Tuesday, 25 August 2026

 Bev McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (13:03): (2539) My constituency question is to the minister responsible for liquor regulation. Communities That Care in Geelong has undertaken extensive research into under-age access to alcohol. Its testing found that 48 per cent of packaged liquor outlets surveyed in Geelong sold alcohol to a young person independently assessed as looking under 18 without requesting identification. In 2023 the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee recommended increased mystery shopper compliance exercises, and in July 2024 the Victorian government supported that recommendation in principle and said it would consider incorporating controlled operations into liquor enforcement. Two years later Communities That Care says this has still not occurred. Minister, when will the government introduce controlled test purchasing operations to properly enforce laws prohibiting the sale of alcohol to minors in Geelong and across Victoria?