What is a liquor forum?
A liquor forum is a meeting between a local group of licensees, police, council and representatives from the liquor industry.
The group meets regularly to discuss and address issues of alcohol-related harm that affect their local area.
If you have a licensed business in the area, you can join your local liquor forum. It is optional to join.
If you are a liquor forum chair, or you want to set up a liquor forum, read our information on starting a liquor forum or accord.
Liquor accords
A forum can work together to agree on any specific aims, actions, objectives and strategies for addressing local alcohol-related problems. It can formalise these in a document called a liquor accord.
A liquor accord document:
- is not required, so not all liquor forums have one
- must be approved by Victoria Police and Liquor Control Victoria.
Becoming an accord member
Once the document is approved, you can sign up to become a member of that liquor accord.
Accord members have the power to ban difficult customers from all venues who are accord members. If you decide not to join as an accord member, you can still attend liquor forum meetings.
Read more about liquor accords and banning powers.
Benefits of joining a forum
By joining and attending liquor forum meetings you can:
- keep up-to-date with your responsibilities as a licensee or venue manager
- build relationships with other local businesses and police
- develop local harm prevention actions
- get practical advice on improving your business operations
- share knowledge and experience.
Who attends and when
Forum meetings are usually attended by:
- licensees from various venue types including sporting clubs, nightclubs, bars, restaurants and packaged liquor outlets
- Victoria Police members
- Liquor Control Victoria representatives
- industry groups
- organisations with an interest in alcohol issues (by invitation)
- council representatives. Council planning departments play a role in liquor licensing and council representatives often act as chairpersons.
Most liquor forums meet locally 3 to 4 times a year for an hour. The members choose the meeting time, usually 10am, 2pm or 3pm.
Forums that include sporting clubs sometimes meet in the evenings so volunteers can attend.
How to join
You can join a liquor forum if:
- you hold a liquor licence or permit or manage the venue
- your licensed business is located in the area covered by the forum.
If you can’t find a forum in your area, contact your local police to see if there is an active forum or plan to establish one.
List of Victorian liquor forums
To join a forum, email or phone the contact person listed.
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