NSW is reining in online alcohol delivery amid claims that cowboy behaviour is enabling people to buy alcohol when intoxicated.

The proposed NSW reforms will make it an offence to supply alcohol to intoxicated people, failing to verify the age of online customers and delivering after midnight or 11pm on Sundays.
“For the first time, people selling alcohol for same-day delivery will have an explicit obligation to verify that the person placing the order is over 18 years,” the NSW Minister for Customer Service, Victor Dominello, said.
“In a world where you can now get alcohol delivered to your door in under 30 minutes, we need to ensure best practice harm minimisation is adhered to in all circumstances.
In 2017-18, online liquor sales in Australia were estimated to be worth 4 per cent of total liquor sales, but annual growth from 2018-23 is projected to double to 8.6 per cent.
Online alcohol sales have grown significantly in recent years, in line with customer demand for other food and beverage delivery services. COVID-19 restrictions on pubs and clubs have also boosted this segment of the market.
The proposed reforms would mean NSW had the highest standards in the country.
The obligations will require deliverers to be trained in responsible delivery of alcohol. The changes are part of a broader set of NSW “24-hour economy” reforms to promote safer alcohol consumption across Sydney.
National polling by YouGov Galaxy, commissioned by the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education, found that since the COVID-19 pandemic began, 20 per cent of Australians say they are purchasing more alcohol.
Alcohol Beverages Australia has contested this finding, pointing to an Australian Bureau of Statistics survey which found 14 per cent of Australians reported that their drinking had increased during the lockdown, but that 10 per cent had reported drinking less.
VicHealth said that … to reduce harm we want to see a minimum time of two hours between ordering and receiving alcohol, IDs must be checked and under no circumstances should alcohol be left unattended”.
“Something is really wrong when a business is allowed to sell someone a bottle of hard alcohol when they’re already drunk and deliver it to their door in 15 minutes,” Dr Demaio said.
Retail Drinks Australia said the survey was largely based on illegal alcohol supply and had unfairly tarnished the reputation of responsible online alcohol delivery companies.
Mr Dominello said NSW Liquor and Gaming had been working with the industry to enforce existing laws and ensure unlicensed providers can’t post alcohol delivery services online.