BY JARROD McALEESE
A JOINT study conducted by Victoria Police and Communities That Care has found that more than one in three bottle shops in Cardinia Shire failed to request identification before selling alcohol to individuals who appeared underage.
The investigation involved persons over the age of 18 who looked underage attempting to purchase alcohol from bottle shops in Cardinia Shire.
Of the licensees tested, 40 per cent failed to check for identification.
The study was supported by Deakin University and funded by a grant from the Victorian Department of Justice and Regulation.
Deakin psychology professor John Toumbourou said the results indicated a worrying trend among youth in the community.
“Recent surveys found 36 per cent of young people in Cardinia Shire were using alcohol at age 14. When asked where they obtained their alcohol they commonly reported getting it from home, but in some cases from bottle shops,” Professor Toumbourou said.
Communities That Care facilitator Amy Moore said that the findings were disappointing but were an opportunity for shops to make amends for their mistakes and enforce stricter monitoring.
“It was disappointing to see that such a high percentage of stores didn’t check the ID of someone who looked under 18 years old. Our studies have shown that secondary school-aged youth are consuming alcohol and so the sale of alcohol to underage youth is a serious concern.
“We have contacted all the bottle shops we visited, including the few who sold the alcohol, to provide advice and support to improve their policies and procedures.
“Council and Victoria Police are committed to working together to reduce alcohol harm in Cardinia Shire,” Ms Moore said.
