Liquor Control (Transitional Housing and Support Program Restricted Areas) Regulations 2016

The regulations rest on a small set of defined and operational concepts. The central definition is THASP dwelling, defined in regulation 3 as an "area described in Schedule 1". The schedule lists 15 entries, each specifying the cadastral identifier (lot on plan) and a corresponding street address (Schedule 1 table). Several Schedule entries expressly exclude "any part of the common property set out on the Strata Plan" or similar wording, which means the restricted area is the lot described rather than the whole strata scheme where that exclusion appears (Schedule 1, items 1, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15 indicate exclusions). Regulation 5 converts each THASP dwelling into a "restricted area for the purposes of section 175(1a) of the Act", thereby anchoring the regulation in the parent statute rather than creating an independent statutory power.

Regulation 7 operationalises the prohibited conduct in two concise elements: bringing liquor into the THASP dwelling (regulation 7(1)(a)), and possessing liquor in the THASP dwelling (regulation 7(1)(b)). Both elements are expressed in ordinary language; the regulation then specifies penalties, distinguishing offences committed by persons with liquor‑licensing roles (licensees, managers of licensed premises, or directors of a corporate licence holder) by applying a higher fine (regulation 7(2)). The use of both an act of bringing liquor and possession in situ covers importation and retention scenarios.

Regulation 6 creates an administrative duty on the Director of Liquor Licensing to post notices at the main entrance to the principal building included in each THASP dwelling, with the notice required to describe the regulation 7 offences and specify the penalties (regulation 6(1)). The regulation adds a legal protection: non‑compliance with the notice posting duty does not invalidate the restricted‑area declaration (regulation 6(2)). That preserves legal effect irrespective of signage compliance.

Regulation 8 intersects with the Act’s general seizure regime by expressly overriding sections 155(4) and (5) of the Act for these restricted areas, authorising police to seize and, as soon as practicable, dispose of opened or unopened containers of liquor suspected on reasonable grounds to be the subject of a regulation 7 offence (regulation 8). The "suspected on reasonable grounds" standard is the evidentiary threshold articulated in the regulation; the disposal is to occur "as soon as is practicable".

Regulation 9 sets an expiry date for the regulations (close of 30 July 2026) unless earlier repealed (regulation 9). The table in Schedule 1 provides the concrete loci to which these operational rules apply. The defined terms list in the compilation notes records THASP dwelling as defined at regulation 3.

Taken together, the main concepts are location designation (THASP dwelling via Schedule 1), a prohibitory offence framework (bringing/possession of liquor), differentiated penalties for persons with licensing roles, a signage duty with a non‑invalidating safeguard, police seizure and disposal powers that operate despite specified provisions of the Act, and temporal limitation to the life of the instrument. All of those elements are explicit in the regulations; there are no additional definitional glosses in the instrument itself.

The regulations identify several categories of persons and entities that bear direct legal consequence from the declaration of THASP dwellings.

• Residents, occupants and visitors at the listed addresses. The principal affect is on any person who brings liquor into, or has liquor in his or her possession in, a THASP dwelling. That conduct is criminalised under regulation 7(1)(a)-(b), subject to monetary fines. The affected individuals pay financially if convicted, with the standard fine being $2 000 unless they fall into the licensing-role category described below.

• Licensees, managers of licensed premises and directors of corporate licence‑holders. Where an offence under regulation 7 is committed by a person in one of these roles, regulation 7(2) applies, attracting the higher fine of $5 000. That creates a distinct liability class for persons otherwise engaged in liquor supply governance, exposing them to elevated sanction if they bring liquor into or possess liquor in the THASP dwelling.

• The Director of Liquor Licensing. Regulation 6(1) imposes an operational duty on the Director to take all reasonable steps to cause notice to be posted at the main entrance to the principal building included in each THASP dwelling, and to ensure the notice is kept posted for the duration of the restricted‑area status. That is an administrative responsibility that the Director must discharge or delegate; however regulation 6(2) preserves the declaration irrespective of any failure to post.

• Western Australia Police. Regulation 8 expressly confers on a member of the Police Force the authority to seize and as soon as practicable dispose of any opened or unopened container of liquor suspected on reasonable grounds to be the subject of an offence under regulation 7, and does so despite sections 155(4) and (5) of the Act. Police operationally decide whether reasonable grounds exist and whether to seize and dispose, and are therefore the primary enforcement actor.

