This month the ABCC released an advisory highlighting and explaining the new changes to Sunday opening times for off-premise licensees.
Effective on October 23, 2014 off-premise licensees may sell alcoholic beverages beginning at 10:00 a.m on Sundays. However, this new opening time does not come without certain actions that must be taken by the licensee.
In the advisory the ABCC writes, “Although under the law, these licensees are entitled as a matter of right to open at 10:00 a.m. and as such do not need the approval of the Local Licensing Authorities, licensees must notify the Local Licensing Authorities about the change of hours.”
This step should not be an overwhelming deterrence to the new early opening times as it can be completed by following the the change of hours process found on the ABCC’s website. Through this process licensees will be able to notify their local licensing authority of their new opening time. Since the law does not go into effect for another twenty days this gives licensees plenty of time to complete this process in time for early opening.
If a licensees fails to follow this process the licensee will be prohibited from making sales at the earlier time.