A number of Daylesford residents have lodged objections to the decision handed down by the Liquor Licencing Board granting a Packaged Liquor Licence to the Dan Murphy’s outlet.
In making the original decision on the licence application, the senior Licencing Officer, Stephen Emmett, was not persuaded by arguments about the location near a pool and a primary school and said that issues of policing and welfare resources were outside the control of the Liquor Commission. He also dismissed arguments about amenity issues in the immediate vicinity. noise levels, underage exposure to liquor advertising consumption and potential for increased liquor consumption in the community.
The Liquor Control Reform Act 1998 allows objections and sets out a process for dealing with appeals against decisions.
A directions hearing will take place at 10:30 am on April 12 in the Hearing Room, Ground floor, 49 Elizabeth Street, Richmond.
The directions hearing is a procedural step in the inquiry process and the actual hearing of the matter will be at a later stage. The Commission does not hear any evidence in a directions hearing. It is simply a step to better understand the scope of the issues and the volume of evidence and witnesses that are likely to give evidence at the inquiry hearing. Also, the Commission may make orders to set out a timetable for procedural steps leading up to the hearing.
At present, the Commission has heard from individual objectors. Objecting residents are not currently a group working in a cohesive manner. Lynda Poke from Alice’s Journeys has issued a call to arms for concerned residents to band together to determine a strategy.
Meanwhile, demolition and site preparation works have commenced at the site on the corner of Central Springs Rd and Bridport St, Daylesford.
