Division 2 Minors on licensed premises

121   Minors in hotels in company of responsible adult

(1)  The Authority may, on the application by a hotelier, grant an authorisation (a minors area authorisation) to enable the use by a minor of a specified part of the hotel while in the company of a responsible adult.

Note. Section 51 applies to a minors area authorisation.

(2)  The specified part of the hotel to which a minors area authorisation applies may, if the authorisation so provides, comprise the whole of the hotel.

122   Functions for minors in hotels and public entertainment venues

(1)  In this section:

licensed premises means a hotel or a licensed public entertainment venue.

(2)  The Authority may, on application by the licensee concerned, grant an authorisation (a minors functions authorisation) to enable minors to attend a function or functions in a specified part of licensed premises.

Note. Section 51 applies to a minors functions authorisation.

(3)  A minors functions authorisation is to designate function areas (that is, each part of the licensed premises on which the functions concerned are permitted to be held) and access areas (that is, each part of the licensed premises through or by means of which persons attending those functions are to be permitted to obtain entry to or to depart from a function area).

(4)  Without limiting section 51, a minors functions authorisation is subject to the following conditions:

(a)  at least 7 days notice must be given to the local police before any function is held,

(b)  the notice must specify the name and nature of the function, the number of minors attending, the number of adult supervisors, details of the security arrangements and such other particulars as may be prescribed by the regulations,

(c)  the licensee and person conducting the function must comply with any directions given by the local police or the Authority with respect to the conduct of functions for minors,

(d)  liquor must not be sold, supplied, disposed of or consumed in the area in which a function is held,

(e)  gaming machines and tobacco vending machines must not be located in the area in which a function is held and any area of the licensed premises in which gaming machines or tobacco vending machines are located must not be accessible to any minor attending the function,

(f)  such other conditions as may be prescribed by the regulations.

(5)  A licensee is guilty of an offence if any conditions of a minors functions authorisation held by the licensee are contravened.

Maximum penalty: 20 penalty units.

(6)  Nothing in this section prevents a minors functions authorisation from applying to the whole of the licensed premises concerned.

(7)  For the purposes of this section, function includes, but is not limited to, a function as defined in section 4 (1).

123   Minor not to enter or remain in certain licensed premises

(1)  A minor must not:

(a)  enter or remain in the bar area of a hotel or club premises, or

(b)  enter or remain in a part of a hotel to which a minors area authorisation relates unless the minor is in the company of a responsible adult, or

(c)  enter or remain in a licensed public entertainment venue unless:

(i)  the minor is in the company of a responsible adult, or

(ii)  a function is being held in the venue in accordance with a minors functions authorisation.

Maximum penalty: 20 penalty units.

(2)  A minor does not commit an offence under subsection (1) if:

(a)  the minor is an apprentice or trainee (within the meaning of the Apprenticeship and Traineeship Act 2001) and has entered, or is on, the licensed premises concerned for the purpose only of receiving trade training (not being training in the sale, supply or service of liquor) as such an apprentice or trainee, or

(b)  the minor has entered, or is on, the licensed premises concerned for the purpose only of receiving training and instruction in respect of the servicing, repair or maintenance of gaming machines under the supervision of the holder of a technician’s licence within the meaning of the Gaming Machines Act 2001.

(3)  A minor does not commit an offence under subsection (1) (a) if the minor:

(a)  is present in the bar area only for so long as is reasonably necessary to pass through the area in order to conveniently gain access to another area of the hotel or club premises that the minor may enter without contravening this Act, or

(b)  is performing in a show or other live entertainment performance held in the bar area,

      and is in the company of a responsible adult while in the bar area.

(4)  A minor does not commit an offence under subsection (1) (a) in relation to being in the bar area of club premises if:

(a)  a reception is being held in the bar area in association with the wedding of a member of the club or of a person who is a child or parent of a member of the club or for whose maintenance a member of the club is or has been responsible, and

(b)  the minor has been invited to the reception by a person entitled to issue the invitation.

(5)  It is a defence to a prosecution for an offence under subsection (1) (a) or (c) if it is proved that the defendant believed on reasonable grounds that a minors functions authorisation was in force at the relevant time to enable minors to attend a function in a bar area of the hotel or in the public entertainment venue.

