Intro
Western Australia (WA) is home to thriving hospitality, tourism and liquor industries. Those industries consist of hundreds of businesses which employ thousands of people across the State. Many of these businesses hold liquor licences.
Effective regulation supports industry development and plays an important role in minimising the harmful effects of alcohol in our community.
The State Government, through the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries (DLGSC) is reviewing the Liquor Control Act 1988 (the Act) and the broader liquor regulatory framework in Western Australia (WA).
Liquor in Western Australia is regulated under the following:
The Act and Regulations regulate the sale, supply and consumption of alcohol, and aims to minimise harm or ill-health caused to people due to the use of alcohol. The legislation is supported by liquor policies, which provide additional guidance on the Act and Regulations
Liquor licensing decisions and disciplinary matters are determined by the licensing authority — the Director of Liquor Licensing (DLL) and the Liquor Commission.
The DLL is a statutory position held by the chief executive officer of DLGSC that assists with administration of the Act. The DLL, who has powers of delegation, makes most decisions about liquor licensing applications and other matters.
The Liquor Commission determines, or reviews complex liquor licensing matters, including complaints, awarding of costs, and provides policy advice relating to liquor control. The Liquor Commission Rules regulate the practice and procedure of the Liquor Commission and matters that are related and subject to the Regulations.
DLGSC inspectors (under delegation from the DLL) and officers from the Western Australian Police Force manage the compliance and enforcement of liquor laws across Western Australia.
The Act and Regulations were developed over 30 years ago and have been amended many times over the years. Significant reforms to WA’s liquor laws have been made in the last 15 years.
In 2006, the small bar liquor licence category was introduced and has played a significant role in transforming underutilised pockets of business districts and fostering a more sophisticated drinking culture.
Further reforms to liquor laws were introduced in 2018, to reduce red tape and enable consideration of the cultural and tourism value of venues when assessing liquor licence applications.
During the 2021 election campaign, the Premier made a commitment to:
continue this program of reform by undertaking consultation with the hospitality industry and other stakeholders to inform further amendments to the Liquor Control Act.A range of potential improvements will be considered, including a simpler licensing system to reflect changing business models and community expectations, as well as a more rapid and cheaper approvals process.
This review is broad and looks to modernise the Act, Regulations and policies, as well as the supporting online systems and information. Through this review, the State Government is seeking to:
To guide the consultations, potential reforms are grouped under the following themes:
Some reform proposals are considered below under each of the reform themes. The State Government is seeking your feedback on these proposals, as well as your ideas and suggestions for further reform.
This review will examine the liquor licensing framework to identify unnecessary red tape and seek feedback on potential solutions to address the associated issues. It will explore potential improvements in the licensing framework to better cater for the diverse needs of liquor businesses. Key reform proposals include:
Proposals under this theme relate to a range of provisions including the role and functions of the DLL and Liquor Commission. Consideration will also be given to proposals which modernise the legislative framework, such as modernising the structure of the Act and Regulations, removing redundant provisions and miscellaneous administrative amendments. Key reform proposals include:
This review will consider the tools available to the licensing authority and the WA Police and whether they can be enhanced to support greater compliance by licensees and support harm minimisation. Ideas to encourage and reward licensees who comply with their licence conditions will also be considered. Key reform proposals include:
Separate to this review, the State Government is currently developing proposals to strengthen the trial of the Banned Drinkers Register.
Feedback will be sought on user experience with DLGSC’s current liquor licensing system and business processes, to identify areas where improvements can be made to address user issues. Key reform proposals include:
Under this theme, the review will focus on how DLGSC can strengthen industry understanding and improve the information it provides to applicants and licensees. This includes looking at what, where and how information is presented. Key reform proposals include:
As part of this review, a broad range of stakeholders will be consulted, to ensure all views are represented.
This document is the start of that process.
There will be more opportunities to have your say, including stakeholder surveys and forums. Information on the project will be regularly updated on our reform webpage.
