Pilbara banned drinkers register trial to launch in December
The State Government's trial of a banned drinkers register (BDR) in the Pilbara region will launch on December 1 following the appointment of a Western Australian company to deliver the program.
Western Australian company Scantek has been selected to supply and support the BDR trial, which will investigate the concept's effectiveness in limiting alcohol-related harm by ensuring banned drinkers will not be able to purchase takeaway liquor.
Liquor store staff will be alerted at the point of sale when an identified problem drinker attempts to purchase liquor, giving licensees a real-time tool to identify those who cannot legally be sold alcohol.
The BDR technology will assess a person's identification to determine if they are on the register, with a visual indicator to alert staff if they are a banned drinker.
Personal information relating to people on the BDR will remain confidential and no records will be kept by licensees about the purchaser, what they purchase or if they are refused.
The trial is expected to run for two years.
As part of the initiative, people who would like to voluntarily remove their access to takeaway alcohol can elect to be placed on the BDR.
Those identified as banned drinkers will be directed to appropriate wraparound community services to provide access to relevant support programs and initiatives.
The Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries will soon commence extensive consultation with affected licensees and other key stakeholders.