Liquor Control (Weymul Restricted Area) Regulations 2024

The regulations revolve around a small set of statutory concepts: a defined geographic "Weymul area", a defined "Weymul access road", the statutory declaration of that area as a "restricted area" under the Liquor Control Act 1988 (s 175(1a)), offence concepts covering bringing liquor into or possessing liquor in the area (regulation 6(1)), an elevated penalty tier for persons connected with licensed premises (regulation 6(2)), a requirement that specified notices be posted at customary access routes into the area (regulation 5), and a modified seizure and disposal power for police (regulation 7) that operates despite specific provisions (sections 155(4) and (5)) of the Act.

Defined geography

• The Weymul area is not a simple lot description. It is the combination of three spatial elements: the whole of the land in Certificate of Title Volume 451 Folio 194A; a 200 metre radial buffer around that parcel (explicitly described as "the area of land that is within 200 m of the outer boundary" and identified as part of Lot 265 on Deposited Plan 220920); and a 300 metre segment of the Weymul access road beginning at the outer boundary of the 200 metre buffer and running along Cherratta Road to the Manuwarra Red Dog Highway (regulation 3). The Weymul access road itself is defined by Road 156 / Cherratta Road and the particular portion that provides access to the Weymul community and runs between the title parcel and the highway (regulation 3). Those textual definitions will determine the line of enforcement and the signage locations required under regulation 5.

Offence structure

• Two primary conduct elements are prohibited: bringing liquor into or causing liquor to be brought into the Weymul area, and possessing liquor in the Weymul area (regulation 6(1)). The statutory maximum fines are monetary only: $2,000 generally, and $5,000 when the offender is a licensee, a manager of licensed premises or a director of a corporate licence holder (regulation 6(1) penalty schedule and regulation 6(2)). The instrument is a regulation under the Act and sets its own penalty levels rather than referring to the courts for different sentencing.

Notice duty and its legal effect

• The Director of Liquor Licensing has a duty to take all reasonable steps to cause and keep posted notices at each place where a customary access route enters the Weymul area, with content limited to descriptions of the offences in regulation 6(1) and specification of the penalties (regulation 5(1)). The regulations make clear that a breach of this posting duty does not invalidate the declaration (regulation 5(2)). The posting requirement therefore creates an administrative obligation but does not operate as a condition precedent to the operation or validity of the restricted‑area status.

Police powers and relationship to the Act

• Regulation 7 specifically modifies the treatment of seized containers by stating that, despite sections 155(4) and (5) of the Act, a police officer may 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 6(1). The regulation therefore creates an exception or override to the specified Act provisions for the narrow circumstance of containers suspected to be linked to regulation 6(1) offences.

Temporal limitation and regulatory insertion

• The regulations are time‑limited: the instrument ceases to have effect at the close of 19 March 2029 unless earlier repealed (regulation 8). They also create a cross reference by inserting the new offence reference into the Table in regulation 27(4) of the Liquor Control Regulations 1989 (regulation 10), an administrative amendment which will affect how the existing Regulation 27 regime interacts with the new offence , the text of regulation 27 is not reproduced in this instrument.

The main operational variables from a compliance and enforcement perspective are therefore (1) the exact mapped boundaries and buffer distances; (2) the presence and visibility of notices at customary entry points to the area; (3) the identity of offenders (private persons or licensee/manager/director), which determines the applicable fine; and (4) the police exercise of an express power to seize and dispose of containers suspected on reasonable grounds to be implicated in an offence.

The regulations allocate duties and potential liabilities across several classes of actors: persons entering or within the Weymul area, licensees and their managers/directors, the Director of Liquor Licensing, and members of the Police Force.

Persons entering or within the Weymul area

• Any person who brings liquor into, causes liquor to be brought into, or possesses liquor in the Weymul area commits an offence under regulation 6(1). The Weymul area is geographically defined and includes private title, a 200 metre peripheral zone around that title, and part of the access road (regulation 3). Practically, that captures residents, visitors, travellers using the access road within the 300 metre segment, and anyone who might carry or transport alcohol into the zone. The regulation does not carve out exemptions within the text for residents, visitors for social or medical reasons, or authorised suppliers.