This paper presents some reform ideas. Feedback on these ideas and new ideas for reform will be used to inform the development of reform options for State Government. These options will be presented for further consultation in early 2023.
To make sure everyone can provide their feedback, DLGSC is using a range of consultation methods:
Figure 1 sets out our consultation timeline and the opportunities to provide feedback and reform ideas.
Figure 1: Liquor Reform indicative timeline
The sale, supply and consumption of liquor in WA is governed by a regulatory framework, as depicted in Figure 2.
Figure 2: The liquor regulatory framework in Western Australia
The primary objects of the Act are to:
The secondary objects of the Act, to be considered in conjunction with the primary objects, include:
The liquor regulatory framework (licensing decisions and disciplinary matters) is administered by the licensing authority — the Director of Liquor Licensing (DLL) and the Liquor Commission.
Figure 3: Liquor reform themes
The State Government is committed to reducing red tape, to make it easier to do business. This commitment aligns with the overall goal of maximising opportunities for industry and creating jobs for Western Australians.
An efficient and effective regulatory system creates the right environment for business to operate, while also addressing liquor-related harm in our community.
The licensing framework seeks to ensure:
Barriers that are purely administrative and unnecessarily restrict business operations are detrimental to industry, local amenities, the community and the economy.
Reforms under Theme 1 will examine the liquor licensing framework to identify unnecessary red tape, seek feedback on potential solutions and improvements to maximise opportunities for liquor businesses. This includes:
There is a difference between making it easy to apply for a licence (the application process) and being granted a licence (the assessment and approval process).
The diagram on the next page illustrates the current process for grant of a licence involving a Public Interest Assessment and the process for applications not requiring a Public Interest Assessment (not required for some licence types).
Figure 4: The process for granting a liquor licence
We want to explore ways to make it easier for licensees to apply for a licence or permit, as well as streamline the assessment process to make it quicker to obtain approval.
Simplify the application process for the licensee, while maintaining appropriate scrutiny during the assessment process.
Reforms under Theme 1 will also consider the impacts of a potential increase in the number of licences under a simplified application process.
Compliance and enforcement reforms will be considered under reform Theme 3. Work is also underway to implement a new online licensing and compliance system, to enhance DLGSC’s ability to regulate the sector (reform Theme 4). An improved system will increase the accessibility of information required by DLGSC officers (under delegation of the Director of Liquor Licensing) to process licence applications and for WA Police Force or DLGSC officers (under delegation of the Director of Liquor Licensing) to monitor compliance with licence obligations.
Related reforms to support a simplified application process:
Work to inform this paper identified several potential issues with the liquor licensing application process.
Potential issues in the liquor licensing application process:
These issues delay the application process, costing the applicant and the regulator time and money.
The length of the application process varies according to licence type. As shown in Figure 4 on the next page, the average number of days between lodgement of an application and a decision being made is greatest for high risk/complex applications such as taverns and liquor stores. Approval times are shorter for lower risk applications, such as wholesalers and club licences.
Figure 5: Licence application assessment times by category (average days)
Note: This figure displays data for applications received between October 2019 and July 2020.
Your feedback is sought on how to improve the application process and reduce delays in the process.
Some of the issues and potential solutions are outlined in the table below:
WA’s liquor licence categories model has evolved over the years. The licence categories are intended to provide businesses with predefined licence types, based on the proposed manner of trade. It also enables the regulator to control the way liquor is sold and supplied, including to address harm minimisation.
There are currently 15 licence categories outlined in Part 3 Division 2 of the Act. The table below lists each licence type and a summary of the trading conditions. Other standard or unique conditions may also be applied if required, at the discretion of the licensing authority.
