Call to breath-test drinkers at the bar

Pubs would have to breath-test patrons they suspected of becoming drunk and refuse service to any who registered over a set limit according to a proposal from a researcher at the Ted Noffs Foundation.

“Throwing people out of the premises when they are intoxicated or appear intoxicated is no solution,” said Associate Professor Jagdish Dua. “It only moves the problem from their premises and into the lap of the neighbourhood, the community, the health system and the judicial system.”

Prof Dua reasons that many of these “seemingly intoxicated customers” are served alcohol illegally, breaking Responsible Service of Alcohol regulations.

“Members of the alcohol industry need to follow the law relating to the serving of alcohol. If need be, in case of any doubt, patrons should undergo an indicative ‘level of alcohol in the system’ check before being served with more alcohol,” he said.

This could be done using a breathalyser, suggested Prof Dua.

“We will need some professional/expert guidance as to what level of alcohol in the system turns a person into a pest or has a significant impact on the behaviour,” he said. “I think that .08, or thereabouts, may be a good starting point.”

Prof Dua recognised that .05 was the limit for driving, but said that was not the responsibility of alcohol suppliers.

“On their part the lawmakers and the Government need to be serious about enforcing the law relating to the serving of alcohol. If the law is unenforceable in its present form, it should be amended.”

Doug Grand, CEO of Club Swans in Kings Cross and Chairman of the local Liquor Accord, thinks the proposal goes a bridge too far.

“The current law describes for operators what to look for in intoxication, and venues have to review patrons accordingly,” he said.

“If patrons were subject to breath-testing can you imagine having a lineup of, say, 1,000 patrons waiting to get into a venue, or in a venue waiting to be breathalysed prior to having a drink? No venue could cope with the cost or infrastructure to implement it. Then there are issues of gender, height, weight, and if they are driving to name a few,” he said.

Mr Grand outlines an alternative approach to the problem in the following post.

by Michael Gormly