• Owners and strata bodies connected with the listed lots. The Schedule identifies lots by plan references and, in several cases, specifically excludes common property from the restricted area. Owners corporations or strata bodies therefore may need to interpret whether common property (for example corridors, driveways or shared grounds) falls inside or outside the restricted area. The exclusion language in Schedule 1 means in some entries the common property is not part of the THASP dwelling; those property managers may be affected in relation to signage placement at "the principal building" (regulation 6(1)) and in operationalising the prohibition.

• The Director and the Police have decision authority. The Director decides on and effects the signage duty (regulation 6(1)). Police decide on seizure and disposal actions on reasonable grounds (regulation 8). The Director’s failure to post does not remove the legal prohibition (regulation 6(2)), so enforcement decisions remain with police and court processes.

Indirectly affected are local service providers, case managers or support agencies working with residents of the THASP dwellings. While not named in the regulations, these actors must adapt operationally: they will face on‑site restrictions on alcohol and might need to implement alternative support arrangements. However, the instrument itself names only the categories above for legal consequences.

Finally, the temporal limit (regulation 9) confines these effects to the duration of the regulations, currently set to the close of 30 July 2026 unless repealed earlier. The compilation table shows amendments in 2021 that altered schedule entries and other regulation text; those changes affect the set of dwellings and administrative details and therefore the reach of consequences to those persons and entities linked to the amended schedule entries.

The regulations place specific duties on the Director of Liquor Licensing and create criminal prohibitions that give rise to enforcement rights for police. They also attach penalty consequences to particular categories of offenders.

Duties:

• Director of Liquor Licensing: The Director must "take all reasonable steps" to cause to be posted, and while a THASP dwelling continues to be a restricted area by operation of regulation 5 to be kept posted, at the main entrance to the principal building included in each THASP dwelling a notice that describes the offences in regulation 7 and specifies the penalties (regulation 6(1)). The duty is procedural and phrased as "take all reasonable steps", which implies an obligation to act but allows some operational judgment about what steps are reasonable. The regulation does not prescribe format, size, or language for the notice beyond the content requirements just stated.

• Police: Under regulation 8, a member of the Police Force may seize and, as soon as is practicable, dispose of opened or unopened containers of liquor suspected on reasonable grounds to be the subject of an offence under regulation 7. That is an operational duty/right mix: police have the power to act and a practical expectation to dispose "as soon as is practicable" which implies a prompt disposal obligation where containers are seized. The regulation expressly disapplies sections 155(4) and (5) of the Act for these actions, meaning the standard Act provisions governing seizure/disposal do not constrain police in these circumstances to the extent covered by this regulation.

Prohibitions:

• Bringing liquor into a THASP dwelling: Regulation 7(1)(a) criminalises a person who "brings liquor into, or causes liquor to be brought into, a THASP dwelling". That is a conduct‑based prohibition covering self‑importation and causing another person to bring liquor into the area.

• Possession of liquor in a THASP dwelling: Regulation 7(1)(b) criminalises having liquor in his or her possession in a THASP dwelling. This covers possession in situ, opened or unopened.

Penalties:

• For offences under regulation 7 committed by licensees, managers of licensed premises or directors of a corporate licence‑holder, the penalty is a fine of $5 000 (regulation 7(2)). This creates an elevated sanction for persons associated with liquor supply businesses or corporate licence holders.

• For all other offenders the penalty is a fine of $2 000 (regulation 7 penalty provision).

Rights and protections:

• Notice posting non‑invalidity: Regulation 6(2) provides that a failure to comply with the Director’s posting duty "does not invalidate the declaration in regulation 5". That means the legal status of the THASP dwelling as a restricted area does not depend on the presence of the notice; enforcement and the existence of the offence are preserved even if the signage is not posted. Practically, this limits a potential defence based on absence of signage.

• Temporal certainty: Regulation 9 sets a cut‑off date for the regulations (close of 30 July 2026). That furnishes a statutory endpoint for the duties and prohibitions unless the regulations are earlier repealed.

