Police Commissioner Grant Stevens has revealed a proposal to have bar staff alcohol and drug-tested, as part of a rewrite of liquor laws

POLICE want bar staff to be alcohol and drug-tested on the job, as part of a major rewrite of the state’s liquor laws.

Late Night Venues Association of SA say it wants the proposed liquor law measured withdrawn.

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POLICE want bar staff to be alcohol and drug-tested on the job, as part of a major rewrite of the state’s liquor laws.

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens has revealed the proposal was part of a submission made by SA Police last year to a review of the Liquor Licensing Act. The submission had been kept secret until Monday, when it was finally released to The Advertiser at 5pm.

Previous requests for a copy by The Advertiser and the Opposition, including through Freedom of Information laws, had been rejected.

Mr Stevens told a parliamentary committee on Monday that he had “no issue” with the submission being made public, but that Government ministers had said it must remain confidential because it had been considered by cabinet.

A Government spokeswoman told The Advertiser the submission was “attached” to an item which went before cabinet and was “therefore not considered for release”.

“That was revisited upon the request of an interested stakeholder, after consultation with SAPOL,” she said.

A major review has recommend a 2am lockout for Adelaide CBD nightclubs and bars.

The Advertiser understands the document was also provided to the Australian Hotels Association SA branch late yesterday. It had also long lobbied for its release.

The review by former judge Tim Anderson made 129 recommendations, including drug and alcohol-testing of staff working in pubs and clubs.

The submission argues for a zero-tolerance policy on test results, the power for police to require bar staff to submit to a test, and creating an offence of resisting testing.

It alludes to “several incidents where responsible persons have been affected by liquor and drugs to the extent they are unable to perform their duties”.

It also recommends:

IMPOSING the CBD lockout an hour earlier, from 2am, as previously requested.

IMPLEMENTING a “three strikes” policy like that in NSW, under which venues that breach liquor laws are placed under increasingly strict conditions for up to three breaches.

RESTRICTING trade hours of venues in “trouble” areas.

EXERCISING caution in expanding small bar licences to the suburbs, but concedes it may “regenerate inner suburbs and increase opportunities in entertainment precincts”.

Mr Stevens told the parliamentary committee that SA Police also backed a three-hour halt in the sale of alcohol at venues to give patrons “a break”.

Late Night Venues Association of SA president Tim Swaine said his organisation would “be strongly advocating for the withdrawal of these proposed measures”, which he described as “over-the-top, unnecessary and ill-conceived”.

Australian Hotels Association (SA) general manager Ian Horne said the proposals “will hurt South Australian businesses by increasing costs and operational burdens”.