Licensees, managers and directors

• Regulation 6(2) creates an elevated penalty tier where the offender is a licensee, a manager of licensed premises, or a director of a body corporate that holds a licence. For those persons, the fine for an offence under regulation 6(1) is $5,000 rather than $2,000. The inclusion of these categories means persons associated with licensed entities face greater monetary exposure if they bring liquor into or possess liquor in the area, or cause it to be brought in.

Director of Liquor Licensing

• The Director has a statutory operational duty to take all reasonable steps to cause notices to be posted, and to keep them posted, at each place where a customary access route enters the Weymul area (regulation 5(1)). The notices must describe the offences in regulation 6(1) and specify the penalties. The Director is therefore the public authority charged with publicising the restriction. The regulations explicitly state that a failure to comply with the posting duty does not invalidate the declaration (regulation 5(2)), but the Director remains the actor with the posting obligation.

Members of the Police Force

• Police members are empowered 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 6(1) (regulation 7). The provision engages police operational discretion to determine reasonable grounds and to conduct disposal as soon as practicable.

Private businesses and service providers

• Although not identified by name beyond licensees and their officers, businesses that operate in or around the Weymul area or along the access road may be indirectly affected. For example, businesses that supply or transport alcohol could be caught if they "cause" liquor to be brought into the area by delivery. The term "causes liquor to be brought into" is broad and may reach third‑party supply chains where the supplier initiates delivery into the area. The regulations do not expressly define permitted supply arrangements, exemptions, or licensing adjustments.

Community and landholders

• The regulations directly reference a parcel identified by certificate and deposited plan numbers (Volume 451 Folio 194A; Lot 265 on DP 220920) for the primary land area (regulation 3). Owners, occupiers and residents of that parcel and of adjacent land within the 200 metre buffer are within the geographic coverage, and therefore may be affected by the prohibition on possession and the potential for police seizure and disposal of containers.

Regulatory administrators

• The insertion of the new offence into the Table in regulation 27(4) of the Liquor Control Regulations 1989 (regulation 10) affects the administrative framework for the Act's supporting regulations. That amendment may alter how penalties are recorded, prosecuted, or otherwise administered under the existing regulatory schedule. The text of regulation 27 is not reproduced here, so stakeholders will need to consult the Liquor Control Regulations 1989 to identify the operational consequences of that insertion.

In short, the persons who pay (face fines) are those who bring or possess liquor in the defined area, with higher monetary exposure for persons connected to licensed premises. The decision to post notices is assigned to the Director of Liquor Licensing. The police decide, on reasonable grounds, to seize and dispose of containers. The behaviour the regulations change is the private choice to carry, transport or possess alcohol within the defined geographic space; the costs of non‑compliance are monetary penalties and the potential loss of the physical containers by disposal.

This instrument establishes a small number of clear duties and confers limited operational powers. The duties fall principally on the Director of Liquor Licensing and on persons entering or in the Weymul area. The principal powers are given to members of the Police Force.

Duty on the Director of Liquor Licensing (regulation 5)

• The Director must take all reasonable steps to cause notices to be posted at each place where a customary access route enters the Weymul area and must keep those notices posted while the area remains a restricted area (regulation 5(1)). The notices must describe the offences in regulation 6(1) and specify the penalties for those offences. The prescription of notice content is narrow: the notices must only include the description of the offences and the penalties, not broader explanatory material. The regulation includes a safeguard for the declaration by stating that failure to comply with the posting obligation does not invalidate the declaration of the restricted area (regulation 5(2)). This separates administrative compliance from substantive validity.

Duties and prohibitions on persons (regulation 6)

• It is an offence to bring liquor into, to cause liquor to be brought into, or to possess liquor in the Weymul area (regulation 6(1)). The duty imposed on the public is therefore negative: do not bring or possess liquor in the defined area. The regulation does not provide textually stated exceptions or defences within the instrument itself. The penalties are monetary fines: $2,000 generally, and $5,000 where the offender is a licensee, manager of licensed premises, or director of a corporate licence holder (regulation 6(1) penalty schedule and regulation 6(2)).