There are also 15 Special Facilities Licences outlined in the Regulations. The following table lists each Special Facility Licence and its trading conditions:
Each licence category is framed with specific conditions to provide a distinction in the manner of trade between the categories. The licensing authority can further restrict an individual liquor licence with conditions to reflect specific operating requirements relating to their manner of trade. A summary of the normal prescribed trading hours of the different licence types is depicted in the table below:
Licence conditions can also be varied if individual licensees apply to vary their trading hours and area of trade through an Extended Trading Permit.
Feedback is sought on the current licence category model used in WA to determine if it is fit for purpose and, if not, where it could be improved. The table below summarises some advantages and disadvantages of the current licence categories model.
The large number of licence categories and conditions attached to licences reportedly cause confusion for applicants about which licence category to apply for. Misconceptions about the application process also cause unnecessary delays for new business start-ups. For example, applicants think that the process will be easy or they are unaware that the liquor licensing application process is linked to other approval processes such as local government approvals of the premises and its planned usage. These issues will be explored by the review, to determine where improvements in the model may have positive impacts on the application process.
Any change in the licence categories could be complemented by reforms that aim to simplify the licensing system and approval process, or encourage compliance.
The liquor licence category models used across jurisdictions within and outside of Australia vary. As the environment and drinking culture varies across jurisdictions, no one model can successfully be applied across all jurisdictions. Regardless, there is great value in exploring the different models in use in other jurisdictions and considering what elements of each model could be used to build a customised model suitable to the WA environment and drinking culture.
A summary of the different models used in other jurisdictions is at Attachment 1. As shown in Attachment 1, there are similarities and differences between the models used in each jurisdiction. For example, several jurisdictions consider the different risks posed by the various licensed premises. Some jurisdictions use many categories to address differences in premise and business types, but others use fewer categories and manage any differences through conditions on licences.
Alternative models that could be considered for WA are outlined in the following table.
2. Minor amendments to WA’s 15 existing licence categories
Licence categories are not changed in the legislation, but improvements are made through tweaks to each category
There are certain situations where a person or business can sell or supply liquor under the Act without requiring a licence — these are known as exemptions.
These situations usually involve a small amount of liquor being supplied in controlled environments, provided by a business as a complimentary service or gift to its customers, or where there are relatively few people in attendance at social events. These exemptions only apply where the exact conditions of the exemption (as prescribed in the Regulations) are met.
Table 7: Situations where the Liquor Control Act does not apply
Exemptions under the Act:
Exemptions under the Regulations, where specific conditions are met:
The review will explore additional exemptions to the Act and Regulations. The following proposals have been put forward with regards to the application of the Act and listed exemptions:
As part of this review, DLGSC will examine all parts of the liquor licensing framework, including the policies of the DLL.
The DLL has issued 53 policies on the DLGSC website, which relate to the following:
The review of the policies will seek feedback on:
Potential policy and process improvements are presented in the table below.
The Act includes trading hours restrictions which vary across the different licence categories.
For example, Sunday trading hours for hotels, taverns, and small bars commence at 10am, compared to 6am for the rest of the week. This prevents licensees serving a celebratory glass of champagne at events such as at a Mother’s Day or birthday breakfast. Currently, the only solution is for the licensee to apply for an Extended Trading Permit, at additional cost. Other trading restrictions also apply on Good Friday, Christmas Day and ANZAC Day.
The review will look at whether to simplify trading hours, including removing the 10am restriction for Sunday trading, which should remove red tape and cost for licensees having to apply for an Extended Trading Permit. The trading hours restrictions on Good Friday, Christmas Day and ANZAC Day will also be reviewed to ensure the arrangements reflect community expectations, while appreciating the various views and beliefs within our community.
The Act provides 15 different licence categories to cater for the various ways in which a business intends to sell liquor. Each category has its own permitted hours of trade and specific conditions. Should a business wish to trade outside the legislated hours or conditions, a range of Extended Trading Permits (ETPs) can be applied for.
