by Dr Kate Crawford
Dr Kate Crawford
Until recently most of the discussion in communities about alcohol use has been centred on compliance with license requirements and alcohol related policing matters. We hear about alcohol when things go wrong. However, pubs and clubs and other licensed venues also have an important social function in the community. A new, community based and more ‘bottom up’, approach has been developed with the aim of addressing locally identified alcohol related issues and planning ways to develop a community accord about responsible use of alcohol and best practices for harm minimization. The CALM (Collaborative Approach to Liquor Management) Hinterland group was launched on December 17, 2008 at the Landsborough Hotel.
CALM is an alcohol management partnership. The collaborative and community based approach sits well with the culture of the Hinterland communities. Organizations, businesses and individuals represented within the Hinterland accord include licensees, the Sunshine Coast Regional Council, Queensland Police Service, Liquor Licensing, Drug arm AOD prevention officers, Queensland Health, Queensland Transport and other relevant stakeholders. Other CALM groups have been formed on the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast.
The CALM Hinterland group has begun a continuing process that involves:
• Indentifying the issues – this has included surveys of patrons and licensees in the Hinterland region
• Action planning – Using the data collected to develop and implement an action plan to address alcohol issues within the community
• Review and evaluation – The CALM Hinterland group will continually review and evaluate programs and initiatives.
The strength of the accord is in the capacity of the many stakeholders to plan a better coordinated approach that meets the real needs of local people and to support and advise each other. For example, two of the issues that have emerged for the Hinterland are need for additional recreational activities, especially for young patrons, and safe ways to get home when driving is not an option. More specifically, there is a need for other recreational activities such as music and dancing, in addition to drinking, at social venues. There is also a need for safe alternatives to drink driving in order for patrons to get home late at night on our winding and narrow roads that usually lack safe footpaths. Local members of the CALM group have exchanged information about ways to manage music and other performance and also comply with licensing requirements for sound and crowd control. There is also a plan to encourage local taxis to stay on the range for evenings at the weekends.
To harness the important social benefits of pubs and clubs and reduce the potential social and health costs associated with alcohol, the Calm Hinterland Accord is committed to consistently improving the existing practices within and around licensed venues. The venues involved with CALM plan to build a reputation that signifies to patrons a community based expectation about the responsible use and service of alcohol. They have agreed to work cooperatively to ensure that patrons can be confident about safety and qualified staff support to meet those expectations in any venue exhibiting the CALM logo.
Contact CALM chairperson Terry Morrow at the Landsborough Hotel for more information 54 941 001
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