Police powers (regulation 7)

• A member of the Police Force may seize any opened or unopened container of liquor suspected on reasonable grounds to be the subject of an offence under regulation 6(1), and may dispose of it "as soon as is practicable" (regulation 7). The regulation is framed to operate "despite section 155(4) and (5) of the Act", meaning that the usual constraints or procedures in those sections of the Act do not apply to the seizure and disposal activity authorised by regulation 7 in respect of the specified offences. The regulation therefore confers on police an immediate operational power to remove and destroy or otherwise dispose of physical evidence where the officer has reasonable grounds to suspect an offence under regulation 6(1). The phrase "reasonable grounds" conditions the exercise of that power.

Rights, procedural safeguards and limitations in the instrument

• The regulations do not set out rights of appeal, notice procedures following seizure, retention periods for seized goods, or explicit preservation of evidentiary samples. Nor do they set out exemptions for medical necessity, cultural practice, or authorised use. The instrument limits itself to the power to seize and dispose as soon as is practicable, and leaves the details of subsequent criminal process to the Act and the courts. The instrument expressly states that the posting failure by the Director does not invalidate the declaration, which is a limitation on a potential procedural challenge to the existence of the restricted area based on lack of signage.

Temporal limitation (regulation 8)

• The regulations are time‑bound. Unless sooner repealed, their effect terminates at the close of 19 March 2029. That temporal limit is a statutory duty on administrators to monitor the instrument's expiry and either renew or let lapse the restriction.

Interaction with the Liquor Control Regulations 1989 (regulation 10)

• The regulations alter the Table in regulation 27(4) of the Liquor Control Regulations 1989 by inserting a reference to the new offence (regulation 6(1)). That places the new offence into an existing regulatory matrix, potentially affecting administrative processing or the classification of the offence under existing regulatory schemes.

Who decides and who enforces

• The declaration itself is made by regulation (regulation 4), and enforcement decisions are made by police in the exercise of their seizure and disposal power (regulation 7). The Director decides on the placement and maintenance of notices under regulation 5. The courts ultimately decide guilt and monetary penalties for offences under regulation 6, but the instrument specifies the fines rather than leaving sentencing entirely to the judiciary.

The regulations prescribe monetary fines and empower police to seize and dispose of liquor containers under specified circumstances. They also make an administrative insertion into the Liquor Control Regulations 1989 that will affect how the new offence is catalogued.

Monetary penalties (regulation 6)

• Regulation 6(1) creates the substantive offence. The penalty schedule is as follows:
  • If regulation 6(2) applies, that is, where the offender is a licensee, a manager of licensed premises, or a director of a body corporate that holds a licence, the fine is $5,000.
  • In any other case, the fine is $2,000.
• The instrument states fines in dollar amounts. It does not specify matters such as whether these fines are maxima or fixed penalties enforceable by a particular proceeding. The regulations themselves specify the fines attached to the offences they create.

Police powers to seize and dispose (regulation 7)

• Regulation 7 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 6(1). The regulation is framed to operate "despite section 155(4) and (5) of the Act", thus displacing whatever constraints or procedures those subsections provide, for the narrow class of containers linked to a regulation 6(1) offence.
• The practical enforcement implication is that police no longer need to retain custody of a seized container for a period mandated by the sections displaced. The text permits disposal "as soon as is practicable", signalling a near‑immediate disposal power where reasonable grounds exist. The instrument does not specify a disposal method, retention period for samples, avenues to challenge disposal, or compensation for disposals carried out years after seizure.

Operational enforcement mechanics

• The instrument vests operational discretion in police officers assessing "reasonable grounds". That phrase is a standard legal threshold for seizures. The regulation does not define "reasonable grounds" further, nor does it identify particular procedures for documenting seized and disposed items. Those procedural details are left to police practice, the Act, or subsidiary administrative processes outside this instrument.