Interpretive notes grounded in the text:

• The regulation defines the scope of duties and prohibitions narrowly and by reference to the cadastre in Schedule 1 (regulation 3), so the duties and rights only apply within those concrete spatial boundaries. Several schedule entries exclude common property, which affects the spatial application of both the duty to post a notice at the principal building and the reach of the prohibitions (Schedule 1 entries with exclusions).

• The police seizure and disposal power is framed in terms of "suspected on reasonable grounds", an evidentiary threshold for action, and "as soon as is practicable", a timing obligation; both phrases give operational discretion to police while importing recognised standards for reasonable suspicion and reasonable promptness. The regulation does not elaborate further administrative processes for disposal, nor does it provide appeal or recovery mechanisms in the regulatory text itself.

• The instrument does not create a separate power to enter premises; it operates by defining areas as restricted under the Liquor Control Act and by attaching seizure powers to police. The procedural matrix therefore depends on the parent Act for other powers or processes not expressly overridden.

The enforcement architecture is simple and statute‑specific. The regulations create the offences and prescribe monetary penalties, and they allocate primary enforcement authority to the Police Force while imposing a signage duty on the Director of Liquor Licensing.

Penalties:

• The instrument sets two monetary fines. For offences under regulation 7 committed by a person who is a licensee, a manager of licensed premises or a director of a body corporate holding a licence, the fine is $5 000 (regulation 7(2)). For all other offenders the penalty is $2 000 (regulation 7 penalty schedule). The instrument does not provide alternative sanctions such as community service orders or incarceration; it specifies fines only.

• The regulations do not specify discounting, payment plans, or infringement notice regimes within their text. The actual collection or prosecution mechanisms would proceed under the Act and general enforcement processes applicable to the State, but those processes are not set out in these regulations.

Enforcement powers:

• Police seizure and disposal: Regulation 8 authorises a member of the Police Force to seize and, "as soon as is practicable", dispose of any opened or unopened container of liquor suspected on reasonable grounds to be the subject of an offence under regulation 7. The regulation operates "despite section 155(4) and (5) of the Act", signalling that, for these designated areas, police may act in a manner not constrained by those particular subsections. The regulations thereby provide an explicit, accelerated disposal mechanism for seized containers linked to these restricted areas.

• The threshold for police action is "suspected on reasonable grounds". That is the statutory standard set by the regulation for making a seizure. The responsibility for forming the reasonable grounds and for operational decisions about seizure and disposal is vested in individual police officers. The regulation does not lay out internal police procedures, retention periods, or disposal methods; it requires disposal "as soon as is practicable" but leaves method and timing to police operational judgment.

• The Director of Liquor Licensing has a non‑enforcement duty to post notices (regulation 6), which assists enforcement practically by informing the public about the offences and penalties. However, regulation 6(2) makes clear that failure to post will not invalidate the declaration, so enforcement is not dependent on compliance with the posting duty.

Procedural contours and limits present in the text:

• The regulations are silent on evidentiary burdens in court proceedings, appeals, confiscation recovery, or procedures for reclaiming property following disposal, beyond the seizure/disposal authorisation in regulation 8. Any further enforcement procedure must be inferred from the parent Liquor Control Act and general criminal procedural law, but the regulation itself does not create those mechanisms.

• The higher fine for persons with liquor licensing roles creates a heightened enforcement risk for those actors. The instrument does not specify whether a breach by a licensee will carry additional disciplinary consequences under the licensing scheme; it only specifies the monetary penalty.

• The temporal limit (regulation 9) constrains enforcement options to the period the regulations have effect. The regulations will cease to have effect at the close of 30 July 2026 unless repealed earlier, which sets a statutory end date for the offences and the police disposal power contained in regulation 8.

In sum, enforcement is concentrated in police hands, using seizure and expedited disposal powers for containers suspected on reasonable grounds to be involved in regulation 7 offences, and the sanctions are monetary fines with an elevated level for persons tied to liquor licences. The regime emphasises location‑specific prohibition backed by police powers to remove offending liquor quickly from the premises.

The regulations are expressly framed as regulations under the Liquor Control Act 1988 and repeatedly reference that Act. Interaction points and textual overrides are explicit where present.

Link to the Liquor Control Act 1988:

• The instrument declares each THASP dwelling to be a restricted area "for the purposes of section 175(1a) of the Act" (regulation 5). That anchors the operation of these regulations to the statutory concept of a restricted area within the Liquor Control Act. The regulations do not restate section 175(1a) or other substantive provisions of the Act; they rely on the Act for the underlying powers and legal context for restricted areas.

