Thread: Just because you’re 18 doesn’t mean you can buy alcohol

I couldn’t find anything in the training that supported the initial response from the barman....

This section indicates one or two girls should not have been inside....


But than it goes on indicating it may be OK as they were having a meal.

Originally Posted by weeds

I just read the material for the RSA training and about a quarter the way through the questions......

Er, she brought 1 alcoholic drink, never said she brought more than one....

no but she did buy more than one drink,(quote below) As a barman in the same situation 1 alcoholic drink and 3 softies for 4 youngsters with a just over 18 ID you need to ascertain who that alcoholic drink is for and if they are over 18 before you can serve that alcoholic drink. And you then need to police that the person its supposed to be fore actually consumes it. Plenty of cases where a minor got in and had someone else get the drinks and the bar still cops the penalty

Originally Posted by weeds

Para two....doesn’t make sense and is not part of the training under RSA. She was sober.

No Argument for her, but it could be made that the drink was not for her and was for one of her friends who may have already been "drunken"

Originally Posted by weeds

Para three...again no requirement and would mean I’d go elsewhere for a drink

Going to disagree a little here, From one of the courses I've done is this question.

A group of customers is drinking alcohol in your business and one of them has been identified as the designated driver. As a server, you:

• Must get a signed statement that the individual is the designated driver
  
• May serve all customers, except the designated driver, as much alcohol as they want
  
• May not serve the designated driver alcohol
  
• Must not serve any apparently intoxicated member of the group

With the information from your post put yourself in the shoes of the barman, which one is the driver and whom is going to have the drink? Also the barman presumably went and checked with someone higher after asking her to give him 5. The decision is now out of his hands hes acting under instruction. All involved in the service of alcohol acted on the side of caution which is the first thing they've taught on both my RSA's paraphrasing, "If in doubt Dont serve"

Originally Posted by weeds

As mention, the girls will more than likely pop back in, she come asking if they could actually refuse service. Based on my research today I find it strange they tried to offer her a softie.

Just an upsell version of "no but I can sell you a soft drink with no issues" And it comes down to individual license requirements depending on the license of the premises. Some licenses do not permit you sell to any group that has underage in it (the law stipulates they aren't be on the premises and that you must ask all for proof of age and may eject any/all of the group as well as witholding any ID suspected of being fraudulant if offered) The nice thing is that not all of the rules are in one easy to read location, you have to go through several different ACTs to find them all, Bar Staff and license managers Tend not to be lawyers across all the fields and often rely on the simple tick and flick sheets offered as part of the training to comply with the law. The Designated Driver stuff now comes down to a single Dot point which is now often not even in the RSA courses or on the guide sheets. That point is..

"Designated Drivers are not to be served alcohol nor to be permitted to consume alcohol whilst on premises"

Originally Posted by weeds

That the problem with the world today.....bad service everywhere and people thinking they know best and making their own rules up.

Less that than too many different organisation making rules with differing standards enforcements and cross referenceing, and far to easy to cop penalties for things that would not normally be reasonably within your control, just like road worthy requirements. theres a few cases now of people that have been pinged (and have had the infringement turned over or should have if they appeal it) on roadworthy requirements of their perenties.

Originally Posted by weeds

Daughter went away camping with three girlfriends.....they decided to go to a pub for lunch one day...

Ordered one beer and three soft drinks....Barman asked for ID, had a look and said give me 5....comes back suggesting she buy four soft drinks. Daughter says but I’m 18 and would like a beer thanks. The barman said they were not keen to sell her a beer because of the age of the group and she had only just turned 18 and no adult with them.

To her credit she stood her ground and requested a beer, which she eventually got. And just to rub salt in she had a second beer.

Country pub an hour south west of Brisbane pretty much empty, one would think they would appreciate the business.

I probably would have went elsewhere for the feed just to annoy them.

I suspect that avoiding the risk of a potential 100,000 (from memory) fine including the possibility of a license suspension would be of far more value to them...

also... under the LL Act, you can legitimately refuse service to anyone who is argumentative.

Carney be bothered reading all that.......you win but you don’t get any business from me.

My daughter won this battle by standing her ground.

While I’m pretty sure anyone can be refused service at anytime for anything (things, no shirt, etc) - ‘House Rules’ - which may not be a part of the RSA, I really think this situation comes under the ‘WTF’ files. Why refuse someone who can prove their age who clearly just wants to sit down for a beer or two - Publican is a bit of a dill IMO and I too would have found somewhere else to drink if he doesn’t want someone’s money.

pretty sure age discrinination is illegal.

When I used to frequent a small boat club a few years ago, if at any time my wife said that she was ready to go home and my reply was that "I'll just have one more", somehow the female bar staff were tuned in and laughingly, would refuse me service and legally, there was nought I could do about it.
One of the ladies was an absolute treasure, but very strict and informed me that, once I had been refused, there was no rescinding of the statement.
I reckon I got stitched up a few times, too.

Originally Posted by weeds

Carney be bothered reading all that.......you win but you don’t get any business from me.

My daughter won this battle by standing her ground.

I'll provide a synopsis, the short version is "no harm, no foul" the slightly longer version as I see it is, your daughter was served a beer after a short wait, and even a 2nd beer, she seems happy to return to the same establishment, file under 1st World Problem.

pretty sure age discrinination is illegal.

Shirley not when it is the law? And don't call me shirley.

How did you find out one was 'Shirley'?

Just a wild guess I suppose.