WA government outlines proposed new liquor sale restrictions in regional towns

The WA government plans to cap the sale of alcohol to either one carton of beer, 1.5 litres of wine or 1 litre of spirits, per person per day, in the far north towns of Broome and Derby. Key points: There are moves to restrict the sale of alcohol in Broome and Derby The Director of Liquor Licensing has issued alcohol retailers with a show cause notice The proposed new rules could come into effect on February 23 The restrictions follow revelations by the ABC that WA Police want blanket regional restrictions implemented across the state due to concerns about a spike in alcohol-fuelled violence. Police Deputy Commissioner Allan Adams wrote to Liquor Licensing Director Lanie Chopping in August last year asking her to consider expanding the restrictions to towns across the Kimberley, Pilbara, Midwest Gascoyne and Goldfields-Esperance regions. WA Police and some regional shires say 25 towns should be subject to similar liquor restrictions as Carnarvon due to levels of alcohol fuelled violence up to 104 times higher than the metropolitan area. Shire president warns of drug problem Derby Shire president Peter McCumstie said he was deeply disappointed by this development and accused the director of liquor licensing of ignoring requests to meet.