Christmas is less than three weeks away and we have already received a number of enquiries asking us what the Christmas trading hours are for liquor licences. We have outlined the relevant restrictions below.

Christmas Eve

At Midnight on Christmas Eve premises must stop serving alcohol. The 30 minute grace period applies but all liquor must be consumed or disposed of by 12.30am. Although a licensee can allow patrons to remain on the premises to enjoy entertainment or purchase food or non-alcoholic drinks after this time, gaming and adult entertainment are not permitted at any time on Christmas Day – no matter what approvals you have.

This now applies to all licensed premises in Queensland.

On-Premises Sales Christmas Day

The sale of liquor on Christmas day is only permitted under certain circumstances.

With a meal – liquor may be supplied to a person who is eating a meal that has been prepared on the premises, in a place ordinarily set aside for dining. A person who has expressed an intention to dine may be supplied liquor:

• For up to one hour before ordering their meal; and
• After ordering and until they have finished eating; and
• For up to one hour after they have finished eating.

To in-house guests – liquor may be supplied to in-house guests of hotels/motels (and their bona-fide guests), for consumption in the guest’s room or unit only, throughout Christmas Day.

Takeaway Sales on Christmas Day

Takeaway sales are not permitted on Christmas Day, all bottleshops must be closed.

Boxing Day Trading

Normal trading resumes on Boxing Day. If you have approved extended trading you may reopen at 12.01am on Boxing Day.

New Year’s Eve Trading

All licensees (except ‘community other’ licensees and any licensee with specific conditions relating to this period) are permitted to sell or supply liquor until 2.00am on New Year’s day, regardless of regular approved trading hours. The 30 minute grace period applies, meaning patrons must not consume liquor on the premises or take it away from the premises after 2.30am.

A licensee wishing to trade past 2.00am, and who does not have approved extended trading hours to do so, may apply for a one-off approval. Applications for temporary (one-off) approvals for extended trading hours must be lodged at least 21 days in advance, therefore by 10 December.

In any calendar year licensees may obtain up to six one-off approvals for post-midnight trading. Previously, an approval for New Year’s Eve was considered to be for 1 January, but is now regarded to apply to 31 December. Therefore, a licensee who has reached their limit for 2024 will be unable to gain an approval for New Year’s Eve.

Liquor & Gaming Specialists Office Hours

Our office will close at 4.00pm on 24 December 2024 and reopen on 2 January 2025. We will be checking emails and responding to urgent enquiries over the break.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Gambling Harm Awareness Week (GHAW)

The annual GHAW (formerly Responsible Gambling Awareness Week) will begin on 18 July 2022. Licensees in the Brisbane area are invited to the launch at Kedron Wavell Services Club from 9.30am on Monday 18 July. This is a free event and you can register your attendance using this form.

More information about GHAW, including promotional material and free printed resources in multiple languages, is available from the OLGR website.

Free Gaming Training

Licensees must engage in responsible gaming strategies and the Commissioner for Liquor & Gaming has made it clear that gaming compliance is a focus of OLGR. Many gaming licences contain specific conditions regarding training, but even if your licence does not include such a condition ongoing responsible gaming training and your relationship with gambling support organisations will be assessed as part of the gaming audits regularly conducted by OLGR. With this in mind, we recommend all licensees consider taking advantage of free training provided by Relationships Australia Queensland to help licensees and employees identify people with a poor relationship to gambling. Topics covered in this training include:

• Gambling Help Service – What it Is and How it Can Help.
• Identifying Behaviours and Signs of Problem Gambling
• Increased Risk for Gambling Venue Staff – Risks and Protective Factors
• How to Help the Family Members and Support Persons of a Problem Gambler
• Available Resources to Assist Staff.

The training is aimed at venue staff, management and board members and is at the following locations:

• 27 July – Jindalee Tavern
• 1 August – Wynnum Manly Leagues Club
• 16 August – Carina Leagues Club
• 23 August – QHA House, Level 2/160 Edward Street, Brisbane

Each session is 90 minutes long, multiple staff from each venue can attend, and all attendees will receive a certificate of completion.

Register your attendance using this form.

If you are not in the Brisbane region and would like more information about training in your area, please contact our office.

Recent amendments to the Liquor Act allow holders of subsidiary on-premises (meals) licences to apply for a permanent approval to sell takeaway wine. The approvals are likely to become valid in late January when the amendments come into force. The latest information from OLGR is that the current takeaway liquor authorities are due to expire on 28 February, with no plans for an extension beyond that date. Therefore, if you wish to continue to sell takeaway wine you must have that condition endorsed on your licence.

The Office of Liquor & Gaming Regulation sent information to licensees inviting them to make an application. Feedback we have received tells us there is some confusion regarding what is required to support the application. We are providing the information below to make it easier for licensees.

Who can apply?

Anyone who is the holder of a subsidiary on-premises (meals) licence.

How can I make an application?

You must complete ‘Form 19 – Application for a permanent variation of a licence’. This is a generic form and many of the fields are not applicable for this type of application. To avoid confusion we have provided a copy of the form with those fields clearly marked (available for download here). We have also pre-filled the details for the variation, meaning licensees need only add licensed premises details, contact, etc.

Is there an application fee?

If you had a subsidiary on-premises (meals) licence before the amendments come into force, there is no fee for this type of application until 30 June 2022. It is not yet clear what fee will be payable after this date or for new licensees.

How do I submit my application?

You must send the completed form 9 to the Customer Service Team at OLGRlicensing@justice.qld.gov.au. We recommend including the following text in your email message.

Dear CST

Please see attached application(s) for the endorsement of a condition permitting the sale of wine for consumption off the licensed premises with takeaway meals.

It is our understanding that:

• No application fees are payable for these application(s);
• There is no requirement for a community impact statement;
• There is no requirement for the application(s) to be advertised for objections;
• The endorsement of this condition on a licence does not trigger the requirement for a RAMP.

If this is incorrect, or if other information is required, please contact us on <insert telephone number>.

We hope the above information makes it easier for licensees to apply. If you have any questions, please feel free to email or call our office.