Administrative enforcement and notice (regulation 5)

• The Director of Liquor Licensing is required to take all reasonable steps to have notices posted at customary access routes entering the Weymul area and to keep them posted while the restriction remains. The notices must describe the offences and specify the penalties (regulation 5(1)). The obligation to post notices creates an administrative enforcement support mechanism signalling to entrants the existence of the prohibition and the penalty levels.
• However, regulation 5(2) states that failure to comply with the posting obligation does not invalidate the declaration. That means lack of signage is not a defence to the existence of the restriction. Practically, prosecutions will not be invalidated solely because signs were not posted; however, the absence of signage may still be relevant to particular procedural or evidential issues in prosecution, an issue for courts and not specified in the instrument.

Integration into existing regulations (regulation 10)

• By inserting the new offence into the Table in regulation 27(4) of the Liquor Control Regulations 1989, the instrument ensures that the offence is captured within an existing administrative framework. The precise enforcement mechanics under regulation 27 are not reproduced here, so stakeholders must consult the Liquor Control Regulations 1989 to see whether the insertion affects fixed penalty notices, administration fees, or other procedural details.

Enforcement resources and costs

• The instrument places operational burdens on police for seizure and disposal activities and on the Director for posting notices. Those are implementation costs that will be borne by public agencies. The instrument does not provide separate funding or resources; any resourcing implications must be addressed administratively. The regulations do not create fee recovery mechanisms or provide for cost recovery from offenders.

Limits on enforcement in the instrument

• The instrument does not prescribe arrest powers, custodial penalties, explicit criminal offence classification beyond fines, or pathways for injunctions or other civil orders in the instrument itself. It operates within the monetary penalty and seizure/disposal model set out in its provisions and embedded references to the Act.

The regulations expressly operate in the framework of the Liquor Control Act 1988 and amend the Liquor Control Regulations 1989. The instrument references specific provisions of the Act and creates an exception to particular Act provisions with respect to seizure and disposal. The regulations do not repeal the Act and rely on the Act for their enabling head of power.

Declaration under the Act (regulation 4)

• Regulation 4 declares the Weymul area to be a restricted area for the purposes of section 175(1a) of the Liquor Control Act 1988. The regulation therefore relies on the Act as the enabling statute for designating restricted areas. The declaration is an exercise of regulatory power under the Act and situates the regulations within the Act’s broader enforcement and licensing regime.

Seizure and disposal despite Act provisions (regulation 7)

• Regulation 7 states that "despite section 155(4) and (5) of the Act, a member of the Police Force may 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 6(1)". This is an explicit statement that, for the narrow circumstances covered by regulation 7, the normal rules in sections 155(4) and (5) of the Act do not apply. The instrument does not recite the text of those subsections; it only signals that the regulation carves out an exception. Stakeholders will need to read sections 155(4) and (5) of the Act to understand fully what procedural constraints are being disapplied for the purposes of these regulations.

Amendment to Liquor Control Regulations 1989 (regulation 10)

• Regulation 10 inserts a reference to the new offence into the Table in regulation 27(4) of the Liquor Control Regulations 1989. The insertion creates an administrative link between the new offence and the existing regime governed by regulation 27. The text does not include the content of regulation 27, so the practical consequences of this insertion must be ascertained by consulting the Liquor Control Regulations 1989.

Interaction with land titles and deposited plans (regulation 3)

• The regulations define the Weymul area by reference to Certificate of Title Volume 451 Folio 194A and Lot 265 on Deposited Plan 220920 (regulation 3). That requires cross‑reference to land title records and deposited plans for spatial certainty. The instrument thus interacts with the land registration system for the purposes of mapping and enforcement.

Poster requirement and customary access routes (regulation 5)

• The Director’s duty to post notices at "each place where a customary access route enters the Weymul area" creates an interface with local roads, customary pathways, and possibly native title or community access practices. The term "customary access route" is not defined in the instrument, so its meaning may be influenced by other local laws, planning documents, or administrative practice. Enforcement and signage placement should therefore consider the local context and any overlapping legal regimes.

