Alcohol Consumption on University Property

Intent

This policy provides guidelines for the consumption of alcohol on University property. Nothing in this Policy is intended to negate 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 Functions

held 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

• Orpheus Island

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.

• 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 means:

A person who is licensed by the Office of Fair Trading under the Security Providers Act 1993 as a crowd controller.

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.

Please note: the Licensed Crowd Controller must provide a Certificate of Currency of their Public Liability Policy to the event organizer.

Personal Consumption of Alcohol means:

• 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 means 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 means 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.

Policy

If alcohol is consumed but is not sold refer to Section 2 under Procedures.  Approval for a Non-licensed Function will apply.

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 Community Liquor Permit from the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation).

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 alcoholic beverages.

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

The University prohibits any alcohol at Fisher Shield events.

Responsible Serving of Alcohol at a Licensed Function

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.

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 from http://www.olgr.qld.gov.au/industry/training/index.shtml.

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

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

Conduct of a Function

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 Function Form.

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

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

Food (e.g. 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.

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.

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. Event organisers are expected to monitor this and to take action if necessary.

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.

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

All other breaches of this policy and procedure must be reported as soon as possible to the Security Manager, Facilities Management, Townsville, or the Operations Manager, Facilities Management Office, Cairns. They may then refer the matter onto other internal and or external agencies as appropriate.

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);

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

• may mean that future applications are denied.

Promotion of Functions

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 and all 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.

Procedure

Approval and Permit for a Licensed Function in Townsville or Cairns

1. Applicants wishing to hold a function at which alcohol will be sold must:

1.1 At least 28 days before the function, submit to (Townsville) Manager Security, Facilities Management Office, JCU Townsville or email to alcoholconsumptiontownsville@jcu.edu.au or (Cairns) Operations Manager, Facilities Management Office, JCU Cairns, AlcoholconsumptionCairns@jcu.edu.au a Community Liquor Permit Application and the relevant fee, together with an attached Application for Function Form signed by the relevant College Dean or head of organisational unit.

1.2 Once the JCU Application for Function has been approved, the applicant must send both forms and the fee to the Licensing Commission, Ground Floor, State Government Building, Cnr Stanley and Walkers Sts, Townsville QLD 4810, or the Licensing Commission, Level 2, State Government Building, 10-12 McLeod, Cairns QLD 4870.

NB: The Community Liquor Permit Application must be lodged 21 days prior to the event

1.3 No sale of alcohol is to proceed, under any circumstances, if a General Purpose approval has not been received.

1.4 Upon receipt by the applicant of a Community Liquor Permit from the Licensing Commission and as proof of receipt, a copy must be sent to (Townsville) Manager Security, Facilities Management Office, JCU Townsville or via email to: alcoholconsumptiontownsville@jcu.edu.au or (Cairns) the Operations Manager, Facilities Management Office, JCU Cairns, or via email to alcoholconsumptioncairns@jcu.edu.au.

NB: The relevant documents must be received prior to the function.

1.5 A copy of the Community Liquor Permit approval from the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation must be displayed prominently at the function.

Approval and Permit for a Licensed Function in Locations other than Townsville or Cairns

Where alcohol is sold or provided at locations other than Townsville or Cairns, the Liquor Licensing form https://secure.olgr.qld.gov.au/forms/clp and the JCU Application for Function form is sent to the relevant Head of Organisational Unit for approval.

If approval is given, both the Liquor Licensing form and the signed JCU Application for Function form together with the required payment should be forwarded to the nearest Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation branch.  Contact details are available at: https://www.justice.qld.gov.au/corporate/about-us/services/liquor-gaming/contact-us/regional

NB: A copy should be kept by the relevant Head of Organisational unit.

Application for University Approval

Consideration of applications will take into account compliance with University’s policy on the consumption of alcohol on University property, the University’s Bullying, Discrimination, Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Policy and Code of Conduct for University staff and students.

A comprehensive event management plan is available from JCU Student Association, the Manager Security Townsville Campus and the Operations Manager, Cairns Campus 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

Non-core activities using University facilities may be required to pay to the University the full economic cost for the use of those facilities. Reference should be made to Policy on the Authorised Use of University Facilities, Premises and/or Grounds for non-core purposes.

Applicants wishing to hold a Non-Licensed Function must submit a JCU Application for Function form signed by the relevant Head of Organisational unit, at least 7 days before the function, to the:

• Manager Security, Facilities Management Office JCU Townsville for functions at JCU Townsville or to AlcoholConsumptionTownsville@jcu.edu.au or;

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

• for other locations, to the relevant Head of Organisational Unit.

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

Notification of Facilities Management (Security)

Details of the function must be provided to JCU Security Section by the Security Manager JCU on final approval of an application

The Event Manager is responsible for notifying the JCU Security Control Room on (4781) 6000 (Townsville) of the formal closure of the event on the day approved.  The Townsville Security Control Room will notify the relevant Cairns Security staff if necessary.

Related documents, legislation or JCU Statutes

Application for Function Form (JCU Townsville & Cairns)

Community Liquor Permit Application

Liquor Compliance

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