The long-awaited plan to target problem drinkers in Western Australia’s Goldfields region is finally over with the roll out of the Banned Drinkers Register (BDR) beginning this week.
A year on since the BDR was first implemented in the Pilbara and recently in the Kimberley, licensees who serve take-away alcohol at seven northern Goldfields premises will take part in the initial rollout.
These venues include the Broad Arrow Tavern; the Desert Inn Hotel in Laverton; Central Hotel and White House Hotel in Leonora; Grand Hotel in Kookynie; Gold ‘n Nickel Bar and Bistro in Leinster; and the Menzies Hotel.
As part of the BDR trial, customers who intend to purchase take-away liquor will be asked to show a valid form of photo identification which is scanned at the point of sale.
A customer who flags a red signal on the scanner indicates they are banned from purchasing liquor and will be refused service.
A person is placed on the register by way of a WA police barring notice or prohibition order which is issued when there has been an alcohol related offence. People can also volunteer to be added to the register.
The trial will begin with a month’s grace period where customers won’t be required to scan their ID to allow industry stakeholders, including licensees and consumers to become familiar with the system.
After the grace period, no take-away alcohol sales can be made without the customer showing approved photo ID.
The Northern Goldfields trial will be part of the wider regional roll out which will cover Kalgoorlie-Boulder, the Shire of Coolgardie, and the Shire of Dundas, due to begin in February next year.
LSAWA CEO Peter Peck who joined Minister for Racing and Gaming Reece Whitby in Kalgoorlie-Boulder for an industry roundtable, congratulated licensees in the northern goldfields for taking part in the voluntary trial.
He expected the wider community to benefit from the scheme early on.
“It’s already having a positive impact on alcohol abuse and alcohol fuelled violence in the north of the state.
“Some of the issues we have in the Pilbara and in the Kimberley are similar to those in the Goldfields and I expect the BDR will weed out the problem drinkers and the community will see quite a difference” he said.
People who are on the BDR should access a range of therapeutic services available from state government agencies.