The MoU went before the Orange Liquor Accord meeting on Tuesday and despite discussing the issue at length licensees could not agree on a plan to implement the banned-from-one-banned-from-all policy. 

Orange Liquor Accord chairman Bill Kelly said there were multiple problems such as, how do you deal with a person if they are banned from one venue and they are another venue’s best customer?

“Another problem is that with a club, if you’re barred you can appeal before a board, but venues under the liquor act, the licensee has ultimate power,” he said.

“The most effective part [of the MoU] is that all venues agree we have to have a united approach and we need to work towards doing that. 

“The only issue was the multi-barring venues.”

It was the first liquor accord meeting since the Occidental Hotel and the Hotel Orange came under new management and Biddy Walsh’s Irish Pub  opened, however, the management of the Hotel Orange did not attend.

This made putting in place a multi-barring policy difficult because the Hotel Orange was a late-night trading venue, Mr Kelly said.

Since the Occidental trialled a two-month early closure of midnight seven months ago it has not re-opened late, with the Royal Hotel and the Hotel Orange now the only late traders in Orange. 

The MoU will come into effect next year for all signatories, but membership of the Orange Liquor Accord is voluntary. 

The multi-barring policy has been removed from the MoU, but it is not off the accord’s agenda and discussions will continue. Mr Kelly said. 

nicolekuter@fairfaxmedia.com.au