• Regulation 8 explicitly operates "despite section 155(4) and (5) of the Act", allowing police to seize and dispose of liquor containers in ways that those subsections might otherwise limit. The regulations therefore displace the operation of those subsections with respect to seizure and disposal in these THASP dwellings. The regulation does not reproduce the content of sections 155(4) and (5); it only signals that the regulation provides a different rule in these circumstances.

Administrative law and property law touch points:

• The Schedule references cadastral lot and plan identifiers and Certificate of Title particulars for each THASP dwelling. That means the precise spatial scope of the regulation depends on property law records (Schedule 1 table). The schedule also in several entries excludes "any part of the common property set out on the Strata Plan" or "Survey‑Strata Plan". That phrase imports the strata law concept of common property and indicates the regulation’s spatial boundary excludes those common property elements, thereby interfacing with strata titles law. The regulation does not alter strata governance or common property rights; it merely defines the THASP dwelling to exclude them in certain entries.

Criminal procedure and police powers:

• By giving police the authority to seize and dispose of containers "as soon as is practicable" where liquor is suspected on reasonable grounds to be the subject of a regulation 7 offence, the regulation interfaces with general criminal procedure rules governing seizure, evidentiary handling and disposal. The text expressly disapplies certain subsections of the Liquor Control Act, but it does not directly change rules in other statutes (for example, general property forfeiture or evidence legislation) which may still be relevant in practice. The regulation is silent on how seized items are to be accounted for post‑disposal in relation to evidence preservation or victim compensation.

Limits on interaction:

• The regulations do not amend the parent Act beyond the specific overrides noted. They do not create new licensing categories or change licensing obligations generally, other than setting a penalty that applies to licensees, managers and directors in the conduct contexts it defines.

Temporal interaction:

• Regulation 9 sets an expiry date for the regulations, meaning the interplay with other laws is time‑bound. Once the regulations cease to have effect (close of 30 July 2026 unless earlier repealed), the specific prohibitions and the regulation 8 seizure/disposal rule will no longer apply, and standard Act provisions and other laws will govern.

Procedural safeguards and notice:

• Regulation 6 imposes a posting duty on the Director of Liquor Licensing to display notices describing the offences and penalties at the main entrance to the principal building in each THASP dwelling. That creates a procedural link to administrative practice: signage aids public awareness and enforcement, but regulation 6(2) preserves the legal effect of the restricted‑area declaration even if signage is not posted.

In sum, the regulations operate as an adjunct to the Liquor Control Act 1988: they designate particular locations as restricted areas under the Act, create offence provisions and penalties specific to those areas, and override particular seizure/disposal subsections of the Act for those contexts. Spatial application is achieved via cadastral references in Schedule 1, which brings property and strata law concepts into play for delimiting the restricted areas.

The instrument as compiled includes an amendment history limited to the original 2016 regulations and a 2021 amendment. The compilation table records the following:

• Original instrument: Liquor Control (Transitional Housing and Support Program Restricted Areas) Regulations 2016, published 26 July 2016. Regulations 1 and 2 (citation and commencement rules) commenced on the date of publication (26 July 2016); the remainder of the regulations commenced on 1 August 2016 (regulation 2 sets out this staging).

• Amending instrument: Liquor Control (Transitional Housing and Support Program Restricted Areas) Amendment Regulations 2021, SL 2021/117, published 2 July 2021. For that amending instrument, regulations 1 and 2 (standard citation and commencement clauses) commenced on 2 July 2021; the other amending provisions commenced on 3 July 2021 (see compilation table).

Specific textual amendments recorded in the body of the compiled instrument:

• Regulation 4 was deleted by SL 2021/117 r. 4. The compiled text notes "[4. Deleted: SL2021/117 r. 4.]" indicating the 2021 amendment removed whatever had previously been regulation 4.

• Regulation 9 was inserted by SL 2021/117 r. 5, as indicated in the bracketed note following regulation 9: "[Regulation 9 inserted: SL 2021/117 r. 5.]" That added the time limit provision which states the regulations have effect until the close of 30 July 2026 unless sooner repealed.

