Loading
right to information
Email a friend Print this page A | A | A
Home > Youth > Schoolies and parents

Schoolies and parents

NSW schoolies week 2008

NSW schoolies week represents significant challenges for the liquor industry, parents and school leavers in ensuring end of school celebrations are held lawfully and responsibly and that school leavers have a safe holiday with their school friends.

Popular NSW schoolies destinations, such as Byron Bay and Tweed Heads, provide an appealing mix of coastal attractions and activities, as well as nightspots for visitors to let their hair down at night.

While liquor is often associated with schoolies week, the NSW liquor laws set clear parameters in terms of the responsible drinking rules. These rules apply to:

Police and inspectors from the Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing will be out in force during schoolies week in popular NSW locations to enforce the responsible drinking laws.

Under these laws, there are two key issues that will be closely monitored by police and inspectors:

Penalties of up to $5,500 apply for breaches of the liquor laws. Alternatively, offenders can be issued with $550 penalty notices. Convictions under the liquor laws form part of a person's criminal history.

The following provides a snapshot of how the responsible drinking laws apply to those involved with schoolies celebrations.

Licensees and staff

Licensees and staff have strict obligations to ensure minors do not drink alcohol on their premises or gain unlawful entry to the venue. This obligation extends to ensuring minors do not obtain alcohol via the secondary supply from older friends and siblings.

For most venues, such as hotels, registered clubs and nightclubs, restrictions apply to where and when minors can be on the premises. For instance, in a hotel, minors are generally only allowed in bistro/lounge areas with a responsible adult such as a parent/guardian. Older siblings and casual boyfriends/girlfriends are not a responsible adult.

One of the critical elements of stopping underage drinking in licensed venues is rigorous ID checking, particularly during schoolies week when there is also the added pressure of an influx of interstate school leavers.

ID that can be accepted from young people in NSW is:

The liquor laws allow licensees the discretion to accept other forms of ID, such as the Keypass Card, issued by a private company in Victoria, provided they are satisfied that it is legitimate and belongs to that person.

School leavers

For those school leavers who are under 18, it is illegal to drink liquor on licensed premises or to be in certain parts of licensed premises, such as the public bar or gaming room of a hotel.

Minors can also be prosecuted where they use fake ID or attempt to purchase alcohol from a venue.

School leavers who are over 18 and who supply liquor to a minor can be prosecuted for the secondary supply offence. An offence is committed for each minor supplied with alcohol.

Where a group of young people attempt to buy liquor from a liquor store or other takeaway outlet, ID is likely to be required of all young people to ensure each person is over 18.

Under the intoxication laws, it is an offence for liquor to be served to an intoxicated person by the licensee or employee. In addition to penalties applying to licensees and staff, patrons also commit an offence if they are drunk or disorderly and they refuse to leave the premises. A $550 penalty notice applies in these circumstances.

Older siblings and friends

Older siblings and friends involved in schoolies week cannot supply liquor to minors in any setting, including motel rooms, parks or BYO restaurants. Under the secondary supply provisions, adults detected supplying liquor to a minor can be fined up to $5,500.

Parents

While the law recognises it is acceptable for parents to provide their underage child with a glass of beer or wine in the family home, this exemption does not extend to licensed premises.

By law, parents commit an offence where they provide liquor to their underage children in licensed venues. Licensees can also be exposed to prosecution in these circumstances, unless it is found that they took all reasonable steps to prevent the supply of liquor from occurring.

Schoolies week crackdown

Pubs, clubs and bottle shops in Byron Bay and Tweed Heads face a covert blitz during schoolies week to ensure licensed venues are safe and are serving alcohol responsibly to the thousands of school leavers who will be drawn to these areas for schoolies week.

The Office of Liquor Gaming and Racing inspectors have worked with local venues to help them prepare for Schoolies Week.

Inspectors will also be working closely with local police and conducting joint covert operations of licensed venues during schoolies week. These operations will be targeting under age drinking, intoxication, fake IDs, responsible service of alcohol and the secondary supply of alcohol to minors.

Need more information?

Further information about young people and the NSW liquor laws is available at:
PDF Underage drinking laws fact sheet

The NSW Department of Education and Training has also published information that provides practical advice and hints for both parents and school leavers involved in end of school celebrations:
www.schools.nsw.edu.au/learning/yrk12focusareas/druged/parents/index.php
www.schools.nsw.edu.au/leavingschool/next/index.htm

back to liquor landing page