Yesterday marked the third meeting held between Mornington Shire Council, members of Council’s AMP Committee and various State and Commonwealth Government Department representatives on Mornington Island to discuss “homebrew” issues.
Moving towards innovation, Council is seeking extensive community consultations (via several platforms) to validate the movement to reintroduce legal alcohol in Mornington Shire.
This entire process for Mornington Island will involve the community, stakeholders, Council and other groups including the Justice Group, Police and the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation to work together to achieve a desirable outcome.
In the coming weeks consultations will be held (for community and stakeholders to attend) for a proposed plan in moving forward.
This plan will involved a number of steps that include:
- A necessary change in legislation to amend the current AMP,
- Strengthening the AMP Committee so they can play a more rigorous role in community consultation,
- Developing terms of reference for the AMP Committee to follow in respect to community consultations and reporting to Council with flow on to Government,
- Applying for a “carriage limit” for residents of 8 cans of mid strength alcohol (either beer or mixed drinks such as UDL) or up to 1 litre of wine per person per day,
- Finding a suitable business to apply for a licence to establish a “takeaway” or bottle shop in the community and at the same time applying for an exemption to allow this to happen,
- The business making and getting approval for an application for such a licence,
- Ongoing review and monitoring of the success/failure of the takeaway process with a view to other changes that include a community club licence to run in tandem with a takeaway licence and ultimately a general purpose or hotel licence that has its own takeaway. The ongoing review and progression of these types of licences may take up to 5 years to fully occur if this is what the community wants.
Be a part of this conversation and help make real progress.
Whether you support this plan, or would like to provide alternative suggestions, please get your voice heard. You are also encouraged to discuss your views with Mornington Shire Council CEO Frank Mills, Councillors Bradley Wilson (Mayor), Sarah Isaacs (Deputy Mayor), Jane Ah Kit, Claire Farrell or Bobby Thompson or AMP committee members Richard Sewter, Dwayne Rogers, Charlie Anderson or David Barnes.
Media contact gacc@mornington.qld.gov.au
