Liquor licensing red-tape cuts a 'sensible' reform for Qld tourism

Speaking on behalf of the industry, the Accommodation Association of Australia said the reforms – which include removing the requirement for tour operators who only serve small amounts of alcohol to have a liquor licence, removing the requirement for licensees to keep a training register for responsible service of alcohol and allowing licensees to pay their fees in instalments should they suffer financial hardship - will boost tourism.

"These are sensible reforms and are another example of Premier Newman and his government cutting a swathe through unnecessary red tape in Queensland," said the chief executive officer of the association, Richard Munro.

"Too often, small businesses in the tourism industry lose valuable time and money on things like liquor licensing when this would be better spent on providing domestic and international visitors to Queensland with a warmer welcome and a superior holiday experience."

Munro said in light of these decisions, the accommodation industry has commenced a process of determining if there are other regulatory burdens in Queensland which should be abolished.

"Through its strong track record in this area, the Newman government has proved that it wants to ensure that Queensland is well and truly open for business," Munro said.

"With its status as one of the most important industries to the Queensland economy, tourism is seeing the benefits of the changes that the state government has made.

"It sets a fine example for other governments across Australia to follow."