The Regulations also provide 15 types of Special Facility Licences. Special Facility Licences enable a business to sell liquor in a manner that doesn’t fit within the other established licence categories. For example, where a theatre or cinema operator wishes to supply liquor to patrons attending a performance or film, the intended manner of serving liquor most likely will not fit within the existing categories. The Regulations provide for a Special Facility Licence — Theatre or Cinema and licence conditions can be adapted to meet the operating model of the business.
The current 15 licence categories and 15 sub-categories have evolved over the years and can be confusing to consumers and potential new entrants into the industry. Adding complexity, the conditions within a licence category can differ and businesses can also use ETPs. This complex system can make it difficult for entrepreneurs looking at developing vibrant and innovative venues or events to meet the changing consumer expectations. Expanding the range of Special Facility Licences is not a suitable option.
Feedback is sought on existing licence categories and determine whether they are appropriate, or whether they need to be reformed.
When a person (licensee) is no longer capable to carry on the business under the liquor licence due to unfortunate circumstances, such as death, bankruptcy or permanent disability, a person approved by the Director of Liquor Licensing may carry on the business for 28 days.
This time limit is insufficient for a person to sort out necessary matters and places unnecessary stress on people who are already dealing with the death or permanent disability of the person, or a bankruptcy.
To remove stress and assist people involved in these situations, reforms to the legislation propose to extend the current 28-day period to three months, providing more time to resolve these matters.
The safety and security of people at licensed venues is of paramount importance to licensees. The Safety and Security at Licensed Premises Policy sets out the measures required to protect people on and in the vicinity of licensed premises.
Crowd controllers are essential for maintaining the safety and security of customers. The policy states that, as a general rule, two crowd controllers are required for the first 100 patrons, with one crowd controller for each additional 100 patrons or part thereof. This requirement is applied in most cases as a licence condition and specifies a time period that crowd controllers are to be present, such as 6pm until one hour after closing.
In some cases, this requirement places a financial burden on licensees where a limited number of patrons are at the venue (for example 30 people or less). The policy requires the licensee to engage two crowd controllers, despite no apparent need for two.
Feedback is sought on the safety and security requirements for licensed premises, to investigate opportunities to reduce crowd controller costs for licensees, while still maintaining safety.
Proposals under Theme 2 relate to structural changes to the licensing framework, such as the role and functions of the DLL and Liquor Commission. Other proposals seek to modernise the structure of the Act and Regulations, administrative amendments and removing redundant laws.
This reform will consider the structure and function of the legislation and Regulations. The aim is to modernise and simplify the legislative framework, as well as making it easier to adapt liquor laws to meet the changing needs of the industry, the community, and the regulator. This includes:
The licensing authority in Western Australia is comprised of the Director of Liquor Licensing (DLL) and the Liquor Commission. Each has separate functions and jurisdictions in relation to liquor licence/permit applications, appeals or disciplinary matters.
An important aspect of the DLL’s role is they must have the flexibility and discretion to make decisions about an application or matter, while balancing the interests of consumers, industry development and harm minimisation.
Role of the Director Liquor Licensing:
The Liquor Commission was established in 2007 to replace the Liquor Licensing Court. The Liquor Commission is intended to provide a flexible system, with as little formality and technicality as practicable, to review the DLL’s decisions and other matters.
The Liquor Commission Rules 2007 cover the operation of the Liquor Commission and matters subject to the Liquor Control Regulations 1989, as well as the costs and charges payable in relation to Liquor Commission proceedings.
The Liquor Commission consists of a chairperson and at least 3 members, appointed by the Minister for Racing and Gaming, on the understanding that they have knowledge or experience relevant to the functions of the Liquor Commission. Currently, 12 people are appointed to the Liquor Commission and ten are lawyers.
To make a determination, depending on the type of matter, one or three Commission members are required, one of whom must be a lawyer. Where the chairperson or deputy chairperson is not a member of the three-member Commission panel, one of those members will be appointed as the presiding member.