• Schedule 1 was amended by SL 2021/117 r. 6, as indicated by the note at the end of the Schedule: "[Schedule 1 amended: SL 2021/117 r. 6.]" The Schedule as compiled contains 15 entries with specific lot descriptions and addresses; the specific changes effected by SL 2021/117 (for example additions, deletions or modifications of lot descriptions) are not reproduced in the text beyond the compiled Schedule itself and the deletion note for reg 4 and insertion note for reg 9.

Other editorial notes:

• The compilation notes include a statement that the regulations expire at the close of 30 July 2026 (see reg 9), which reflects the 2021 insertion.

• The compilation table is explicit about commencement dates for both the original instrument and the 2021 amendment. No other amending instruments are recorded in the compilation table provided.

What the amendment record implies operationally:

• The 2021 instrument made at least three discrete changes: it deleted a provision (regulation 4), inserted a time limit (regulation 9), and amended Schedule 1. Those are the only changes recorded in the compiled version of the regulations provided here.

• Because Schedule 1 was amended, the concrete set of THASP dwellings governed by the regulations was modified in 2021. The compiled Schedule now lists the current set of lots and addresses to which the regulation applies up to the compilation date.

• The insertion of regulation 9 in 2021 imposed a statutory expiry date, which is not uncommon for targeted, time‑limited regulatory responses. The presence of an expiry means the regulation’s continued force depends on either re‑enactment or repeal before that date.

The compilation table is the sole source for the amendment history contained in the text supplied. No other amendment instruments or dates are recorded in the provided compilation notes.

The instrument as provided contains no references to litigation, judicial decisions, or case law. The regulations and compilation notes do not name any court proceedings, and no judicial interpretations or reported cases are cited in the text. The compiled document includes statutory materials (the regulations, the schedule and notes about amendments) but does not provide any record of challenges, prosecutions, or appellate decisions arising from the regulations.

Implications of the absence of litigation references in the instrument:

• The absence of litigation references in the compiled text means the regulations themselves do not record or reflect any judicial treatment. This absence does not prove that no prosecutions or court challenges have occurred; it simply means that this instrument and its compilation notes do not include any litigation history.

• Where a practitioner seeks to identify case law interpreting these particular regulations , for example, to test the meaning of "brings liquor into", "in his or her possession", the scope of excluded common property in Schedule 1, the content of "reasonable grounds" for seizure, or the limits of the Director’s posting duty , the compiled instrument gives no guidance. Any such legal interpretation would therefore require independent research in court databases, criminal law reports or police records, none of which are included in the provided material.

• The regulations do make legal choices that could invite litigation in principle (for example, the interplay with strata common property exclusions, evidentiary standards for police seizure and disposal, and the higher fine for licensees and managerial actors). However, the compiled text does not document any judicial resolution of such issues.

For practitioners requiring a litigation track record to advise on likely outcomes, the next step beyond this instrument is to search the relevant court and tribunal databases, prosecution records, and legal reporting services for matters charging offences under these regulations or addressing the regulatory provisions. The instrument itself, as provided, offers no litigation history to analyse or cite.

The regulations are concise, but several drafting and operational features create risks or traps for practitioners and interested parties. These "gotchas" are explicit in the text in the sense that the regulation either directly creates the situation or leaves a gap that requires operational judgement.

1. Signage non‑dependence but operational need (regulation 6(1)-(2)):

   • Regulation 6 requires the Director of Liquor Licensing to post notices at the main entrance to the principal building included in each THASP dwelling and to keep them posted. However regulation 6(2) provides that failure to post does not invalidate the restricted‑area declaration. The gotcha is that a defendant cannot escape the offence simply by demonstrating absence of signage. Conversely, enforcement action can proceed even if notices are not posted. Practitioners should therefore not assume that lack of notice provides a legal defence.

2. Spatial precision via cadastral references with common property exclusions (Schedule 1):

   • Several Schedule entries explicitly exclude common property "set out on the Strata Plan" or "Survey‑Strata Plan". That means common areas of a strata scheme may fall outside the restricted area even when the lot itself is within it. The practical consequence is that a person might possess or bring liquor in excluded common property areas without committing the regulation 7 offence, depending on precise boundaries. Determining those boundaries requires checking the strata/survey‑strata plans and title records identified in Schedule 1. Misreading the schedule and assuming the whole strata complex is covered is a potential trap.

