In the 70s and 80s, when Brisbane was being transformed into the Mini-Manhattan we now know and the Western corridor was exploding, almost all large developments were single use structures – offices, hotels or retail. This unilateral approach to development was encouraged by zoning laws which failed to contemplate mixed use development.

Thankfully, most big developments in Queensland now have a variety of facilities normally blending living, working and entertaining into one planned community. Examples of this type of development can be seen at the Emporium, Fortitude Valley, Southbank, South Brisbane and Varsity Lakes on the Gold Coast.

These planned communities differ considerably from the developments planned and executed in the past. Nowadays a great deal of thought goes into the mix of businesses the developer wants to attract. Identifying a balanced mix of businesses will make office and residential lettings more attractive when tenants see many of their needs being met locally.

In addition to essential services such as parking, shopping and service businesses, the workers and residents also want restaurants, cafes and some form of entertainment. Most developers realise there will be a need for some form of liquor licence for these businesses, but do not realise that in Queensland an application for a liquor licence can be finalised long before completion of the project. In fact, once the relevant planning approvals are in place an application for a liquor licence can be lodged and the process begun.

Applying for a liquor licence in the early stages of a development has many advantages. The benefit to the property developer is that premises earmarked for use as a restaurant or bar are much easier to lease if the liquor licence has been approved in advance. Benefits to the prospective tenant include certainty on the availability of a liquor licence* and a reduced likelihood of objections to the application from residents.

To find out more about Liquor & Gaming Specialists’ services for developers call us on 07 3252 4066 or email Diarmuid Deans on ddeans@lgs.net.au.

*Although it is unusual, we have come across situations in the past where an oversight in the initial development application omitted restaurant or bar from the list of approved uses. This is a problem for any operator but it is disastrous if the viability of the business is dependent on obtaining a liquor licence because, in Queensland, without town planning approval the application for a liquor licence cannot begin.

Greg Currie and Tracy Humphreys are highly respected trainers in the liquor and hospitality industry. In July 2007 Greg and Tracy formed ComTraQ and with their combined experience and reputations, they have built it into a highly successful provider of RMLV training.

In February 2008, the Liquor Licensing Division called for expressions of interest from Registered Training Organisations to deliver face to face RMLV & RSA training. This change in policy, from approval of individuals to approval of RTOs, threatened to remove ComTraQ from the picture.

LGS and ComTraQ and have now joined forces to form LGS Training. Our application for registration as a training organisation is under way and we plan to begin operation once the necessary approvals are in place.

Greg & Tracy will continue to operate as ComTraQ under the authority of the newly formed RTO. Our initial approval will allow us to provide courses in Responsible Management of Licensed Venues, Responsible Service of Alcohol, Responsible Gaming Service and Food Safety Officer Training. In the future we will be expanding to include emergency management procedures, occupational health & safety for licensed venues and security provider training.

Until the new licences to operate have been issued by the Liquor Licensing Division, Greg & Tracy will continue to provide RMLV training. To book a course, call ComTraQ on 07 3371 7999, visit www.comtraq.com.au or call LGS on 07 3252 4066.

Since June 2005 all gaming licensees have been required to develop a documented Gaming Related Compliance Program which meets minimum standards defined by Queensland Office of Gaming Regulation.

Is your Gaming Related Compliance Program Document (GRCPD) up to date?

In 2005 over 1000 gaming licensees took advantage of our GRCPD service. However, there have been a number of changes to gaming regulations and those documents need to be updated or replaced.

Liquor & Gaming Specialists have developed an updated Compliance Program Document which meets all current QOGR requirements. This document is tailored to apply to your venue and we can provide it to you for a single payment of $600.00 (plus GST).

Monthly Self-Assessment Checklist

An important element of every GRCPD is the monthly self-assessment checklist. The checklist must be completed by the Gaming Nominee by the 7th day of the following month and a copy of the checklist must be kept and available for inspection at the licensed premises for five years after it is completed.

In the most recent Q Gaming Update, published April 2008, QOGR announced an inspection program for early-mid 2008 specifically targeting the quality of self assessment checklists. Any licensee failing to correctly complete the monthly checklist faces a maximum penalty of $15,000 for individuals or $75,000 for corporations.

How can we help you meet your obligations and avoid potential penalties?

To complement your GRCPD, we can provide a Monthly Self-Assessment Checklist Service to help you meet your obligations in this regard. For a monthly payment of $55 (plus GST) or an annual investment of $600 (plus GST) we will:

• Contact your Gaming Nominee at the beginning of each month and complete the self-assessment checklist based on records collected by gaming staff in the preceding month.
• Send an electronic copy of the completed checklist to the Gaming Nominee. The Nominee must print and sign the document and file the original, with supporting documentation, in the designated location on site. The Nominee must send a copy of the signed checklist to our office by facsimile.
• Notify your nominated representative of compliance with the licensee?s requirements under sections 264A and 264B of the Gaming Act 1991 and provide a copy of the checklist for presentation at the monthly meeting of the board of directors/management committee.
• Retain a copy of all completed checklists for at least five years. This will ensure you are able to replace the documents if they are lost or damaged.

Do you hold monthly meetings of the board of directors/management committee?

The monthly self-assessment checklist (at question 9 for Hotels and question 13 for Clubs) states:

SELF ASSESSMENT

(a) Previous month?s self assessment presented to and adopted by board of directors / management committee?

(b) Any matters requiring further action are included on agenda of next meeting for monitoring purposes?

Most larger organisations and clubs hold formal monthly meetings. But, our experience tells us that family businesses and other operators often only hold informal meetings, on an as needs basis, and rarely take proper minutes to record what has been discussed.

If you require assistance in this area, then you might benefit from the Monthly Meetings Service which we offer to our clients. For a monthly payment of $55 (plus GST) or an annual investment of $600 (plus GST) we can help you comply with your obligations regarding monthly meetings by:

• Convening a monthly teleconference of the board of directors/management committee.
• Providing a resolution to adopt the monthly checklist
• Generating minutes of the meeting and forwarding them to your nominated representative to be filed at your office
• Retaining a copy of all records for at least five years. This will ensure you are able to replace the documents if they are lost or damaged

Any Two Services Bundle – $1,080 (plus GST)

If you choose any two of the services outlined above, we will discount our fees by 10%. In other words, your annual investment is only $1,080 (plus GST) and you choose the combination of services your business needs.

Total Service Bundle – $1,440 (plus GST)

If you want all of the services outlined above: Gaming Related Compliance Program Document, Monthly Self Assessment Checklist Service and Monthly Meetings Service, we will discount our fees by 20%. In other words, for an annual investment of $1,440 (plus GST) you will be relieved of a large portion of the administrative burden associated with gaming compliance, giving you more time to focus on growing your business.

If you have not yet addressed the above matters, or you want any help with gaming compliance, email us or call us on 07 3252 4066 and immediately take action to minimise the risk to your business.