Decisions by the Liquor Commission must be written and affixed by a seal. The purpose of the seal on the document is to ensure it is judicially considered by the court and judicially appointed people.
Role of the Liquor Commission:
Parties who are dissatisfied with a decision of the DLL can, within 28 days of receiving the decision, apply to the Liquor Commission for an appeal. Decisions relating to Extended Trading Permits or occasional licences cannot be appealed to the Liquor Commission (for example cancellation, variation or suspension).
The Liquor Commission can only consider the application and evidence as it was presented to the DLL and cannot consider new evidence. As mentioned above, some matters can only be heard by a Commission consisting of three members, such as where the DLL’s decision relates to the granting of removal of a licence; or where the decision imposed, varied, or revoked a prohibition order.
What orders can the Liquor Commission make on review?
If the applicant is dissatisfied with the Liquor Commission’s decisions, in certain circumstances they can appeal to the Supreme Court.
This review will consider:
The licensing authority consists of 2 decision makers:
The current arrangements may impact timeframes for applications and appeals, particularly where the Liquor Commission reviews the DLL’s decision. The composition and operation of the Liquor Commission may complicate processes — their decisions must be carefully detailed in writing, since they may be subject to review by the Supreme Court. While the Liquor Commission attempts to operate with minimal formality, this is not always practicable or appropriate.
To improve decision-making processes and timeframes, the reform program intends to review the operation of the licensing authority, including structure, functions, and support to streamline decision-making processes. It will also explore whether the Liquor Commission should be an appeals body only and whether the role of the Liquor Commission is more appropriately fulfilled by the State Administrative Tribunal.
Currently the Act does not provide for digital forms of identification for a person to verify their age.
More states and territories are issuing, or planning to issue drivers’ licences, proof of age cards and other forms of identification digitally. Most of the community use mobile electronic devices for banking, purchases and storing personal items, so people are less likely to carry physical identification cards/documents when visiting licensed premises.
Potential reforms could modernise the legislation to keep pace with these changes in technology, to allow digital forms of identification to be used.
Compliance and enforcement are essential for ensuring the effectiveness of the liquor regulatory framework, to minimise the harm related to the consumption of alcohol and to ensure a ‘compliance culture’. There are three components: compliance promotion; compliance monitoring; and enforcement. DLGSC encourages and promotes compliance, which is monitored and enforced by DLGSC and the WA Police Force.
The legislative framework provides the licensing authority and the Western Australian Police Force with the tools to ensure licensees comply with their legal obligations and their licence conditions. It also provides an enforcement framework for compliance activities.
These compliance and enforcement tools support DLGSC in meeting the harm minimisation principles of the Act. Also, if the enforcement and compliance tools function appropriately, there is more scope for innovation in the industry. Where the tools are ineffective, there will be a stronger focus on restricting industry to bring compliance to an acceptable level.
The current enforcement and compliance tools include:
Separate reform and consultation processes are progressing to:
Under Theme 3, issues to be considered include:
Key reforms to be considered under this theme are outlined below.
Proposals to support compliance, enforcement and harm minimisation, including reforms to protect community members, for example juveniles and people who consume harmful amounts of alcohol, will be considered. Stakeholder feedback is sought on the following proposals:
An incentive and demerit system can be used to encourage licensee compliance with the legislation and their specific licence conditions. This complements the enforcement and compliance tools used by liquor licensing authorities.
The system works by:
The incentive and demerits model is used in New South Wales, Victoria and the Northern Territory. Each system varies to suit the environment and trading conditions of their licensees. Attachment 2 provides a summary of the key elements used in each jurisdiction.
This review will consider the incentive and demerit systems used in other jurisdictions. and whether introducing a system into the WA licensing framework would be effective in increasing licensee compliance. It will also consider evidence from other jurisdictions regarding whether the use of an incentive and demerit system will have flow on benefits, such as reducing serious alcohol related violence.