Duration and repeal (regulation 8)

• The instrument is explicitly time‑limited to close on 19 March 2029 unless sooner repealed. Any interplay with other laws that would depend on the continued existence of the restricted area (for example local government bylaws, community orders, or licensing conditions) will be affected by this expiry date. The instrument does not provide transitional provisions beyond the expiry date.

Absence of stated exemptions in the instrument

• The regulations do not expressly displace or articulate exemptions that might exist elsewhere in law (for example, emergency services or medical needs). Where other statutes grant powers or exemptions involving alcohol in emergencies, those interactions are not addressed here and should be considered in the context of the Act and other relevant statutes.

In sum, the instrument operates as a targeted regulatory overlay that uses the Act’s head of power to create a geographic prohibition, amends the supporting regulations, and disapplies certain Act provisions for seizure and disposal in narrow circumstances. For full understanding of procedural rights, evidential consequences, and the remedies available to affected parties, one must read the specified Act provisions referenced in the regulations alongside the regulations themselves.

The instrument itself records a straightforward origin and commencement schedule and does not contain any prior amendments to itself. The compilation table and regulation 2 provide the operative commencement details and the citation.

Primary citation and publication

• The regulations are cited as the Liquor Control (Weymul Restricted Area) Regulations 2024 (regulation 1). The compilation table lists the instrument as SL 2024/37 and records its publication date as 20 March 2024. The table records commencement as follows: Part 1 (other than regulation 3) commenced on 20 March 2024, while regulations other than Part 1 (that is, the remainder of the instrument apart from r.1 and r.2) commenced on 21 March 2024 (Compilation table; regulation 2).

Staged commencement (regulation 2)

• The staged commencement is explicit in regulation 2. Part 1, other than regulation 3, came into operation on the day the regulations were published on the WA legislation website. The rest of the regulations came into operation on the day after that day. That timing means that the formal citation and commencement provisions were effective on 20 March 2024, and the operational prohibitions and offences began on 21 March 2024.

Duration and expiry (regulation 8)

• The regulations have an express expiry provision. Unless sooner repealed, they will have effect only until the close of 19 March 2029 (regulation 8). There is no provision in the instrument for automatic extension or renewal; any extension would require further legislative action or replacement instrument.

Interaction with existing regulations (regulation 10)

• The regulations amend the Liquor Control Regulations 1989 by inserting a reference to regulation 6(1) of the new instrument into the Table in regulation 27(4) (regulation 10). The amendment is administrative and recorded in Part 5 of the instrument. The text of regulation 27 is not reproduced here, so the compilation does not show the downstream administrative or procedural consequences of that insertion.

No prior versions or repeals recorded

• The text contains no notes of prior versions, transitional amendments, or repeals. The compilation table does not show earlier instruments for these specific regulations, indicating that this instrument is the original enactment of these measures. Any later amendment or repeal will be recorded in future compilations or amending instruments.

Publication and attribution

• The instrument ends with standard attribution and licensing information indicating the State of Western Australia copyright and Creative Commons licence for the published text. It also records the Government Printer attribution.

For stakeholders tracking regulatory evolution, the immediate matters of importance in the amendment history are the staged commencement dates (20-21 March 2024), the statutory expiry date (19 March 2029), and the insertion into the Liquor Control Regulations 1989 (regulation 10), which may have administrative consequences. There is no history of litigation, prior amendment, or transitional provisions recorded in the instrument.

The text of the Liquor Control (Weymul Restricted Area) Regulations 2024 contains no references to past litigation, judicial decisions, appeals, or cases involving these regulations. The instrument is a stand‑alone statutory instrument that creates new offences and administrative duties; any litigation arising from its operation would postdate the instrument and would need to be identified by searching court records or later legal reporting.

What the instrument records

• The instrument does not list, summarise or reference any judicial consideration of its provisions. There are no notes of contested judicial interpretations within the regulation text or the compilation table.

