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Under current laws, alcohol can only be served with a meal on Good Friday from 12 noon to 10pm, but 100 licensed premises have applied for Occasional Liquor Licences, more than double the applications received last year, which will remove the meal requirement and alter their trading hours.

Under WA Government reforms to go before Parliament this year, the meal requirement will become history for both Good Friday and Christmas Day. Trading hours for Good Friday, Christmas Day and ANZAC Day will also be increased by four hours, to become 10am to midnight.

Other planned changes include removing the need to renew extended trading permits, allowing for digital forms of identification, and increasing the capacity of small bars from 120 to 150 patrons to enable venue owners to grow their business.

The reforms are aimed at modernising and simplifying liquor licensing laws to make it easier and cheaper for liquor, hospitality, and tourism industry participants to open and operate their businesses.

The new laws will support the alcohol harm reduction measures already in place such as the Banned Drinkers Register, Protected Entertainment Precincts, and targeted liquor restrictions.