Same-day alcohol delivery is currently unregulated, but the ACT aims to become the first jurisdiction to enact laws in this space. Photo: ACT Government.
Canberrans could soon face time and volume restrictions when it comes to same-day delivery of alcohol to their homes.
The ACT Government introduced the Liquor Amendment Bill 2025, which aims to address some of the implications associated with the explosion of rapid alcohol delivery in the Territory.
Attorney-General Tara Cheyne said the service had accelerated during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the regulatory environment hadn’t kept pace.
“Same-day delivery [of alcohol], having no limit on the amount of alcohol that can be ordered, no limit on the time that alcohol can be ordered, and the very quick delivery of alcohol, means consumers are able to have uninterrupted consumption of alcohol without leaving their homes,” she said.
“As [these] services become as commonplace as going out for a drink, it follows that it’s not unreasonable for commensurate protections to be put in place for the safety of the community.”
The proposed law changes would include limiting same-day delivery of alcohol to between 10 am and 10 pm, a two-hour “safety pause” between the time of ordering and the time of delivery, and a mechanism to cap the volume of alcohol delivered in 24 hours.
Consultation on a possible framework for this space began two years ago after a number of community groups raised concerns about the rapid access to alcohol.
Impacts on people’s health, the addictive nature of alcohol, and the relationship between alcohol and violent behaviours were all put forward as reasons why there needed to be safeguards in place.
The proposed limits wouldn’t be applied to exempt businesses – such as gift makers, florists, hairdressers, and hospitals and aged care facilities – and the two-hour pause wouldn’t apply if the alcohol were ordered with a meal (but only if the amount of alcohol ordered isn’t excessive in comparison to the food provided).
It would also introduce a new offence for abusive, threatening or intimidating behaviour towards a delivery person, a requirement for any such instances to be reported, and a prohibition on delivery to schools, and bus and light rail stops.
Same-day alcohol delivery drivers would also be required to undertake a Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) course.
“The measures proposed under this Bill aim to preserve convenience for consumers and to clarify expectations for delivery drivers, while working to minimise the harm associated with the consumption of alcohol,” Ms Cheyne said.
There are both large-scale (such as Uber Eats and DoorDash) and local businesses that provide same-day alcohol delivery services in Canberra.
Fyshwick’s Farrah’s Liquor Collective was established in 2019 and offers same-day alcohol delivery if orders are placed before 10 am.
Owner Matt Farrah understood the potential harm caused by access to alcohol needed to be considered but questioned how the proposed law could work in reality.
“Liquor stores are basically in everyone’s backyard; you can walk down the street [to buy your alcohol],” he said.
“Yes, many close at 8 o’clock, but nothing’s stopping people from buying as much as they’d like.
“How far do you want to reach into people’s homes and lives to regulate something that is legal?”
He also questioned the proposed requirement for delivery drivers to complete an RSA, stating the time and cost to receive and renew the certification could have a “detrimental effect” on staff’s willingness to deliver alcohol orders.
It could have safety implications as well.
“If a person is intoxicated … and a driver says ‘we can’t serve you’, even though you’ve already paid [for the alcohol], it could be putting [drivers] into a violent situation,” Mr Farrah said.
The legislation’s explanatory statement acknowledged that the RSA requirement could put drivers into “conflict” with a customer if delivery is refused.
“This limitation is proportionate to the significant benefits that the same-day delivery framework will provide to the ACT community in terms of health promotion and reducing alcohol-related violence,” it stated.
“The amendments are balanced with a safeguard that requires same-day delivery providers and delivery people to undertake mandatory RSA training specific to this scenario, which is expected to mitigate some of these harms by providing tools such as de-escalation strategies.”
The proposed legislation is yet to be debated in the Legislative Assembly. Ms Cheyne recommended it be examined by the relevant committee first.