Potential sources of future litigation

• While absent from the instrument, litigation arising from these regulations would most likely concern matters that are typical for geographically bounded prohibition regimes: the precise geographic scope of the Weymul area as defined by title references and buffer distances, the meaning of "customary access route" for the purpose of notice placement, the application of the penalty provisions to specific conduct, the application of the elevated penalty tier to persons who are licensees, managers or directors, the interpretation of "causes liquor to be brought into" (a potentially broad formulation), the standards for "reasonable grounds" for seizure, and challenges to the disposal of seized containers where preservation of evidence may be implicated. None of these possible litigation themes are pursued in the instrument; they are potential issues that courts might be asked to resolve in future proceedings.

Practical note for practitioners

• Because the instrument does not contain litigation history, practitioners seeking precedential guidance must look to the Liquor Control Act 1988, any relevant cases interpreting similar restricted area declarations under the Act, and contemporaneous prosecutorial practice. The instrument’s references to sections 155(4) and (5) and section 175(1a) of the Act indicate which provisions of the Act are engaged and thus point to where practitioners should look for procedural or evidential frameworks that the regulations modify or supplement. The insertion into regulation 27(4) of the Liquor Control Regulations 1989 also suggests consultation of that regulation for existing administrative processes that will now include the new offence.

Absence of recorded appeals or judicial review in the instrument

• The regulations do not document administrative decisions that might be subject to judicial review or appeal, and they do not list any existing court challenges. Any judicial review of administrative action under the instrument would have to be identified externally to the instrument. At the time of the instrument’s publication, no litigation history is recorded in the text.

Several specific, concrete features of the instrument can create traps for the unwary. These are mechanical or procedural: spatial definition, the elevated penalty tier for licensees and their officers, the posting requirement that does not affect validity, the police disposal power that operates despite Act provisions, and the temporal limit. Each creates particular compliance or enforcement risks.

Geographic definition is multi‑component and could be ambiguous in practice (regulation 3)

• The Weymul area is defined by reference to a certificate of title, a 200 metre peripheral zone, and a 300 metre segment of an access road. Enforcement will require precise mapping against Certificate of Title Volume 451 Folio 194A and Lot 265 on Deposited Plan 220920, and determination of the 200 metre buffer and the 300 metre road segment. Errors in mapping or signage placement could create factual disputes in prosecutions. The instrument does not provide coordinates, survey marks, or a map; enforcement authorities and legal advisers will need to translate the textual description into spatial data before reliable enforcement actions can be taken.

"Causes liquor to be brought into" has broad potential reach (regulation 6(1)(a))

• The prohibition includes not only bringing liquor oneself but causing liquor to be brought into the area. That language can reach a wide set of conduct: directing, arranging, delivering or otherwise facilitating a person or service to carry liquor into the area. Third parties such as transporters, suppliers, or intermediaries could potentially be captured if their actions cause liquor to enter the area. The instrument does not define "cause" and contains no dedicated exception for deliveries, authorised supplies or emergency services.

Elevated penalty for licensees, managers and directors (regulation 6(2))

• Persons connected to licensed premises face a higher fine ($5,000) than other offenders ($2,000). The textual coverage includes licensees, managers of licensed premises, and directors of corporate licence holders. Practitioners should note that corporate officers and personae associated with licences have a distinct exposure under the instrument. The instrument does not state how liability attaches where, for example, a licensee's employee contravenes the prohibition without the licensee's knowledge; the text simply applies the elevated penalty if the offender fits one of the listed categories.

Posting requirement does not validate the requirement (regulation 5(2))

• Regulation 5(1) obliges the Director to take all reasonable steps to cause and keep posted notices at customary access routes, but regulation 5(2) states that failure to comply with that duty does not invalidate the declaration. This creates a trap for defendants who might expect signage to be a precondition of the restriction. The absence of a sign will not, by itself, render the restricted area invalid. Prosecutors may still proceed; however, the absence of signage could be relevant to evidentiary or discretionary arguments in particular cases.