Stakeholder feedback is sought on whether an incentive and demerit system should be introduced in WA and if so, what elements it should include.
The Act does not currently provide for a system to encourage the responsible management of licensed premises, to reduce alcohol-related harm and repeated non-compliance.
Licensed premises that disregard and repeatedly do not comply with the liquor laws often provide unsafe environments which can lead vulnerable people to consume harmful quantities of liquor. This can result in community impacts through antisocial/violent behaviour or may lead to the injury or death of patrons who have been served excessive amounts of liquor.
To improve the regulation of liquor, reduce alcohol related harm, and provide safe licensed environments, the reforms will assess the feasibility of introducing an incentive and demerit point system for Western Australian licensees, as used in a number of other states. Licensees who maintain a good record would be rewarded with discounted licence fees. Licensees who fail to comply will incur demerit points, which could see licensees issued with higher licence fees, or periods of suspension, depending on the number of demerit points accrued over a period of time.
The Act allows the WA Police Force to close licensed premises, where civil disorder, a breach of the peace or a threat to public safety is likely to occur.
When the WA Police Force exercises this power, there is no requirement for details to be provided to the Director of Liquor Licensing.
The legislation could be amended to require WA Police to notify the DLL when WA Police closes licensed premises.
An applicant’s interaction with the regulator plays an important role in their experience and the time it takes for them to achieve an outcome. In addition to the quality of service provided by DLGSC staff, the online systems and business processes are vital for a simple and fast application or approval process.
DLGSC recognises the importance of its supporting systems and processes and has already undertaken improvements to the way the applicant interacts with the licensing system. For example, licence and permit applications were moved online in 2019, removing the need for applicants to submit paper-based applications. Similarly, application requirements have been streamlined and the lodgement of supporting documents greatly reduced.
DLGSC is exploring further reforms to streamline and simplify the online systems and business processes for licence and permit applications or amendments. While these reforms will not require a legislative amendment, they will play an important role in improving the overall operation of the licensing framework.
DLGSC is seeking feedback on user experience with the current liquor licensing system and business processes. The review will examine the feedback to identify areas where improvements can be made to address user issues.
DLGSC’s liquor licensing processes are supported by an online licensing and compliance system, known as ‘Navigate’, which was introduced in 2013.
‘Navigate’ is a highly customised system, which does not meet the expectations and evolving needs of customers or the regulator. System limitations affect DLGSC’s ability to streamline processes, restrict innovation, require extensive staff intervention and lengthen processing of applications.
Therefore, a key part of these reforms is to replace ‘Navigate’ with a new licensing and compliance system. The new system should be user-friendly, efficient and use innovative and customer-focused online solutions to streamline and simplify the application process. It should also support DLGSC in monitoring and enforcing compliance by licensees.
A licensing and compliance system can facilitate a more streamlined process by:
In 2020, DLGSC and the Small Business Development Corporation (SBDC) Small Business Friendly Approvals Program developed the ‘Liquor Licensing Action Plan’. The plan included recommendations to improve the licensing system and process, including the introduction of an online system that allows customers to build their application whilst the DLGSC officers can interact, comment and assess it in real time. Recommendations made in that plan are being considered in this review.
Currently, there are duplicated requirements for approval processes with other regulators (for example local governments) involved in the licensing process. This increases the administrative obligations required by an applicant to get a liquor licence. It also causes confusion for applicants, who report difficulties in finding information about the process and then understanding what they need to do in terms of application and lodgement requirements.
A single source of information does not exist and often licensees are required to navigate several websites to find the information they need to progress their application. Applicants are also not approaching the licensing authority at the right time in the licensing process. They are unsure which liquor licence is best for their business model and whether that licence is permitted by their local government.
The review will investigate whether a ‘one-stop-shop’ approval portal can be incorporated into the new licensing system. It would provide all the information required to progress liquor licensing applications in one place and may reduce the duplicated application requirements for approval processes by other regulators, such as local government, WA Police and the Department of Health.
