The aim of this course is to equip you with everything you need to operate a successful business. On completion, you should be able to manage the day-to-day requirements for a compliant licensed venue to the benefit of your staff, customers, and your wider community. Specifically, this course will enable you to:

• understand the relevant liquor legislation and regulations that will impact you as a licensee
• know your responsibilities in managing your NSW liquor licence
• understand your responsibilities as a licensee to manage alcohol-related harm related to your business
• implement best practice strategies to improve your business operations
• understand the impact and consequences of non-compliance and what that means for you as a licensee.

Licensee training is for most licensees, approved managers and club secretaries. It covers a range of topics designed to support you to:

• Overview of liquor regulation in NSW
• Managing your liquor licence
• Your responsibilities to manage alcohol related harms
• Best practice strategies to prevent alcohol related harms
• Compliance and enforcement.

Who should complete the Licensee training?

Licensees, approved managers, and club secretaries are required to meet complex legislative requirements in relation to the sale, service and supply of liquor in your business. While your RSA course provided you with a basic understanding of this, your legislative responsibilities as a licensee go far beyond what that. Licensee Training provides further training to ensure you are:

• supported in your knowledge of these additional complex areas
• supported to meet compliance obligations
• able to successfully implement strategies to improve your business operations while providing safe and vibrant environments for your customers.

Additionally, if you work in a business that operates in potentially higher risk environments, including those trading after midnight, you carry added responsibilities that require further tailored training.

The NSW Government committed to the introduction of a training framework to strengthen and enhance liquor industry training standards by building on the existing RSA training. Liquor & Gaming NSW has worked closely with industry peak bodies, NSW Police, and select Registered Training Organisations to design this new course to ensure it meets your training needs.

The Liquor Regulation 2018 introduced the Tiered Industry Training Framework (TITF) which includes two new levels of training for licensees:

• Licensee training: designed for licensees, approved managers and club secretaries
• Advanced Licensee training: an additional course for licensees, approved managers, and club secretaries operating businesses in potentially higher risk environments.

Who is mandated to complete Licensee training?
The Liquor Regulation 2018 classifies liquor licence types into two tiers. Tier 1 licences are required to complete the Licensee training and Tier 2 licences are required to also complete the Advanced Licensee training.

• Tier 1 licences include:
  • hotels, packaged liquor, clubs, small bars and on-premises licences, and
  • licensee or business subject to a regulatory scheme or nominated by Liquor & Gaming NSW or the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority (the Authority). •
• Tier 2 licences include:
  • businesses authorised to trade after midnight or authorised to have extended late- night trading hours on more than 12 occasions in any 12-month period
  • certain on-premises business types, such as nightclubs, adult relaxation entertainment, and karaoke bars
  • licensees or businesses subject to a regulatory scheme or nominated by Liquor & Gaming NSW or the Authority.

Tier 1 licences include:

1. Hotel licence: enables alcohol to be sold to the public for consumption on and off the premises. Subject to separate approval, it also enables gaming machines to be operated. A hotel licence operates at all times under the primary purpose of selling alcohol to the public.
2. General bar licence: a limited type of hotel licence known as a general bar licence allows alcohol to be sold for consumption on the premises but does not allow takeaway sales or gaming machines to be operated.
3. Club licence: allows registered clubs to sell alcohol to their members and guests for consumption on, and off, the premises. Where a registered club contains a standalone nightclub, a separate licence is required. Gaming machines may also be operated, subject to a separate approval. Types of businesses that use this licence include:
   • RSL and services clubs
   • bowling clubs
   • leagues clubs
   • golf clubs.
4. Small bar licence: allows the sale of alcohol for consumption on the premises but does not allow gaming machines. This licence allows for a maximum of 120 patrons during trading hours. Minors may be permitted until 10pm in the company of a responsible adult if sit-down meals are regularly served. A small bar can apply for a minors authorisation to allow minors on the premises between 10pm and midnight while meals are being served, or if they provide family-oriented services like book shops, record stores, or for certain events. Small bars are allowed to sell house-made cocktails for take-away consumption if in sealed containers.
5. Packaged liquor licence: allows alcohol to be sold through a bottle shop, home delivery, mail order, or via your website for consumption off your premises. However, certain liquor licences may allow tastings to be conducted at your venue, with or without charge, if proper planning approval is in place. These licence types include:
   • bottle shops and liquor stores
   • general stores selling packaged liquor, and
   • online shops with home delivery alcohol sales.
6. Producer/wholesaler licence: that are endorsed with a drink on-premises authorisation or a microbreweries and small distilleries authorisation.
7. On-premises licence: allows the sale of alcohol for consumption on the premises when another product or service, like food or entertainment, is sold, supplied or provided to customers. In most circumstances, an on-premises licence does not permit takeaway alcohol sales. Alcohol sold under this licence must be consumed on the licensed premises that relate to any of the following:
   • airports
   • adult relaxation entertainment venues
   • karaoke bars
   • public entertainment venues – other than cinemas
   • restaurants or cafés
   • tertiary institutions

• Licensees of other on-premises licences that will likely need to undertake this training include:
  • caterers
  • food and beverage outlets
  • food halls
  • food courts
  • public arenas
  • racing and sporting facilities.