Police disposal of seized containers "as soon as is practicable" (regulation 7)

• Regulation 7 authorises seizure and disposal of opened or unopened containers suspected on reasonable grounds to be the subject of an offence under regulation 6(1), and does so "despite section 155(4) and (5) of the Act". The practical effect is that police can dispose of seized containers quickly. That raises potential evidentiary issues: if police dispose of containers promptly, there may be less physical evidence available for prosecution or defence sampling. The instrument contains no requirement to preserve a sample, to provide notice of disposal, or to hold containers for a minimum period. Practitioners should be aware that disposal authorised by the regulation may limit the availability of the seized container in subsequent proceedings.

"Customary access route" undefined (regulation 5)

• The Director must post notices at each place where a "customary access route" enters the Weymul area. The instrument does not define "customary access route". That term may be interpreted differently by enforcement authorities, local communities, or courts. Ambiguities about what counts as a customary access route could create disputes about whether the Director fulfilled the posting obligation or about the sufficiency of notice to travellers.

Time‑limited operation (regulation 8)

• The regulations expire at close of 19 March 2029 unless sooner repealed. Stakeholders should not treat the restriction as indefinite. Enforcement plans, community communications and compliance programs should account for the finite duration. Absence of transitional provisions means the prohibition will cease automatically on expiry unless renewed by separate instrument.

Insertion into regulation 27(4) may have administrative knock‑on effects (regulation 10)

• The instrument inserts the new offence into the Table in regulation 27(4) of the Liquor Control Regulations 1989. The content and operation of regulation 27 are not reproduced here. Parties relying on an administrative process under regulation 27 should check the Liquor Control Regulations 1989 to understand how the new entry affects notice issuing, fine collection, or other administrative procedures.

No textual exemptions or procedural detail for special circumstances

• The instrument contains no express exemptions for medical, emergency, cultural, or ceremonial needs, and does not set out procedural protections or appeals against seizure and disposal. Those matters will be governed by other laws and ordinary criminal procedure. Practitioners should not assume such exemptions exist merely because of the instrument’s silence.

Practical enforcement catch for travellers on the access road (regulation 3(c))

• The Weymul area includes 300 metres of the access road beginning at the outer boundary of the described land and running to the Manuwarra Red Dog Highway. Travellers on that road segment who have liquor in their vehicles may be within the area for the purposes of possession and bringing‑in offences. This is a practical spatial "gotcha" for drivers who traverse that 300 metre segment while carrying alcohol.

In summary, the main practical traps arise from spatial uncertainty, broad causation language, the elevated penalty tier for licensed persons, the power for prompt disposal by police, undefined signage terminology, and the finite period of operation. Each of these features requires attention from enforcement agencies, licence holders and counsel advising clients in the region.

Compliance requires three discrete strands of action: mapping and signage, operational practices for individuals and businesses, and engagement with enforcement authorities. The text prescribes the legal obligations and the behavioural proscriptions; the following compliance checklist translates those statutory requirements into actionable steps grounded in the instrument.

1. Map the Weymul area precisely (regulation 3)

• Obtain the land title Certificate of Title Volume 451 Folio 194A and the Deposited Plan 220920 (Lot 265) to determine the outer boundary referenced in regulation 3.
• On that basis, map:
  • the entire title parcel identified in Volume 451 Folio 194A;
  • the 200 metre area that is within 200 m of the outer boundary of that parcel;
  • the 300 metre portion of the Weymul access road (Road 156 / Cherratta Road) beginning on the outer boundary of the 200 metre buffer and running to the Manuwarra Red Dog Highway.
• Use the resulting map to identify all points where customary access routes enter the Weymul area for notice placement (regulation 5(1)) and to identify exact points where possession or carriage of liquor would trigger the prohibition (regulation 6(1)).

2. Director’s signage and community communication (regulation 5)

• The Director of Liquor Licensing must take all reasonable steps to cause notices to be posted and kept posted at each place where a customary access route enters the area (regulation 5(1)). Ensure the notices:
  • describe the offences set out in regulation 6(1) (bringing liquor into or possessing liquor in the Weymul area);
  • specify the penalties ($2,000 general, $5,000 for persons in the licensed categories) as set out in the instrument.
• Because the instrument does not define "customary access route", consult local community leaders, road authorities, and the relevant landholders to identify customary entry points. Document the decision‑making process to demonstrate that "all reasonable steps" were taken in the event of later scrutiny.
• Maintain and periodically inspect signage to ensure it remains posted while the area is restricted. Keep records of postings and inspections.