DLGSC’s current online licensing and compliance system no longer meets the needs of the department or its clients.
The system is not user-friendly and requires operators to manually complete many tasks. The cumbersome operating system has led to increased processing times in some instances and limits innovation.
The replacement system will be customer-focused to provide a more efficient online licensing and compliance service. Coupled with streamlined processes, the proposed functionality will decrease processing times, reduce follow-up work, automate many manual processes, provide work/task related receipts, enable portability of applications relating to licence category changes, maintain a timeline and incorporate ‘stop the clock’ so that timeframes can be accurately measured. The new system will also be aligned with the Approvals WA portal.
The liquor licensing framework is complex. It is important for licensees and applicants to understand licensing requirements, as this contributes to efficiencies in the application process, saving individual business owners and the government time and money. It is also vital for compliance.
Sometimes, applicants do not approach the regulator at the right time in their planning process, have misconceptions about the simplicity and speed of processing licence applications, or submit much more documentation than is needed.
Theme 5 of the review will focus on improving the information provided to applicants and licensees by DLGSC, to strengthen industry understanding. This includes looking at what, where and how information is presented. Improvements being considered include:
Some website users report difficulties in finding information, or the information provided does not assist them in determining which licence is appropriate for their business.
Recent improvements have been made to the location and content of information, as well as the ease of navigating through the website.
DLGSC is reviewing its guidance material and website to enable a better understanding amongst its customers.
Once reform proposals are finalised and progressed to implementation, DLGSC will review the website to consider how to present this information in an accessible format that is easier to navigate.
Other ways of educating applicants and licensees are also being considered. For example, applicant workshops, educational videos and other applicant guidance material.
As the reforms progress, more information will be gathered about industry needs, which will feed into the development and communication of educational material.
The liquor industry is complex and it can be difficult for new applicants and existing licensees to find and understand the legislative requirements.
Not being able to access information or keeping informed is problematic when researching requirements for lodging an application or for the day-to-day running of a licensed premises. Potential applicants can spend considerable time and money applying for the incorrect category of licence and existing participants can end up not complying with specific requirements.
To make information clearer and more accessible, it is proposed to:
DLGSC is interested in hearing from you. Please provide your feedback via one of the methods below.
Surveys designed for specific stakeholder groups:
Informal feedback via email: liquorreform@dlgsc.wa.gov.au
The following is a summary of key terms frequently used in this document. The definitions listed apply, unless otherwise indicated.
State of Western Australia.
Published by the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries (DLGSC), Western Australia, November 2022.
This document has been designed and written to make it accessible to as many people as possible. Copies of this publication are available in alternative formats upon request.
DLGSC contact details:Perth officeGordon Stephenson House140 William StreetPerth WA 6000
Leederville office246 Vincent StreetLeederville WA 6007Postal address: PO BOX 8349, Perth Business Centre WA 6849Email: info@dlgsc.wa.gov.auWebsite: www.dlgsc.wa.gov.au
DLGSC acknowledges the Aboriginal people throughout Western Australia as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands, waters, and communities in which we operate. The DLGSC is committed to developing strong working relationships with Aboriginal people and is proud to celebrate the cultural diversity, strength and resilience of Aboriginal people, and is deeply grateful for the contributions they make to the State of Western Australia. We pay our respects to all Aboriginal people and their cultures, and to Elders both past and present.
DLGSC works with partners across government and within its diverse sectors to enliven the Western Australian community and economy through support for and provision of sporting, recreational, cultural, and artistic policy, programs and activities for locals and visitors to the State. The DLGSC provides regulation and support to local governments and the racing, gaming, and liquor industries to maintain quality and compliance with relevant legislation, for the benefit of all Western Australians.
© State of Western Australia. All rights reserved.
Front cover images: TuiPhotoengineer, d3sign/Moment, Klaus Vedfelt/DigitalVison — All Getty Images.