, more than 11,750 liquor inspections were undertaken by the VCGLR.