3. Who faces the higher fine (regulation 7(2)):

   • The higher $5 000 fine applies not to all employees or staff, but specifically to "a licensee, a manager of licensed premises or a director of a body corporate that holds a licence". It does not, on its face, extend to all persons working in an organisation or to corporate entities separately, so care is needed in advising about corporate exposure. The instrument does not specify whether corporate liability differs from individual liability beyond naming directors; practitioners must take the wording at face value.

4. Police disposal power despite Act subsections (regulation 8):

   • Regulation 8 authorises police to seize and "as soon as is practicable" dispose of containers suspected on reasonable grounds to be the subject of a regulation 7 offence, expressly "despite section 155(4) and (5) of the Act". The gotcha is that seized liquor may not be retained for long: police are directed to dispose promptly. Where evidence retention or property recovery is desired, affected persons need to act quickly; the regulation does not provide a retention mechanism or procedure to contest disposal prior to it occurring.

5. Temporal limit (regulation 9):

   • The regulations expire at the close of 30 July 2026 unless repealed earlier. Parties who rely on the ongoing existence of the prohibition should note its limited term. Conversely, those seeking to challenge or rely on the regulation for policy continuity should account for the statutory sunset.

6. Narrow jurisdictional application (regulation 3 and Schedule 1):

   • The prohibition applies only within the THASP dwellings identified in Schedule 1. A local enforcement or compliance action outside those precise lots will not be supported by these regulations. That creates a boundary issue for service providers and agencies that operate both inside and outside the listed properties.

7. Ambiguities in operational language (regulation 7 and regulation 8):

   • Terms such as "brings liquor into", "has liquor in his or her possession", "reasonable grounds" and "as soon as is practicable" import ordinary legal concepts but are not defined in the regulations. The determination of what constitutes "brings into" (e.g., courier deliveries, shared common property, or transfer from another resident) may be contested. The instrument leaves these interpretive questions to enforcement practice and, potentially, to courts.

8. No procedure for signage content or format (regulation 6(1)):

   • The Director must cause notices to be posted and kept posted, describing the offences and specifying the penalties, but the regulation does not prescribe the form, language accessibility, or placement beyond "at the main entrance to the principal building". In multilingual communities or where visual accessibility is a concern, the lack of specification may lead to disputes over adequacy of notice , though again regulation 6(2) precludes invalidation of the declaration due to non‑posting.

9. Interface with other legislation not explicitly addressed:

   • While the regulation disapplies certain subsections of the Liquor Control Act for seizure/disposal, it does not address interaction with other statutory regimes (for example, tenancy law, other criminal statutes, or local government by‑laws). Practitioners should be cautious about assuming the regulation displaces other legal duties or rights.

10. Enforcement focus on containers rather than persons:

• Regulation 8 is directed specifically at containers suspected to be the subject matter of an offence, permitting disposal. There is no parallel textual mechanism in the regulation for confiscation of other items or for broader premises search powers; any such powers would need to be grounded in other legal authorities.

These items are not speculative commentaries but follow directly from the way the regulations are drafted. Practitioners should prepare for these practical issues when advising clients or enforcing the instrument, checking cadastral plans, monitoring signage, and preparing for rapid police action where liability or evidence is at stake.

Compliance with these regulations depends on the role of the actor (resident/visitor, licensee/manager/director, Director of Liquor Licensing, police). The following steps translate the regulatory text into operational compliance actions grounded in the provisions.

For residents, occupants and visitors at a THASP dwelling (Schedule 1):

• Do not bring liquor into the THASP dwelling: Regulation 7(1)(a) makes it an offence to bring liquor into a THASP dwelling. Avoid bringing bottles, cans or any container of liquor onto the premises listed in Schedule 1.

• Avoid possession of liquor in the THASP dwelling: Regulation 7(1)(b) criminalises possession. Ensure that no liquor is stored, carried or otherwise in your possession while physically within the geographic bounds defined by the relevant Schedule 1 lot and address.

• Check spatial boundaries: Confirm the precise spatial extent of the THASP dwelling that applies to the address in question by referring to the lot and plan identifiers in Schedule 1. Note any common property exclusions in the Schedule entry that might affect where the prohibition applies. If necessary, obtain copies of the relevant strata/survey‑strata plans and Certificates of Title referenced in the schedule.

