Community action on alcohol availability toolkit

Local communities can help shape where, when and how alcohol is sold in their area.

What is community action on alcohol availability?

Community action on alcohol availability is when local communities get involved in issues related to alcohol harm and how available alcohol is in their area. It can include:

• raising awareness of alcohol-related harm and how it links to availability
• building the capacity of local organisations to respond to harm associated with alcohol availability
• supporting the community to make a submission about a proposed liquor licence
• taking part in local liquor licensing processes.

The availability of alcohol is linked with how much people drink and with the harms that follow, so reducing availability through liquor licensing can help reduce alcohol harm.

How can communities be involved in liquor licensing decisions?

When someone applies for a liquor licence, community members and organisations can make a submission or an objection. They can ask for the licence not to be granted, or for it to be granted with conditions.

Community action is most effective when communities are well organised and can show local evidence of alcohol-related harm to the people making the decision. Local data helps decision makers weigh the application, though a submission won’t always lead to the outcome the community hopes for. The process differs between states and territories, so check with your state or territory liquor regulator.

Councils also have a role. The Local Government guide includes a sample policy on alcohol availability, sponsorship and advertising at council-owned venues.

How Local Drug Action Teams use it

Local Drug Action Teams can use this toolkit on its own, as the basis for a Community Action Plan (CAP) focused on alcohol availability, or alongside other toolkits that support community activities to reduce alcohol harm.

How Local Drug Action Teams are responding

• Mandurah LDAT peer-led alcohol education: alongside youth-led alcohol education and an alcohol-free youth event, partners audited local bottle shops and reminded them of their responsibility not to sell alcohol to under-18s.
• Reducing youth alcohol consumption in Mandurah: how the LDAT’s plan to make alcohol harder for young people to access tied in with the Our Mandurah Community Youth Alcohol Strategy.

The full toolkit gives Local Drug Action Teams practical guidance, including:

• key points for Local Drug Action Teams
• drawing on existing programs
• guiding principles
• considerations for planning and delivery
• key activity and measuring success
• key steps.

If you’re part of a Local Drug Action Team, you can use the full toolkit on the LDAT platform.

Last reviewed: 4 November 2026