The Nationals Member for Murray Valley, Ken Jasper, highlighted the glaring inconsistencies, inequities and injustices in the new liquor licence fee structure in the Victorian Parliament this week.

Speaking in the Parliament, Mr Jasper made the strongest possible representations on behalf of Murray Valley licensees, opposing the new licences, which apply from January 1 2010.

He highlighted the continuing range of inconsistencies and exorbitant fees being charged on a range of licence holders across his electorate of Murray Valley and sought an immediate investigation of the hardship that anomalies in the legislation are creating by the Minister responsible for the liquor industry, Tony Robinson.

Mr Jasper made reference to the Tarrawingee Golf Club which has seen its fee grow from about $98 to $397. The club, which has around 80 members, operates for about six hours per week, serving liquor to its members, and all handled by volunteers.

He also noted the objections of the operators of the café restaurant at Rutherglen Wine Experience, who sell small servings of wine as part of that very ‘wine experience’ whose fee has gone from $357 to $795

Massive increases apply to other sporting clubs, to general stores, such as Koonoomoo, west of Cobram, and Wunghnu, south of Numurkah; a range of caravan and holiday parks, such as the Murray River Hideaway at Strathmerton, which has had its fee jump from $159 to $6360, including a high risk fee of $477 for being licensed to trade on Good Friday and Christmas Day, despite not wanting to trade on those days.

Mr Jasper pointed to the enormous difficulties many licensee had had in objecting to the increased fees in the limited time allowed at the end of 2009 and had sought an immediate review of the increased fees.

People appealing on hardship grounds and extended trading hours are receiving rejections in a general letter sent out by the Director of Liquor Licensing, Sue Maclellan, he said.

Responding to Mr Jasper in the Parliament, Minister Robinson conceded that there are a range of anomalies and inconsistencies contained in the new fee structure, including penalties for some operators trading on Good Friday and Christmas Day.

Mr Jasper highlighted that the higher fees had to be paid by January 21 and many licensees had paid the huge fee increases under duress, fearful of receiving a penalty from the Authority.

Subsequent to personal discussions with the Minister, Mr Jasper pointed to issues raised by a range of licence holders concerned at the inappropriate fee structure and obviously upset at the lack of response or consideration from the Authority.

There have been inconsistencies, with some given exemptions for Good Friday trading whilst others have not, he said.

Mr Jasper put forward a notice of motion in the Legislative Assembly, confirming the many concerns of licence holders across Murray Valley with the new licence fee structure and seeking urgent action by the State Government and the Minister to address the anomalies and inconsistencies within the fee structure.

Despite all the representations which have been made, the Government is hell bent on raising $35 million from the industry to pay for additional policing of hot spot areas in King Street and other hot spot areas, mainly in the metropolitan area, and this means higher fees for everyone, he said.

With the new licence fees relating to the hours of operation, it is an ideal opportunity for the Government to review liquor trading hours and a range of issues, to bring the liquor industry into line with community expectations, recognising the major problems being created by excessive alcohol consumption in some sections of the community.