Club Policy

The Augusta-Margaret River Football Club encourages the responsible service of alcohol and actively supports the Harm Minimisation Policies of the Department of Racing, Gaming & Liquor.

All office bearers, members, employees, coaches, players and patrons of the Augusta-Margaret River Football Club are encouraged to read, and abide, by the following:

House Management Policy

Management, committee and staff are committed to minimising liquor related harm to our customers, members and patrons by the adoption of harm minimisation strategies.

Our policy is to serve customers in a friendly, responsible and professional manner.

Staff will not serve liquor to any person under the age of 18 years, or any person who appears to be intoxicated.

Code of Conduct for Patrons

Patrons attending this establishment must provide an undertaking to:

  • consume liquor responsibly and avoid becoming intoxicated.

  • behave in a manner that does not place at risk the safety of our staff or other patrons.

  • consider the consumption of food while drinking alcoholic beverages or take advantage of the availability of low-alcohol or non alcoholic drinks as an alternative to alcoholic beverages.

  • to avoid drinking and then driving under the influence of alcohol take advantage of the host invitation to arrange for taxis or provide telephone call for alternative safe transport.

  • leave the premises upon a request by management, committee or staff member where the patron has become intoxicated or is displaying any behaviour likely to affect the safety or enjoyment of other patrons.

  • respect the privacy and rights of other patrons and residents within the vicinity of these premises when leaving.

  • not provide any person nearing intoxication with any alcoholic beverage.

  • be of or over 18 years of age if consuming liquor.

  • provide acceptable photographic identification if requested.

  • treat staff with respect and acknowledge the rights of staff to cease service of alcoholic beverages when intoxication is detected.

  • act and behave in a manner that will not occasion a breach of the Liquor Licensing Act.

Code of Conduct for Management

The management and committee of this establishment is committed to:

  • serving and promoting liquor responsibly in accordance with guidelines issued by the Director of Liquor Licensing.

  • the use of staff trained in responsible server practices and harm minimisation strategies.

  • treating customer complaints seriously and making every effort to resolve complaints.

  • ensuring strategies are practised that provide a safe working environment for staff and a safe enjoyable social environment for customers.

  • refusing entry and service to and where necessary removing , intoxicated persons.

  • discouraging and, when detected, acting to prevent the continuation of any behaviour likely to affect the safety or enjoyment of our customers, or the safety to staff.

  • ensuring persons under the age of 18 years are not served or permitted to consume liquor.

  • providing hot or cold food, low or alcoholic free drinks, tea/coffee or water to our customers who wish to avoid intoxication.

  • providing the use of phones at no cost to customers who wish to arrange safe departure from our premises.

  • encouraging customers to respect the rights of residents within the vicinity of our premises and not cause disturbance to them.

  • the use of licensed crowd controllers as appropriate.

  • ensuring measures are in place to disallow the conveyance of liquor into our premises.

Management Plan

To achieve the aims and objectives of our “House Management Policy” and “Code of Conduct”, the management and committee will undertake to:

RESPONSIBLE SERVER PRACTICES

1. Promote and implement responsible server practices by ensuring that:

  • liquor is not available on credit.

  • only responsible promotions of liquor are displayed on the premises.

  • customers are encouraged by staff to consume food while consuming liquor.

  • low alcohol drinks, coffee, soft drinks and water are promoted and available on the premises.

STAFF TRAINING

1. Ensure the Licensee (or representative) and Approved Manager are accredited through the completion of a formally recognised training course in Liquor Licensing.

2. Train all staff involved in the service of liquor and liquor licensing legislation, patron care, responsible service of liquor and harm minimisation strategies by their completion of a formally recognised training course and in house training, and continually reinforce the principles of the aforementioned criteria on an on-going basis.

CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS

1. Ensure staff treat all customer complaints seriously and respond to them accordingly by:

  • identifying the seriousness of a complaint as to whether it can be dealt with by a staff member or required Managerial intervention.

  • establishing a resolution to the complaint that, wherever possible, is satisfactory to the complainant.

  • documenting details of serious complaints including names, dates, times, facts of the matters and action/solutions.

INTOXICATION AND OTHER NON-ACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOUR

1. Ensure, staff refuse further service of liquor to persons displaying signs of intoxication by:

  • being alert and diligent to the detection of intoxication signs at an early stage.

  • talking to the customer away from other patrons where possible.

  • calmly and courteously stating that further service of liquor is being refused as it is an offence to serve an intoxicated customer.

  • emphasising that the customer’s patronage is valued.

  • offering hot or cold food or alternative drink options such as soft drinks, coffee/tea, water.

  • providing telephone calls for persons wishing to arrange alternative transport from our premises.

  • having staff arrange for taxi services upon request.

  • thereafter being alert to other customers who may attempt to purchase liquor on behalf of the intoxicated person.

2. Warn or remove from our premises (and where appropriate seek prosecutions of) any person Management or Staff deemed to be:

  • acting in an offensive, violent or disorderly manner.

  • acting in any manner causing an annoyance or discomfort to any other client or staff member.

  • committing an offence in contravention of the Liquor Licensing Act.

3. In instances where a customer is required to leave the premises for behaviour or intoxicated reasons, ensure staff:

  • clearly indicate to the customer why they are required to leave the premises.

  • have competent knowledge of their powers to legally remove persons where necessary.

  • have sufficient support on hand to assist as necessary.

  • call Police where appropriate.

  • always aim for voluntary compliance.

  • when physically removing a customer, use only as much force as is necessary in the circumstances.

JUVENILES

1. Control persons suspected of being juveniles on our premises attempting to purchase liquor by demanding evidence of age in the form of:

  • current Australian Driver’s Licence (with photo).

  • current Passport (with photo).

  • Proof of Age Card.

2. Control juvenile patrons on our premises by ensuring they are:

  • not served or permitted to consume any alcoholic beverage.

  • behaving at all times in a manner considered acceptable by Management and Staff.

LOCAL AMENITY

Implement strategies to prevent the disturbance of amenity in our area and to neighbours by:

  • ensuring music volume is set at a level which will not disturb the comfort of persons living or operating other businesses in the vicinity of our premises.

  • not permitting more than an acceptable amount of patrons to be present on our premises at any given time.

  • establishing a partnership with the local Police.

SECURITY

1. Ensure only licensed crowd controllers are utilised when security is required and that the crowd controller’s duties and powers are restricted to:

  • screening customers upon entry.

  • monitoring the behaviour of customers.

  • removing customers for non-acceptable behaviour using as much force as is necessary.

  • ensuring all incidents are properly documented.

2. Disallow entry to and disallow departure of any liquor from our premises which is not in accordance with our licence conditions by ensuring staff are:

  • alert to and act upon the attempted conveyance of liquor upon entry.

  • alert to and act upon any attempted unlawful departure of liquor from our premises.