We would like to acknowledge the Department of Communities and Brisbane City Council's contribution to, and their role in facilitating the establishment of the inner-city liquor licensing Accords. 

The Queensland Government acknowledges the support of the NSW Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing in developing content for this website.

Liquor Accords promote a co-operative approach to developing safe and well managed environments in and around licensed premises.  They support harm minimisation and responsible serving principles and operate as a component of an overall strategy to ensure safety in the local community and promote effective communication and problem solving between licensees and key stakeholders.

Each Liquor Accord is formulated by its members to resolve local issues within a local area. Although individual accords may have similar elements, there are no two the same. Strategies are shared and adapted to address similar issues within different communities.

Liquor Accords include representatives from licensed premises, businesses, councils, police, government departments and other community organisations.

The geographical area covered by an Accord is usually determined by its members, taking into consideration police divisional and district boundaries, local government areas and any unique environmental factors, such as stadiums and entertainment precincts.

Liquor Accords were first established in New South Wales and Victoria.  Due to their success as mechanisms to manage local alcohol related issues, Accords are now being established nationwide. 

The success of the early Accords has generated a drive by industry stakeholders to participate in this essentially self regulating initiative that is underpinned by collaboration, transparency and trust between all stakeholders. As at 30 November 2006, there were over 40 Liquor Accords operating in Queensland.

Liquor Accords are established to address alcohol related problems in a local area. Accords in Queensland are developing strategies to facilitate a vibrant, successful, responsible and safe entertainment industry. Some specific strategies include:

• Minimising anti-social behaviour - including destruction of property and fighting - arising from excessive alcohol consumption.
• Creating effective transport strategies to move people away from a precinct.
• Developing a communication network between venues to provide the opportunity to call for assistance in dealing with unruly patrons or providing warnings about incidents or troublesome patrons who may be moving between venues.

The intended outcomes of Accords include:

• reducing of anti-social behaviour in and around licensed premises;
• increasing staff training in responsible service of alcohol;
• improving licensees and club operators, managers and staff knowledge of legislative obligations;
• enhancing community cooperation and understanding of the various roles and resources of government agencies;
• reducing road trauma directly related to alcohol abuse;
• enhancing community engagement in various controls and strategies that affect their community; and
• improving local amenity.

Reduced numbers of reports to police and adverse media reports concerning alcohol related incidents, including anti-social behaviour, street incidents, and malicious damage can easily provide a measure for assessing the outcomes of Liquor Accords.