Section 80 Liquor Act 2007
Dealing with Complaints

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Section 80 of the Liquor Act 2007 (NSW) is concerned with Dealing with Complaints and is set out below.

For accurate advice and exceptional representation from lawyers who are experienced in representing liquor licence holders, applicants and defendants call Sydney Criminal Lawyers® today on (02) 9261 8881.

The Legislation

80 Dealing with complaints

(1) The Director-General may, after receiving a complaint under section 79, decide:
(a) to deal with the complaint in accordance with this Division, or
(b) to take no further action under this Division in relation to the complaint.

(2) If the Director-General decides to deal with the complaint, the Director-General may:
(a) convene a conference to hear submissions in relation to the complaint, or
(b) invite written submissions from the licensee for the licensed premises to which the complaint relates, and from such other persons as the Director-General considers appropriate, and make a decision in relation to the complaint without convening a conference.

(3) A conference, if convened, may deal with more than one complaint.

(4) A complaint in relation to licensed premises that is being dealt with by the Director-General under this section may be extended to include other licensed premises if the Director-General is satisfied:
(a) that the evidence given in support of the complaint would support a complaint against the other licensed premises, or
(b) that, assuming that the complaint is shown to be justified, action taken in relation to the licensed premises the subject of the complaint will be ineffective unless similar action is taken in relation to the other licensed premises.

(5) Any licensed premises in respect of which a complaint is extended as referred to in subsection (4) is, for the purposes of this Division, taken to be the subject of a complaint under this Division.

(6) If, in relation to any such extended complaint, a conference is not convened, the Director-General must invite written submissions from the licensee for the licensed premises that are the subject of the extended complaint before making a decision in relation to the complaint.

(7) If a conference is convened in relation to a complaint:
(a) notice of the time and place of the conference is to be given to all complainants and the licensee or licensees as specified by the Director-General, and
(b) the Director-General is not to make a decision in relation to the complaint unless each complainant and licensee who is present at the conference is given a reasonable opportunity to be heard.

(8) A conference under this section is to be presided over by the Director-General and the procedure at the conference is to be determined by the Director-General.

(9) Nothing in this section prevents the Director-General from taking other action in relation to a complaint under this Division or in relation to licensed premises that are the subject of a complaint under this Division.

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Going to court can be nerve-racking, but having a strong and compassionate legal team behind you can make the experience significantly easier to deal with.

Here are 12 reasons to choose our multi-award winning legal team:

  1. Proven Track Record of Exceptional Results

    Sydney Criminal Lawyers® consistently achieves outcomes which are in the highest percentile of the Judicial Commission’s sentencing statistics for criminal cases.

    Our legal team devises effective case-strategies and fights hard to have cases dropped entirely or charges downgraded – saving clients the time, expense and stress of a defended hearing or jury trial.

    Where cases nevertheless proceed, our lawyers have an outstanding track record of winning defended Local Court hearings, and complex jury trials in the District and Supreme Courts.

    We also consistently win appeals in the District and Supreme Courts (including the NSWCCA) after clients have received unsatisfactory results with other law firms in the lower courts.We are one of the few firms to achieve successful criminal law appeals in the High Court of Australia.

    Where our clients wish to plead guilty, we frequently achieve ‘dismissals’ and ‘non convictions’ in cases where other lawyers have advised there is no chance of doing so.

  2. Highest Level of Client Satisfaction

    We have the best and most comprehensive client review record of any law firm in Australia.

    Regular communication, accessibility and quality service are our team’s highest priorities.

    We are committed to thoroughly explaining all steps involved in the criminal law process, providing regular updates throughout the proceedings, and making ourselves accessible and responsive.

    We are passionate about providing an exceptional level of service to our clients, and we fight hard to achieve optimal results in the shortest period of time.

  3. Australia’s Most Awarded Criminal Law Firm

    We have received more awards and accolades than any other criminal law firm in Australia. Our team has been awarded “Criminal Defence Firm of the Year in Australia” in a number of prestigious and competitive awards programs for several years running.

    The awards recognise our exceptional track record of results, our outstanding client service, the high level of satisfaction we achieve, the affordability of our services and our overall excellence.

  4. Fixed Fees

    We want our clients to know exactly how much their cases will cost from the very start. That’s why we were the first criminal law firm in Australia to publish ‘fixed fees’, back in 2004.

    We offer fixed fees for most types of criminal cases and services.Our fixed fees apply to a range of Local Court cases such as drink driving, drug possession, fraud, common assault and AVOs, and also specific services such as prison visits, bail applications, appeals and defended hearings.

    Unlike many other law firms, our fixed fees are published on our website – which ensures transparency and certainty.

  5. Free First Appointment

    For those who are going to court, we offer a free first conference of up to an hour with one of our Senior Criminal Defence Lawyers.

    We also offer a free first conference to those who have received an unsatisfactory result after being represented in court by another law firm, or after representing themselves, and wish to appeal.

  6. Specialist Lawyer Guarantee

    We guarantee that only lawyers with substantial criminal defence experience will work on your case and appear for you in court.

    This ensures our clients receive the highest quality representation from an experienced, specialist criminal lawyer.

  7. All NSW Courts

    From Bombala to Broken Hill, our lawyers appear in courts throughout New South Wales – and across Australia for Commonwealth cases.

    And we offer fixed fees for most criminal and traffic law cases throughout the state.

  8. Accredited Specialists

    Our entire firm is exclusively dedicated to criminal law – which makes us true specialists.

    All of our lawyers have years of experience representing clients in criminal cases, and our principal has been certified by the Law Society of NSW as an Accredited Criminal Law Specialist since 2005.

    An ‘Accredited Specialist’ is a lawyer who has practised for at least 5 years in a particular field of law (such as criminal law), has passed a rigorous assessment process conducted by the Law Society of NSW, and has been selected by the Specialist Accreditation Committee of the Law Society as an expert in the field.

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    Our firm’s specialist experience ensures you receive the best possible result, whatever your criminal law case may be.

  9. Results-Focused Law Firm

    Our team is passionate about achieving results, and unlike many other law firms, our lawyers do not have monthly financial ‘budgets’ to meet.

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  10. Team of Lawyers Behind You

    Our clients benefit from the pool of knowledge that only an extensive team of experienced criminal defence lawyers can provide.

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  11. Familiar with Magistrates and Judges

    Each of our lawyers appears in court on a daily basis, and has done so for years. We have therefore been able to develop an understanding of, and rapport with, magistrates and judges in Sydney and indeed across the state.

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  12. Convenience

    We have offices in locations across the Sydney Metropolitan Area and beyond, including:

    We offer free parking at our Sydney CBD offices, and all of our offices are close to train stations and bus terminals.

    For those who are unable to attend our offices, we offer conferences by telephone, Skye and FaceTime anywhere around the world.

    If you are going to court and wish to arrange a free first consultation, call our 24 hour hotline on (02) 9261 8881 or send us an email at info@sydneycriminallawyers.com.au.

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