Irresponsible supply - "It's no minor offence"
Supplying alcohol to underage children to consume at a private residence without responsible supervision is not only dangerous, it is illegal.
More than one in three 14 to 19 year olds teenagers were victims of an alcohol-related incident in the previous twelve months according to the 2010 National Drug Strategy Household Survey.
It has always been an offence to supply alcohol to minors on licensed premises or in a public place, but under laws introduced in 2008, adults must provide responsible supervision to minors when supplying them with alcohol for consumption in private places such as parties or at Schoolies.
Licensees can download the "Supplying alcohol to minors is no minor offence" (JPG, 512 kB) LCD Screen - Image 1 for use in their venue.
Responsible supervision cannot be provided by any adult – it can only be provided by a parent, step-parent, guardian or adult who has parental rights and responsibilities for the minor.
Penalties are high—get caught providing alcohol to an underage child for consumption without responsible supervision and you can face penalties of up to $8000. These penalties don’t just apply to parents - older friends and siblings are liable too!
It is no minor offence if you act irresponsibly.
More information about irresponsible supply of alcohol to a minor is available on the Irresponsible Supply fact sheet (PDF 345 K).
So what can parents do?
- Talk to your kids about the risks and consequences that can occur when drinking.
- Don’t be afraid to say no when your underage teens ask you for alcohol. You have a legal obligation not to give it to them if you are not able to ensure that it is being responsibly supervised.
- Check the information on this website under Schoolies which provides useful tips and topics to discuss with your children to help keep them safe and out of trouble.
- Even if your teenager is over 18 years, talk to them about drinking responsibly. Some tips on how to drink responsibly are also available on this website under Responsible Drinking.
The 'Australian guidelines to reduce health risks from drinking alcohol' also provides advice for parents and carers about alcohol consumption and young people. A brochure, Alcohol and your kids: a guide for parents and carers, to promote the messages in the guidelines has been produced and is available for download from the website of the Federal Government’s Department of Health and Ageing.
Further information for parents is also available on the Drinkwise website.
Last reviewed 15 December 2011