For licensees, managers of licensed premises and directors of corporate licence‑holders:

• Avoid bringing or possessing liquor within the THASP dwelling: Regulation 7(2) applies a higher fine ($5 000) where offences are committed by persons in these roles. Put in place organisational controls to prevent staff, contractors or company representatives from bringing or possessing liquor in the relevant premises.

• Train staff and contractors: Ensure staff and contractors are instructed about the prohibition, the higher penalty exposure, and the need to prevent liquor from entering or remaining on the premises.

• Recordkeeping: Maintain records of policies, staff training, and steps taken to prevent liquor being brought into the THASP dwelling. These records can be useful if a contravention is alleged and in demonstrating compliance efforts.

For the Director of Liquor Licensing:

• Post notices at main entrance: Regulation 6(1) requires taking all reasonable steps to cause a notice to be posted at the main entrance to the principal building included in each THASP dwelling describing the offences in regulation 7 and specifying penalties. Decide what constitutes "reasonable steps" in context, arrange for printing and placement of notices, and document actions taken (dates, photographs, steps to replace removed or vandalised notices).

• Keep notices posted while the dwelling remains a restricted area: The duty persists for the period the dwelling is a restricted area. Implement a schedule for periodic inspection and maintenance of signage.

• Note legal protection: Be aware that failure to post does not invalidate the restricted area declaration (regulation 6(2)); still, posting is a practical compliance and public‑information measure.

For police and enforcement agencies:

• Establish operational procedures for seizure and disposal: Regulation 8 authorises seizure and as‑soon‑as‑practicable disposal of any opened or unopened container suspected on reasonable grounds to be the subject of a regulation 7 offence. Agencies should define "reasonable grounds" in internal guidance consistent with general legal standards and put in place evidence-handling procedures that account for expedited disposal while preserving necessary evidence for prosecution.

• Document reasonable grounds and disposal actions: To support enforcement and potential prosecutions, officers should record the reasons for seizure, the timing of disposal, what was disposed of, chain of custody and any photographs or inventory created at the scene. The regulation’s "as soon as is practicable" language means delay should be justified.

General practical steps for stakeholders:

• Map the Schedule locations: Create a clear list and map of the Schedule 1 properties for operational teams, legal advisers and service providers so that the boundary of application is known.

• Engage with property managers and strata bodies: Because some Schedule entries exclude common property, liaise with strata managers or owners corporations to clarify where the prohibition applies. Confirm where the "main entrance to the principal building" is for notice placement.

• Develop alternative support measures: For social service providers operating in or around THASP dwellings, plan interventions that do not rely on alcohol being permitted on site. Policies, care plans and service delivery models should reflect the in situ prohibition so that service delivery is not disrupted.

• Monitor expiry and amendments: The regulations have effect until the close of 30 July 2026 unless sooner repealed (regulation 9). Monitor for further amendments or repeal so compliance frameworks can be adapted when the instrument changes.

• Legal advice: For contested situations , for example, whether a specific area is included due to a complex strata boundary, or whether a given police seizure was lawful , seek legal advice referencing the exact lot and plan descriptions in Schedule 1 and the seizure/disposal language in regulation 8.

• Rapid response for seized property: If a person’s property is seized, act quickly to engage legal or advocacy assistance, since the regulation authorises prompt disposal of seized containers. There is no express mechanism in the regulation for pre‑disposal contestation.

Checklist distilled from the text:

• Verify whether the property is in Schedule 1 (regulation 3 and Schedule 1).
• Ensure no liquor is brought into or possessed within the specified property (regulation 7).
• For licensees/managers/directors, implement stricter controls given the higher fine (regulation 7(2)).
• For the Director, post required notices at the main entrance and maintain them (regulation 6(1)); document actions although posting failure does not invalidate the declaration (regulation 6(2)).
• For police, ensure seizure actions meet the "reasonable grounds" standard and that disposals are documented and conducted "as soon as is practicable" (regulation 8).
• Track the regulations’ temporal scope (regulation 9) and any further amendments (compilation table).

Following these steps will align practical behaviour with the textual obligations and enforcement powers established by the regulations.