3. For individuals, travellers and visitors (regulation 6)

• Avoid bringing liquor into the mapped Weymul area and avoid possessing liquor within it. Because the prohibition includes "causes liquor to be brought into", do not instruct third parties to deliver alcohol into the area.
• If travel on the Weymul access road segment is necessary, plan to travel without alcohol in immediate possession within the relevant 300 metre segment.
• If in doubt about whether a particular parcel or route is within the Weymul area, consult the mapped boundaries before carrying or accepting alcohol in the vicinity.

4. For licensees, managers and corporate directors (regulation 6(2))

• The instrument imposes a higher fine on licensees, managers and directors who commit the offence. Review internal policies and staff instructions to ensure that:
  • staff are instructed not to bring or possess alcohol within the mapped area; and
  • delivery and supply arrangements do not cause alcohol to be brought into the area.
• Consider training and compliance checks for staff who have occasion to travel near or into the area, including vehicle checks and clear directions to third‑party delivery services to avoid delivering liquor into the area.

5. For transporters and suppliers

• Do not deliver liquor into the Weymul area unless you have clear authorisation and a legal basis to do so. The "causes liquor to be brought into" language may catch delivery businesses that effect a delivery into the restricted area at the direction of a customer.
• Implement routing rules, delivery refusals, and written records that show instruction to avoid delivering to addresses within the mapped area.

6. Engagement with police procedures and evidence issues (regulation 7)

• Expect that police may seize and dispose of any opened or unopened container suspected on reasonable grounds to be the subject of an offence under regulation 6(1), and that such disposal may occur as soon as is practicable (regulation 7).
• Where seized containers might be relevant to a contested prosecution or administrative review, advise clients or community members to seek immediate legal advice. Practitioners acting for parties should be prepared to document the facts surrounding any seizure and to obtain police incident numbers and written records at the time of the seizure.

7. Record‑keeping and incident documentation

• Because signage obligations and seizure/disposal are fact‑sensitive, maintain contemporaneous records of:
  • posted notices and their locations;
  • mapping and decisions about what constitutes customary access routes;
  • instances where persons, deliveries or vehicles either entered the area with alcohol or were refused entry;
  • any police interactions, seizure particulars, and disposal records.
• These records will be important in any subsequent prosecution or administrative review.

8. Temporal monitoring (regulation 8)

• The restriction expires at the close of 19 March 2029 unless sooner repealed. Administrators and stakeholders should track this expiry and any subsequent instruments or legislative action. If the restriction is needed beyond that date, plan for review and potential renewal well before expiry.

9. Consult the Liquor Control Act 1988 and the Liquor Control Regulations 1989

• For procedural elements not detailed in the instrument , for example, the consequences of arrest, the court process for offences, and the administrative processes related to regulation 27(4) in the Liquor Control Regulations 1989 , consult the text of the Liquor Control Act 1988 and the Liquor Control Regulations 1989. Regulation 7 explicitly operates "despite section 155(4) and (5) of the Act", so those subsections should be read to understand what constraints are being disapplied.

10. Legal advice and community engagement

• The instrument contains no exemptions explicitly. Where cultural, medical, or emergency needs might require authorised alcohol possession, engage early with the Director of Liquor Licensing and local policing to seek clarity and establish protocols. Document any permissions or assurances received, and obtain written confirmation where feasible.

In short, compliance is a combination of precise spatial mapping; prevention of physical carriage, transport and delivery of alcohol into the mapped area; operational training for licence‑holders and suppliers; administrative fulfilment of signage duties by the Director; and preparedness for police seizure practice. The instrument provides the legal hook; translating it into practical compliance requires mapping, communication and record‑keeping.