Arc affiliated Clubs must comply with the requirements of the Arc Clubs Alcohol Policy at all Club activities. Any breaches by a Club may result in the Club becoming disaffiliated. Alcohol expenses for events will not be funded by the Arc Clubs Grant.
Arc encourages moderation and a responsible attitude towards the safe consumption of alcohol. We aim to create a climate that enables individuals to make a free and informed choice as to the level of their alcohol consumption in an environment free of inducement and social pressure to drink alcohol. Arc recognises that alcohol consumption is enjoyed by many members of the University community and that Arc Clubs may want to incorporate alcohol into their activities, and while Arc will not attempt to stop drinking at Club events, our specific goals are to:
- minimise alcohol-related harm to the individual
- minimise alcohol-related damage to property;
- preserve the reputation of Arc in the community.
Arc reserves the right to reject any grant application if Arc determines that the Arc Clubs Alcohol Policy has been breached. Club activities must at all times comply with relevant Commonwealth and State laws, University Policies and Procedures and Arc Policies and Procedures. It is the responsibility of the Club Executive to ensure that everything is done to minimise the harmful effects of alcohol and that this Policy is adhered to.
General requirements of Club activities:
- Club members under the age of 18 must not consume alcohol;
- Club members must not be subjected to any pressure to drink;
- Desirable non-alcoholic drinks must be available in adequate quantities. Where drinks are being sold, non-alcoholic drinks must be available at lower prices than their comparable alcoholic alternative. Water must be available for free at all times;
- Drinking alcohol and becoming intoxicated must not be the primary objective of the Club activity;
- There must be food and other forms of entertainment at events where alcohol is served;
- Club members will not drink with the aim of becoming intoxicated
- Club members who are intoxicated will not continue drinking;
- Club members who prefer not to drink will be supported;
- Use of serving practices consistent with the "National Guidelines For Responsible Service of Alcohol"
- At least one activity organiser must be designated not to drink for the entirety of the event and must be responsible for the Clubs adherence to relevant policies and procedures including this Policy;
- At least one activity organiser must be designated not to drink for the entirety of the event and must be responsible for the Clubs adherence to relevant policies and procedures including this Policy;
- Activity organisers must make every reasonable attempt to ensure the safety of attendees at Club activities. This includes not allowing intoxicated Club members to continue drinking, assisting members to get home safely, monitoring the health and well-being of members and providing assistance where necessary;
- All activity attendees are subject to the same rights and responsibilities as Club
- Drinking must not interfere with the interests and welfare of others, damage property or bring the reputation of Arc or the University into disrepute
Club activities held in licensed venues must comply with venue policies and procedures as well as this Policy. Club activities not held in a licensed venue must comply with the following additional requirements:
- Only a Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) certified person can serve alcohol at the event. This person must use serving practices consistent with those learnt in an approved RSA training course. Student notes can be found at: https://www.liquorandgaming.nsw.gov.au/documents/collateral/nsw-rsa-course-handbook.pdf;
- Only licensed entities from licensed premises may sell alcohol as per Australian law
- The University of New South Wales does allow consumption of alcohol on their campuses. UNSW Facilities Management must approve all Club activities held on UNSW outdoor spaces. As per their conditions of use, a license is required if alcohol is served and any fee is charged (https://www.estate.unsw.edu.au/outdoor-events/outdoor-event-guidelines).
- Food and drink are not allowed in UNSW Centrally Allocated Teaching Spaces (CATS)
- University Rules and Codes of Conduct for Students can be found here: https://student.unsw.edu.au/conduct. These do not relate specifically to the consumption or provision of alcohol; however, alcohol consumption may increase the risk that students engage in student misconduct. Activity organisers should familiarise themselves with these rules and codes of conduct and make every reasonable effort to ensure Club members do not engage in misconduct.
- Clubs must comply with the requirements, policies and procedures of the venue where the activity is being held. This includes complying with informal requests from the host, for example, when a Club activity is held in a private residence, Club members must comply with the rules set down by the host.
Banned practices regarding Alcohol include:
- Promotional activities, including alcohol promotions conducted in cooperation with alcohol suppliers, which offer inducements or otherwise encourage drinking.
- Customs which exert social pressure on students to drink to excess including competitive drinking practices.
- No event is to advertise or promote the provision of an unlimited amount of alcohol (e.g., "all you can drink") or promote the event with alcohol consumption as the main activity of the event.
For any event where the ticket price structure factors in the inclusion of alcohol, Clubs must provide non-alcoholic beverages of equal value for attendees who will not be consuming alcohol.
Members of the University community who require further information about alcohol and its effects or who wish to seek help in connection with their drinking are invited to consult either the University Health Service or Counselling Service. A Government developed fact sheet is available at: https://positivechoices.org.au...
If Club Executives are unsure about certain aspects of this Policy, it is their responsibility to seek advice from the Arc Clubs Team. A representative from the Clubs Team is available to answer questions about this Policy, its interpretation and implementation or may seek further advice from Arc Legal and Advocacy.
What do I do if there is an incident?
At the time of the incident, alert security and emergency services (if appropriate) and follow their instructions. After the event Clubs are required to complete an Arc Club Incident Report.
FAQs
Can we serve alcohol at events?
Yes, Clubs can serve alcohol at events as long as the Arc Clubs Alcohol policy is followed. As for all Club events, you should be conducting risk assessments to minimise risks associated with Club activities, including alcohol consumption at events.
Is the consumption of alcohol allowed on campus at UNSW?
Consumption of alcohol is allowed at Club events on Campus but with all events where alcohol is distributed there needs to be people with RSA distributing the Alcohol. Clubs cannot sell alcohol as they are not licensed to do so. Clubs must specify any intention to supply alcohol when making a booking for a location on campus and must follow any restrictions set by the relevant venue management. For example, at Arc venues such as the Roundhouse, BYO is prohibited, but drinks packages can be arranged in advance.
Where can I find out more information?
NSW Liquor and Gaming – Liquor Law: https://www.liquorandgaming.ns...
UNSW Student Wellbeing – Alcohol and drugs student.unsw.edu.au/alcohol-and-drugs
UNSW HS825 Alcohol and Drugs Procedure www.gs.unsw.edu.au/policy/docu...
UNSW FM Assist – Guidelines for Outdoor Events https://www.estate.unsw.edu.au...
Related Documents
Clubs Handbook (www.arc.unsw.edu.au/clubs/clubshandbook)
- Section 14 – Work Health and Safety (WHS)
- Section 15 – Managing Risk
- Section 21 – Incident Reporting
- Section 22 – Managing Club Events
Forms & Files (www.www.arc.unsw.edu.au/clubs/club-admin/club-forms)
- Arc Club Incident Report
