New law regarding the supply of alcohol to minors in Australia

It is now against Victorian law to serve alcohol in a private home to anyone under 18, unless their parents have given permission.

Adults who break the law face fines over $7,000 - the same amount a licensee would be fined for selling alcohol to a minor. The law is part of the Liquor Control Reform Act 1998 (the LCRA), which also regulates the sale of alcohol in all licensed premises such as bottle shops, pubs and clubs to people under 18. There have always been laws about minors and alcohol.

The LCRA prohibits the supply of alcohol to minors in most circumstances. Minors are also prohibited from possessing and consuming liquor in most circumstances. Supply to minors in a private home has been an exception to these rules, but this was changed in 2011.

Why does this law exist?

The law governing the supply of alcohol to minors in private homes is designed to give parents greater control over when, where and whether their children drink alcohol.

It also responds directly to community concerns about the substantial harm that alcohol causes to young Victorians and their families every year.

In fact, a 2009 VicHealth survey revealed 87 per cent of Victorians support the new law, and parents were even more likely to agree with the law (91 per cent).

This law is just one of a number of policy and legislative initiatives being introduced by the Victorian Government designed to reduce harmful alcohol consumption in Victoria.

How will this be enforced?

The law will be enforced where the police have evidence that it has been broken. It's important to remember that the laws about minors and alcohol are complicated. Often, situations in which the laws may have been broken are emotional and tense, such as after a minor has been injured as a result of alcohol consumption. If you're not sure in a situation where minors and alcohol are involved, it's best to steer clear of any possible wrongdoing.

Getting parents' permission

Anyone who plans to supply alcohol to a minor in their home will need to get permission from the young person's parent or legal guardian.

Permission can be given verbally or in writing - but the person who will supply the alcohol needs to be very confident that they have the permission they need from the parent responsible. This is because if there is a question about whether permission had been given, the person who supplied the alcohol will need to prove that they had permission.

And even if you have permission from parents to supply alcohol, it's important to remember that if you don't serve alcohol responsibly, you may be breaking other laws and breaching your duty of care.

For more information, please see the website.

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