I don’t often post this sort of news here, but I love to see it when people are told they need to be responsible.
With that in mind, then, I will repost it in its entirety from Christie Elezier’s Music Business News:
Federal court ruling helps clubs
A landmark Federal High Court ruling last week has taken the pressure off the operators of clubs and pubs. In recent times, politicians have put the responsibility of violent drunken behaviour solely on them. But a ruling has shifted responsibility back to the punters. In January this year, a full bench of the Supreme Court of Tasmania found that the Tandara Motor Inn was responsible for the January 24, 2002 death of Shane Scott. The man had given the Inn’s publican his motorbike keys and told him to keep them and to ring his wife to collect him when he was ready. But after reaching a blood-alcohol level of 0.253, Scott asked for his keys back. The publican offered to call Scott’s wife but was told, “If I wanted you to ring my fucking wife, I’d fucking ask you.” He was offered three or four times to get a lift home with pub staffers but he refused. Scott died when his motorbike hit a bridge on the way home. His widow sued, saying the pub had a duty of care. The Federal Court overturned the Supreme Court decision, and she now has to pay all court costs.
The Surfers Paradise Licensed Venues Association head and the Australian Hotel Association were among those who thumbs-upped the decision. Both were adamant that hotels would continue to serve alcohol responsibly.
… and in the same issue:
Valley Liquor Accord gets tough
The Valley Liquor Accord (VLA) in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley is making its strongest statement yet against anti-social behaviour. People convicted of alcohol-related violence will be banned from its venues. And it’s backing it up by hiring a person to sit in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Monday to record the details of offenders. VLA chairman Danny Blair said, “We reserve the right to forbid entry to any person and licensees we will be executing that right against people convicted of alcohol-related violence by obtaining their name in a public court. We’ve heard a lot about glassware and winding back trading hours, but we have heard very little about sending a strong message to the people responsible for the violence. This course of action lets offenders know they will be forfeiting the right to socialise because we do not want them there.”