Any licensee or business that is subject to a regulatory scheme or who has been nominated by Liquor & Gaming NSW or the Authority.

Tier 2 licences include:

1. Businesses with any of the following licences that are authorised to trade after midnight or authorised to have extended late-night trading hours on more than 12 occasions in a 12-month period:
   • hotel licence
   • general bar licence
   • club licence
   • producer/wholesaler licence endorsed with a drink on-premises authorisation
   • on-premises licence that relate to any of the following:

• public entertainment venues (other than a cinema)
• restaurants or cafés (those with a primary service authorisation)
• tertiary institutions
• vessels
• caterers
• racing and sporting facilities
  • Note: a small bar licence is included in the Tier 2 classification when it holds an extended trading authorisation that allows the sale or supply of liquor on a regular basis between 2am and 5am.

2. Certain business types regardless of whether they operate after midnight:
   • adult relaxation entertainment: whose primary purpose is to provide entertainment in a potentially higher risk environment due to the type and style of entertainment offered and the extended trading hours that are available
   • karaoke bars: whose primary purpose is to provide entertainment, often trade past midnight and see peak trade after midnight.
3. Any licensee or venue subject to a regulatory scheme as directed by NSW or the Authority.
4. Any licensee as directed by Liquor & Gaming NSW or the Authority.

Purpose of this training

You have been granted, or are applying for the right to hold, a liquor licence in NSW.

• Licensees,
• approved managers,
• and club secretaries have significant responsibilities that extend far beyond what is included in the Responsible Service of Alcohol course.

This course is designed to:

• help you understand and carry out your legal responsibilities
• support you with compliance
• provide information to successfully run your business
• help you to contribute to your local community
• provide advice on reducing the risk of alcohol-related harms that may arise from your business activities.

For most of society, alcohol is consumed responsibly and safely. However, there are significant harmful effects when it is abused or misused. This can have wide ranging impacts on individuals, their friends and family, and our society as a whole. Embedding harm minimisation strategies in your operations will not only help your business thrive and enhance your reputation but will help you to operate within the law and remain compliant.

Businesses that are found to be non-compliant are those who haven’t carried out their legal responsibilities. Non-compliance with the liquor laws can result in:

• the suspension or cancellation of a liquor licence •
• licensees being banned from holding a liquor licence or having a financial interest in a licence for a significant period of time, or even for life.

Before you complete this training, you will need to hold a valid NSW competency card or interim certificate issued by a Liquor & Gaming NSW approved training provider in the following course:

• Provide responsible service of alcohol (RSA) (SITHFAB002 or SITHFAB021, a new unit of national competency released on 10 June 2022) along with NSW specific modules.

Students will need to meet the following entry requirements prior to course commencement.

• Be at least 18 years old
• Willing to complete a Self-assessment on your Learning, literacy & numeracy requirements prior to course commencement.
• Current competency for RSA is required prior to attending this course.
• Have a Unique Student Identifier (USI) – Creating a Unique Student Identifier (USI) is free and will only take a few minutes. You only need to create a USI once and it will stay with you for life. To create a USI, go to: https://www.usi.gov.au/students/get-a-usi
• Have a valid government issued photo identification card (passport, drivers license, photo card, proof of age card). Expired ID will not be accepted and certificates are not able to issued unless identity is verified.

This course includes specific requirements outlined by Liquor & Gaming NSW on the role of gaming personnel at every level of the operation, covering a range of topics including:

• Understand the cost of alcohol related harms
• Know the regulatory authorities and key stakeholders who can provide support
• Understand their responsibilities under the liquor laws
• Understand how other laws are relevant to various licenced premises
• Understand which licence conditions apply to their individual licence type
• Understand how to manage the administration of their licence
• Understand the mandatory requirements for various liquor licences
• Understand how these requirements assist with reducing harm and maintaining compliance
• Summarise licensee rights under the law in relation to dealing with intoxicated customers, minors and disorderly customers
• Identify and utilise strategies and guidelines for managing risk in these situations, and
• Outline the tools that can be used to manage potentially harmful situations
• Collect the necessary information following an incident and report crime to relevant parties where applicable
• Understand the importance of preserving a crime scene and take necessary steps in the event to ensure crime scene integrity, and
• Understand reporting requirements for specific incident types and record all necessary information where required for relevant incidents.
• explain the meaning and purpose of best practice
• explain how as a leader you can build a culture of compliance in your business
• outline a range of best practice methods and procedures, and
• consider best practice methods and procedures that may be suitable for your business.
• Understand the role and powers of Liquor & Gaming NSW Inspectors and NSW Police as well as your own rights as a licensee
• Be prepared for what to expect in the event of an inspection, and
• outline the consequences of non-compliance on your business
• Outline potential enforcement outcomes including the regulatory schemes that are in place to ensure licensed venues across NSW operate safely and responsibly

Learners will be presented with the series of assessment tasks developed by L&GNSW, all tasks will need to be completed in order to be deemed competent in this unit of competency.