Alcohol Consumption onUniversity Property

Intent

This policy providesguidelines for the consumption of alcohol on University property. Nothing in this Policy is intended to take away the individual’s responsibility with regard to alcohol.

The University reserves the right to refuse approval of an event at its sole discretion.

Scope

This policy applies to all Licensed Functions and all Non-Licensed Functionsheld on University property in Townsville and Cairns.

The policy also applies to staff, students and visitors to the University as well as activities conducted at other University locations including:

• Mt Isa,

• Horn Island,

• Mackay,

• Thursday Island, and

• Orpheus Island.

Where alcohol is sold at locations other than Townsville or Cairns, the Liquor Licencing Form and JCU’s Application form must be sent to the relevant Head of Facility for approval. If approval is given, both the Liquor Licencing form and the signed JCU application Form with payment must be forwarded to the nearest Liquor Licensing branch. A copy must be kept in the University record keeping system by the Facility.

If alcohol is consumed but is not sold, then Section 2 of the Procedures below will apply – see “Approval for a Non-licensed Function”.

This policy does not apply to:

• events, functions or gatherings taking place in licensed premises on University property;

• staff or staff and third party events at which alcohol is served without monetary exchange, such as working meetings and celebrations and which take place with the prior approval of the head(s) of the organisational unit(s) involved. Heads of organisational units are required to keep a record of such approvals and to monitor events which they authorise; or

• personal consumption of alcohol by hall or college residents, accommodation staff and their duly authorised guests within the confines of each of the Halls/Colleges where the personal consumption of alcohol conforms with rules established and monitored by the College or Hall.

Definitions

Licensed Crowd Controller: A person who is licensed by the Office of Fair Trading under the Security Providers Act 1993 as a crowd controller. The Licensed Crowd Controller must supply a Certificate of Currency of their Public Liability Policy.

The ratios of licensed crowd controllers for events at the University will be:

• Not more than 100 = l licensed crowd controller

• More than 100 but not more than 200 = 2 licensed crowd controllers

• More than 200 but not more than 300 = 3 licensed crowd controllers

• More than 300 but not more than 400 = 4 licensed crowd controllers

• More than 400 but not more than 500 -= 5 licensed crowd controllers

• More than 500 = 5, plus 1 additional licensed crowd controller for each 250 or part of 250 more

The University reserves the right to vary the number of licensed crowd controllers depending on the nature of the function and the assessed risk.

Personal Consumption of Alcohol : this encompasses

• 2-3 people in the privacy of bedrooms for impromptu get-togethers where authority is given by the College/Hall and where alcohol is supplied at no cost; or

• larger group gatherings within areas specified by the College/Hall where alcohol is permitted to be consumed but not sold.

Licensed Function: an event, function or gathering held on University property at which alcohol is consumed and:

• the alcohol is sold; and/or

• a cover charge is imposed,

and which does not take place in already licensed premises.

Non-Licensed Function: an event, function or gathering held on University property at which alcohol is consumed but not sold and a cover charge is not imposed and which does not take place in already licensed premises.

Head of Facility: Head of JCU centre at the locations of Mt Isa, Horn Island, Mackay, Thursday Island, and Orpheus Island.

Policy

The University is committed to ensuring that the consumption of alcohol on University property is in accordance with relevant Federal and State laws and any relevant University policies and regulations.

The University encourages personal and social responsibility in the serving and consumption of alcohol. The University does not condone the use of alcohol in any manner which is unsafe, illegal or fails to respect cultural differences, religious beliefs and the rights of others.

Prior to conducting a Licensed Function, the organisers of the function must obtain:

• a General Purpose Permit from the Liquor Licensing Division (Department of Tourism, Fair Trading and Wine Industry Development); and

• the written approval of the University.

Prior to conducting a Non-Licensed Function, the organisers of the function must obtain the written approval of the University.

Organisers of any function are directly responsible for the planning and management of the function, including responsibility for ensuring that proof of age is obtained prior to the serving or consumption of alcohol and that all other applicable Federal and State laws are complied with during the function.

Organisers must ensure that consumption of alcohol is a social adjunct to, and not the purpose of, the function. Organisers who choose to serve alcohol at a function must ensure that the function is fully inclusive and makes provision for people who are not of legal drinking age or do not drink.

The brewing or distilling of alcohol for human consumption on University property is prohibited.

The University prohibits any alcohol at Fisher Shield events.

Procedure

Approval and Permit for a Licensed Function

1. Requirements for applicants wishing to hold a Licensed Function:

a) Applicants must submit a ‘General Purpose Permit Application Form’ together with a ‘JCU Application for Function Form’, signed by the relevant Head of School or Director of organisational unit, at least 28 days before the function, to the:

• University Services Division AlcoholConsumptionTownsville@jcu.edu.au for functions at JCU Townsville, or

• Operations Manager, Facilities Management Office AlcoholConsumptionCairns@jcu.edu.au for functions at JCU Cairns.

• Relevant Head of Facility for functions at other locations

b) If the Application for Function is approved in writing by the University, the applicant must lodge both the above forms and the fee, at least 21 days prior to the event, to the Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing, Liquor Licensing Division, located at:

• Ground Floor, State Government Building, Cnr Stanley and Walkers Streets, Townsville QLD 4810, or

• Level 2, State Government Building, 10-12 McLeod, Cairns QLD 4870.

c) No sale of alcohol is to proceed, under any circumstances, if a General Purpose Permit and written University approval has not been obtained.

d) Upon receipt by the applicant of a General Purpose Permit from the Liquor Licensing Division and prior to the function, a copy of the Permit must be sent to the University Services Division, JCU Townsville at AlcoholConsumptionTownsville@jcu.edu.au, or to Operations Manager, Facilities Management Office, JCU Cairns at AlcoholConsumptionCairns@jcu.edu.au or for other locations, to the relevant head of the facility.

e) A copy of the General Purpose Permit from the Liquor Licensing Division must be displayed prominently at the function.

