New booze laws designed to assist businesses operating in areas with restriction on purchasing alcohol

Tough new restrictions on the sale of alcohol are being introduced in two regional cities in an effort to curb anti-social behaviour and the illegal redistribution of booze.

Bottleshop customers wishing to purchase spirits, cask wine and fortified wine will now have to produce photo ID and may be limited to a single purchase per day as part of new restrictions introduced to two cities on the Upper Spencer Gulf.

Licensees in Port Augusta and Whyalla will be required to use ID-scanning technology to facilitate new state government regulations surrounding the sale of liquor in an effort to reduce anti-social effects of alcohol and to reduce the sale of booze to members of dry communities.

From November 2, customers will have to produce ID and can only purchase up to two 750ml bottles of spirits, one 2L cask wine (non-fortified) or one 750ml bottle of fortified wine per day.

Using the ID Scan app, licensees will be able to ascertain if a customer has purchased alcohol anywhere within the two cities that day and can refuse them service if their quota has been reached.

The implementation of the photo ID service in Port Augusta and Whyalla follows on from similar programs in Ceduna and Cooper Pedy, where restrictions have been in place for the better part of a decade.

Casked wine is among the items currently restricted in Port Augusta and Whyalla. Picture: Blue Pebble

Commissioner for Liquor and Gambling Dini Soulio said the new laws were intended to minimise the rise of alcohol-related harm in the region.

“For people looking to buy takeaway alcohol in Port Augusta, it’s simple – a valid form of photo ID, such as a driver’s licence or proof of age card will be required for all takeaway alcohol purchases,” said Mr Soulio.

“This technology will help ensure people are not exceeding daily purchase limits.

“The scanning technology will also check to ensure the customer does not live in a dry community and is therefore not allowed to buy liquor.

“In Whyalla, anyone who wants to buy a restricted item of alcohol – for example, port, spirits or casks of wine – will need to produce photo ID.”

Liquor restrictions have been in place in Port Augusta since February and where introduced to Whyalla in September after reports of people making the 50-minute drive south between the two towns to load up on booze.

Alcohol issues have longed plagued Port Augusta. Pictured is then Infrastrcuture Department Port Augusta city manager John Stephens with a “no alcohol "dry zone sign in 2002. Picture: File.

A statement from Liquorland Australia said although they conceded the majority of the restrictions were appropriate, the company still took issue with a certain element of the restrictions.

“Liquorland are not in support of the continued restriction on opening hours, and state that they receive regular complaints from customers who are inconvenienced by being unable to do their ‘one-stop shopping’ prior to 11am in Port Augusta,” the statement said.

“Further, there are travellers and tourists in caravans who regularly pass through the town who complain that a ‘one-stop shop’ experience is not available prior to 11am.

“Liquorland submit that the main feedback being provided from the township to their teams is that they feel they are a ‘majority being unfairly punished for the actions of a minority who may choose to drink irresponsibly’. ”

The Consumer and Business Service website details that limitations will also be extended regarding taxi services in an effort to prevent bootlegging, with liquor unable to be consumed by any person seated in a taxi, including the driver, with customers required to exit the taxi into a browsing lane to make a purchase.

Licensees in the affected areas will not have access to any personal data, and customer data will be securely stored and purged every 24 hours.

Further information regarding the current restrictions is available here.