BUSH pubs' liquor licences will be reviewed by the Victorian Government following urgent calls for help from struggling publicans.
Hundreds of small pubs in Victoria face possible closure, partly due to drastic licence-fee hikes introduced by the Government to curb alcohol-fuelled, anti-social behaviour.
- Should country pubs be exempt from liquor licence fee hikes?
- Have Your Say now in the form below
But after a storm of anger from bush publicans, Consumer Affairs Minister Tony Robinson has told The Weekly Times the Government would "conduct another review into licence fees for small country pubs".
Mr Robinson said more work would be undertaken to refine licensing "risk" categories.
"Further independent research would be commissioned to look specifically at the issue of regional and rural pubs to see if there is a real difference between the risk posed by small venues operating in a country town and similarly sized venues in regional cities or in suburban Melbourne," he said.
"We'd like to see incentives for those who run a pub in a good way ... and their fees will be different from those who don't."
He said the Government may "come up with a defined criteria of what a small country pub may be" and this may consider how a business operates, including aspects such as takings over the bar, numbers of patrons and opening hours.
But Mr Robinson did not support the idea that country pubs be classified as community buildings and subject to lower fees.
"We'll continue to have dialogue ... there's much work to be done ... and we are happy to act on guidance we will get from a further review," he said.
The move has been cautiously welcomed by country publicans.
Merino publican Ian Whalley said the minister's comments were "most encouraging, but it's easier to talk the talk than walk the walk".
Tolmie Tavern's publican, Ronnie O'Dwyer, said the Government had failed to recognise the services provided by tiny country pubs that were otherwise unavailable.
"But if they do review licensing and take into account that, for example, our little business here just about poses no greater risk than your average household, then that would be fantastic," Mr O'Dwyer said.
Dingee Hotel publican Garry Vassallo said a further review would be "very, very welcome because we need all the help we can get (as) small pubs are shutting shop everywhere".
"Bush pubs are part of what being Australian is about. Without bush pubs Australia just isn't Australia," Mr Vassallo said.
Cowwarr Cricket Club Hotel's Helen Hoppner said country publicans were hard-working, community-focused people who were now "being treated as criminals".
