What people, including McGowan, appear to be concerned about is the potential harm caused by drunks to non-drinkers (ie, families). My point is that there are existing protections in place over any licence.
If there’s a drunk person causing problems in the stadium, then the stadium management has failed: either by letting a drunk person in, serving a drunk person, or not dealing with a drunk person if they have somehow circumvented protections put in place (with a hip flask, for example). Unless you consider people are capable of getting drunk off one standard drink, the difference between serving a mid-strength and regular beer in this scenario is negligible other than in flavour and personal choice.
The current arrangement at Subi allows for parts of the stadium to sell full-strength beer, on the basis that those sections have the adequate controls in place (ie, doormen at the BW room, more attentive service staff in the boxes). I’d suggest that’s a sensible approach, and one that could be expanded to other parts of the stadium.
But when confronted with the reality that serving full-strength alcohol doesn’t cause problems in some areas, rather than interrogate what those controls are, the Premier has decided to grandstand on class. I’m normally all for that, but not when the result is consigning me to Carlton Mid, without the respite of at least a Fat Yak at halftime.
It’s pretty poor.
Just open members' bars that sell full-strength. If someone is causing problems, suspend their membership.
And, for the record, CUB, in addition to Carlton Draft, sell SABMiller and Anheuser-Busch beers (ie, half the beers in the world).
