State Election: Labor to cut dry area in Whitehorse

Melbourne’s historic ‘dry area’ will be washed away if the Andrews Government stays in power, but Whitehorse advocacy groups say the community should be consulted before any changes are made.

Adrian Morrissy’s Pembroke Bar and Kitchen in Union Rd, Surrey Hills, serves alcohol. He has a drink with Jasmin de Wolf.

Melbourne’s historic ‘dry area’ will be washed away if the Andrews Government stays in power, but Whitehorse advocacy groups say the community should be consulted before any changes are made.

Premier Daniel Andrews has vowed to get rid of the “archaic laws” stopping pubs and clubs opening in parts of Whitehorse and Boroondara, labelling them a “waste of money and an unnecessary burden on locals”.

Covering Mont Albert, Mont Albert North, Surrey Hills, Box Hill, Box Hill North and Box Hill South in Whitehorse, the dry area legislation requires residents to vote to approve liquor licences being given to hotels, bars and clubs.

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The laws have been in place since the 1920s, but were relaxed in 2015 to allow restaurants and cafes to get liquor licenses without the need for a vote.

Mr Andrews said the change would be good for the “hospitality industry and great for jobs”.

But Whitehorse Business Group, which commits itself to helping business flourish, isn’t fully backing the move.

Chair Kathryn Collier said the group hoped community views would influence a change to the laws.

Adrian Morrissy’s Pembroke Bar and Kitchen in Union Rd, Surrey Hills, serves alcohol. He has a drink with Jasmin de Wolf.

“The decision shouldn’t be completely removed from the community,” Ms Collier said. “It shouldn’t be a purely State Government decision.”

She said any changes that helped businesses were great, but the “type of community” in which they occurred needed consideration.

Whitehorse Mayor Bill Bennett said abolishing the dry area shouldn’t happen without evaluation of “community sentiment”.

“Residents and businesses in the dry zones are used to having these laws in place,” he said.

Cr Bennett said any changes “would need to be carefully considered through a full consultative process”.

Their comments come after Boroondara Mayor Jim Parke slammed the Government for not consulting with him before announcing they would drop the dry zone last week.

Box Hill state Liberal MP Robert Clark said residents would definitely want to vote on a change to the laws.

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He said it was important to recognise the laws didn’t just restrict pubs opening, but stopped poker machines penetrating the suburbs.

“If Mr Andrews truly thought this change was so good, why wouldn’t he take it to a local vote and let residents decide …?” he said.

According to the Government, the Victorian Electorial Commission has issued 20 polls in the dry area since 2012, and polls have cost taxpayers almost $500,000 since 2004.

Minister for Consumer Affairs, Gaming and Liquor Regulation Marlene Kairouz said residents could still have input on pubs and clubs through giving the council feedback on planning applications and the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation, as happens in the rest of the state.

“This change will make our laws the same for all Victorians,” she said.