After being closed down by the Government to help stem the flow of COVID-19, many venues have kept operating by offering takeaway food and alcohol services.
As previously reported by Bars and Clubs, many state and territory governments have changed liquor licence regulations in order to allow venues to start this trading.
Now the Australian Tax Office (ATO) has also stepped in and said it will support venues with takeaway sales by not applying regulations around licensing and excise duty.
A spokesperson for the ATO said: “The ATO recognises the exceptional circumstances the alcohol service industry is facing as a result of COVID-19 restrictions and also acknowledge that states and territory liquor licensing requirements have been relaxed to allow the sale of takeaway alcoholic beverages.
“In these circumstances, we do not propose to take compliance action in the following alcohol repackaging circumstances that would normally require you to have an excise manufacture licence and pay excise duty: Where closed alcohol service venues are in possession of duty-paid kegged beer which they repackage and sell in sealed containers (such as growlers). Where alcohol service venues use duty-paid alcoholic beverages to make ‘cocktails’ for takeaway sale in sealed containers.
“This applies from 23 March until 30 June 2020 to provide licensed venues with a means of selling stock on hand.”
It’s another positive step to help give the industry some impetus and hope in this dark period.
