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Background

A Takeaway Alcohol Management System (TAMS) is a system designed to support liquor restrictions, by reducing opportunities for people to purchase quantities of liquor, above what is mandated within any applicable restriction.

The TAMS system will be used in conjunction with the Banned Drinkers Register (BDR) functionality contained within the same system.

The TAMS works by recording the amount and type of liquor purchased by any individual within a 24-hour period and automatically alerts retail staff, when any daily purchase limit has been reached.  The TAMS reduces the opportunities to purchase quantities of liquor, in excess of any limits imposed and the opportunities to shop around by maintaining a central database of purchases of each person in any 24-hour period. Personal information is not stored beyond a 24-hour period.

The Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries (DLGSC) has acquired a TAMS, which will be trialled at licensed premises in the Kimberley region.  

The TAMS will utilise cloud-based technology and will be maintained by DLGSC who have entered into a contract with the Western Australian company Scantek, to deliver hardware and other infrastructure to provide for the operation of the system. 

Operation of the TAMS

The DLGSC will make onsite training and information available to all impacted licensees. The DLGSC will also provide necessary manuals and information documentation as well as a dedicated helpline that will operate 7 days a week, and a BDR email and help facility.

Expectations of DLGSC

The DLGSC will provide support to licensees during the period of the trial. As a minimum DLGSC will:

• provide onsite training, demonstrations and other relevant information to licensees who sell packaged liquor to the public
• provide procedure documentation and manuals
• support the operation of the BDR/TAMS through its management of the contract with Scantek
• provide an on call 7 day a week help line and dedicated email contact
• regularly contact licensees to seek feedback and areas for improvement or concern
• securely maintain data and information stored in the system
• facilitate an external evaluation of the trial
• manage communications and provide advertising and educational material for Licensees to display at their premises.

Expectations of licensees

It is expected and anticipated that licensees will participate and collaborate with DLGSC and other stakeholders during the period the TAMS is in use. As a minimum:

• Licensees will not sell packaged liquor (takeaway alcohol), without first obtaining an approved and scannable form of identification, scanning that document, and receiving an indication that the customer is not prohibited from purchasing and has not already purchased their daily limit. Identification documents used to purchase packaged liquor must include a photo of the person named on the document and be sufficiently free from damage to allow visual verification that the identification belongs to the person.
• Where an indication is received that the customer is on the BDR that person is prohibited from purchasing any quantity of packaged liquor. It is important to note that the licensee may commit an offence should the purchase proceed.
• Where the system indicates that a purchaser has already purchased liquor in quantities up to the prescribed daily limit no further purchases can be made, and the licensee may commit an offence if they knowingly sell liquor in quantities that exceed the restricted amounts.
• The system is used at all times the premises is trading and no attempts are made to interfere or disable any part of the system or its componentry.
• Trade will be permitted to continue where system functionality is not available provided faults and technical issues are reported to DLGSC or Scantek through the nominated communication channels as soon as possible and are recorded in the incident register.
• Licensees and staff will not take possession of the identification used for any purchase or any EFTPOS or other purchasing cards for longer than is required to complete the purchase. Cards and identification will not be stored at licensed premises for any reason.

It is important that all licensees have an appropriate and relevant COVID plan in place to minimise and mitigate any risks related to the use of the system.