Approval for a Non-licensed Function

2. Applicants wishing to hold a Non-Licensed Function must submit a ‘JCU Application for Function Form’ signed by the relevant Head of School or Director of organisational unit, at least 7 days before the function, to the:

• University Services Division for functions at JCU Townsville AlcoholConsumptionTownsville@jcu.edu.au, or;

• Operations Manager, Facilities Management Office for functions at JCU Cairns AlcoholConsumptionCairns@jcu.edu.au, or;

• for other locations, to the relevant Head of the Facility.

No consumption of alcohol may take place at the function if written University approval has not been obtained.

Application for University Approval

3. Consideration of applications will take into account compliance with University’s policy on the consumption of alcohol on University property, the University’s Harassment Policy and codes of conduct for University staff and students.

A comprehensive event management plan is available from JCU Student Association and the University Services Division and its completion will assist in expediting approval.

An event plan is mandatory where the event is held outside licensed premises and the event has been publicly promoted or is open to the general public.

An event plan is advisory but is not mandatory where the event is held outside a licensed premise and minors are in attendance or 50 or more people will be in attendance or amplified entertainment is proposed.

The University reserves the right to request an event plan at its sole discretion.

Cost for the Use of University Facilities, Premises and/or Grounds

4. Non-core activities using University facilities may be required to pay to the University the full economic cost for the use of those facilities. For more information see the University Policy on the Authorised Use of University Facilities, Premises and/or Grounds for Non-Core Purposes.

Notification of Facilities Management Office (JCU Security Section)

5. Details of the function will be provided to:

• JCU’s Security Section of the Facilities Management Office by the University Services Division JCU Townsville; or

• the Operations Manager, Facilities Management Office, JCU Cairns; or

• for other locations, the relevant Head of the Facility.

Applications may be assessed in consultation with the JCU Security Section and final approval of an application may depend on security instructions provided.

6. The event manager is responsible for notifying the JCU Security Control Room on (4781) 6000 (Townsville) or 222 (Cairns) of the formal closure of the event on the day approved.

Promotion of Functions

7. Promotional material and advertisements for functions must comply with Liquor Licensing Division requirements and must also meet the University’s requirements to ensure safety on campus. Any promotion and advertisement must not emphasise the availability of alcohol, refer to the amount of alcohol available or encourage in any way the excessive consumption of alcohol.

In all promotion and advertising, equal reference should be made to the availability of non-alcoholic drinks.

Attendance at a function may not be induced or encouraged by the offer of excessive alcoholic drinks at reduced or no cost.

Responsible Serving of Alcohol at a Licensed Function

8. All persons managing the function, serving alcohol, or monitoring alcohol consumption, must not themselves consume alcohol immediately prior to, or at all, during the function.

9. At least one or more persons managing and serving at the function must have undertaken, prior to the function, training in the responsible serving of alcohol to satisfy Liquor Licensing Division requirements; or alternatively professional servers with this training must be hired for the function. Information on training is available online at http://www.olgr.qld.gov.au/resources/Liquor/index.shtml

10. It is illegal to serve alcohol to anyone under the age of 18. Organisers must ensure that there is a system in place to check identity, age and status of a student if relevant.

11. Alcohol must not be served to a person who is, or appears to be, intoxicated.

Conduct of a Function

12. The number of crowd controllers required at functions must comply with legislative requirements and must also meet the University’s requirements to ensure safety on campus. Details are stated on the Application for Consumption Form.

13. Alcohol must only be consumed in the area designated for the function.

14. Functions must not include any activity that encourages the excessive consumption of alcohol (e.g. a drinking contest).

15. Food, such as substantial snacks or hot meals, should be provided at all Licensed and Non-Licensed Functions. This should not be limited to salty snack foods such as chips or salted nuts which encourage drinking.

16. Non-alcoholic drinks must be available and displayed as prominently as alcoholic ones. Low-alcohol drinks should be served in preference to full strength alcoholic drinks. Plain water must be freely available throughout the function.

17. An appropriate standard of conduct must be maintained to ensure the safety and peaceful enjoyment of those attending the function and of anyone who may be affected as a consequence of the function. This includes the impact of the behaviour of people who have left the function. Organisers are expected to monitor this and to take action if necessary.

18. Where a person is, or appears, intoxicated at a function, it is the responsibility of those managing the function to provide that person with appropriate assistance to ensure their safety and the safety of others.

19. Incidents involving personal injury or damage to property must be reported immediately to JCU Security Control Room and the relevant Head of School or organisational unit.

20. All breaches of this policy must be reported as soon as possible to:

• the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, University Services and Registrar, or nominee – for Townsville and Cairns, or

• the relevant Head of the Facility – for other locations.

The matter may then be referred to other internal and or external agencies as appropriate.

21. Failure to adhere to the conditions of this policy may:

• render the event organisers and participants open to civil or other action by the Liquor Licensing Division or other third party(s);

• render the event organisers and participants open to action, including disciplinary action, by a College, Hall or the University, as appropriate; and

• mean that future applications are denied.

Related documents, legislation or JCU Statutes

JCU Application for Function

Liquor Licensing Form 7: ‘Application for a Community Liquor Permit’

Liquor Licensing

Licensee Responsibilities

Authorised Use of University Facilities, Premises and/or Grounds for Non-Core Purposes

Student Conduct Policy

Discrimination and Harassment: Policy and Procedure

Approval Details

Modification History