(6)  In the prosecution for an offence under this section, the defendant has the burden of proving that a particular person was the responsible adult in relation to the defendant at the relevant time.

124   Licensee not to allow minors to enter or remain in certain licensed premises

(1)  If a minor:

(a)  enters a bar area of a hotel or club premises, or

(b)  enters a part of a hotel to which a minors area authorisation is in force, but is not in the company of a responsible adult, or

(c)  enters a licensed public entertainment venue, but is not in the company of a responsible adult,

      the licensee is guilty of an offence.

Maximum penalty: 50 penalty units.

(2)  If a minor:

(a)  is in a bar area of a hotel or club premises, or

(b)  is in a part of a hotel to which a minors area authorisation is in force, but is not in the company of a responsible adult, or

(c)  is in a licensed public entertainment venue, but is not in the company of a responsible adult,

      the licensee is guilty of an offence unless the minor is immediately removed from the area or premises concerned.

Maximum penalty: 50 penalty units.

(3)  A licensee does not commit an offence under this section if the minor:

(a)  is at least 14 years of age and produces to the licensee (or an employee or agent of the licensee) an evidence of age document that may reasonably be accepted as applying to the minor and as proving that the minor is of or above the age of 18 years, or

(b)  is an apprentice or trainee (within the meaning of the Apprenticeship and Traineeship Act 2001) who has entered, or is on, the licensed premises concerned for the purpose only of receiving trade training (not being training in the sale, supply or service of liquor) as such an apprentice or trainee, or

(c)  has entered, or is on, the licensed premises concerned for such purposes, or in such circumstances, as may be approved by the Authority and are specified in the licence concerned.

(4)  A licensee does not commit an offence under this section in relation to a minor entering, or being or remaining in, a bar area of a hotel or club premises if the minor:

(a)  is present in the bar area only for so long as is reasonably necessary to pass through the area in order to conveniently gain access to another area of the hotel or club premises that the minor may enter without contravening this Act, and

(b)  is in the company of a responsible adult while in the bar area.

(5)  A licensee does not commit an offence under this section in relation to a minor being in the bar area of club premises if:

(a)  a reception is being held in that area in association with the wedding of a member of the club or of a person who is a child or parent of a member of the club or for whose maintenance a member of the club is or has been responsible, and

(b)  the minor has been invited to the reception by a person entitled to issue the invitation.

(6)  A licensee does not commit an offence under this section in relation to a minor being in a licensed public entertainment venue if a function is being held in the venue in accordance with a minors functions authorisation.

(7)  In the prosecution for an offence under this section, the defendant has the burden of proving that a particular person was the responsible adult in relation to a minor at the relevant time.

125   Responsible adult not to leave minor unaccompanied on licensed premises

(1)  If, under this Act, a minor is required to be accompanied by a responsible adult while in a hotel or licensed public entertainment venue, the responsible adult who is accompanying the minor must not leave the minor unaccompanied on the licensed premises without first informing the licensee or an employee or agent of the licensee.

Maximum penalty: 30 penalty units.

(2)  In the prosecution for an offence under this section, the defendant has the burden of proving that he or she was not the responsible adult in relation to a minor at the relevant time.

126   Minors must be refused entry to licensed premises

If:

(a)  a responsible person for a hotel, club premises or licensed public entertainment venue is aware that a person (the relevant person) who may reasonably be suspected of being under the age of 18 years is attempting to enter the licensed premises, and

(b)  the presence of the relevant person on the licensed premises would, if the relevant person were under the age of 18 years, be an offence under this Act,

the responsible person must refuse the relevant person entry to the premises unless there is produced to the responsible person an evidence of age document that may reasonably be accepted as applying to the relevant person and as proving that the relevant person is of or above the age of 18 years.

Maximum penalty: 50 penalty units.

127   Notices to be displayed in relation to minors on licensed premises

(1)  The regulations may make provision for or with respect to the display, on licensed premises or on an internet site through which a licensee offers liquor for sale, of notices in relation to minors.

(2)  Without limiting subsection (1), any such notices may relate to any of the following:

(a)  the exclusion of minors from licensed premises or any part of licensed premises,

(b)  the presence of minors on licensed premises or any part of licensed premises while in the company of a responsible adult,

(c)  the sale of liquor to minors.

(3)  The regulations under this section may create offences punishable by a penalty not exceeding 50 penalty units.