To keep track of their legal obligations to alcohol-related businesses, the Australian government has a comprehensive set of laws governing the alcohol industry and its regulatory body. These laws are put in place to protect consumers and businesses from abusive business practices and unsafe working conditions.
- The Alcohol Industry Code of Practice regulates the conduct of all liquor retailers, wholesalers, and importers. It stipulates the standards to which businesses should adhere to when it comes to health, safety, and social compliance.
- The law of Australia also requires alcohol outlets to be licensed by the relevant state government and provide services that respect the health and safety of patrons.
- It also regulates how alcohol is sold, including the serving methods, the location of sales, how alcohol is stored, how it is priced, and the advertising of alcohol sales.
- Another law in the area of the alcohol industry is the Liquor License Act. This law protects the privacy of individual patrons by requiring establishments to restrict the amount of information available to the public, such as the address and telephone number.
- It also stipulates that all businesses must have appropriate signage and signs displaying clearly that alcohol is not to be sold or consumed on the premises. The purpose of these signs is to deter the purchase of alcohol by minors, which is why they are often called ‘warning signs or warnings billboards.
- As an essential part of the regulation of the alcohol industry, the Australian Crime Commission publishes a regular report that includes an overview of crime trends and data on alcohol-related crimes. It details any changes to the law since the last publication and publishes recommendations to prevent crime and increase community safety.
- Another piece of legislation in the area of alcohol industry regulation in Australia is the Australian Competition and Consumer Act. This law governs the conduct of competition between competitors.
- The law of alcohol industry regulation in Australia also provides a system of regulating the supply of alcohol to establishments. It ensures that the alcohol supply is not mismanaged to inflate the price of alcohol artificially. There is a regulated quantity of alcohol available for retail.
- The Federal Alcohol Laws of Australia was introduced in 1996 and have been enforced ever since. These laws include the Alcohol Beverage Contribution Scheme, which gives retailers rebates when alcohol they sell costs less than their cost of production. The scheme also allows retailers to purchase alcohol at below cost prices through wholesalers who then distribute the product directly to consumers.
- The Federal Excise has also been introduced in this area. This law controls the production and distribution of alcohol by the ABC, making it illegal to manufacture alcohol over the said capacity.
- The various laws that govern the alcohol industry also cover the retailing of alcohol. They include the law of sales, which consists of the regulation of pricing, the law of consumption, and the law of importation and exportation, all of which are administered through the Beverages Code.
Some more laws you need to know about while starting a Home Brewing Business
- You can only sell your beer if you have a Packaged Liquor License ‘which permits you to take away from your liquor shop or supermarket. Also, your liquor store must be closed by 11 PM.
- If you plan to allow people to bring their own beer to your bar instead of providing your own, you need to have BYO Permit.
- You are not allowed to let anyone under the age of 18 drink an alcoholic drink.
Finally, the sale and possession of alcohol are regulated by the various laws of supply, including the Sale and Supply Code, which controls both production and distribution of alcohol and the purchase and possession of alcohol.
The Liquor Act also includes other laws that govern liquor licensing and sales. If you are going to start your home brewing business, you ought to know all these laws. Moreover, you should be consulting your lawyer to safeguard your business and operate as per the regulations. Homebrewing is a great business to run in Australia, but it can be a hectic one if you don’t know the laws.