Significant developments in online alcohol delivery in South Australia have emerged, driven by concerning new research about alcohol harm. The data reveals a troubling reality: people with alcohol dependency use rapid delivery services at more than twice the rate of those at low risk. Combined with the South Australian Royal Commission’s hard-hitting recommendations, these findings are forcing the state to confront serious gaps in SA alcohol delivery reform.
The statistics paint a clear picture. Just 24% of low-risk alcohol users access rapid delivery services, but this jumps to 55% for those likely experiencing alcohol dependency. This isn’t random chance. It’s a pattern that suggests vulnerable people are being specifically targeted.
Royal Commission Demands Immediate Action
The South Australian Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence pulled no punches in its comprehensive report ‘With courage: South Australia’s vision beyond violence’. Of the 136 recommendations, Recommendation 128 stands out for reforming online alcohol delivery in South Australia.
The Commission explicitly demands the SA government progress measures for online alcohol delivery in South Australia through the draft SA Liquor Licensing Bill, including making harm minimisation the paramount object of the Liquor Act, implementing a 2-hour safety pause between order and delivery, and restricting sale and delivery timelines. This SA alcohol delivery reform measure directly challenges an industry that has operated with minimal oversight.
The Commission went further, declaring that harm minimisation must become the top priority of liquor regulation. This represents a fundamental shift that puts community safety ahead of commercial convenience.
Premier Peter Malinauskas made specific reference to this recommendation in his recent press conference, acknowledging that online alcohol delivery in South Australia remains relatively unregulated and indicating that the Bill would be coming to cabinet very soon. The Premier suggested this would likely be one of the items the government can implement in the immediate term, aligning with the Commission’s ‘immediate’ timeframe classification.
Research Exposes How Vulnerable People Are Targeted
New research from the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education shows exactly how gaps in regulation of online alcohol delivery in South Australia enable harmful practices. The nationally representative survey of 2,037 Australians uncovered disturbing patterns in how vulnerable populations are specifically targeted through digital platforms.
The targeting goes beyond just rapid delivery. People with probable alcohol dependency were 122% more likely to purchase alcohol after clicking through online advertisements compared to low-risk consumers. The figures tell the story: 51% versus 23% respectively. Much of this targeted advertising happens through platforms like Uber Eats and Menulog, which many users think of as food delivery services rather than alcohol retailers.
The research shows that 39% of people likely experiencing alcohol dependency frequently see alcohol advertisements on these food delivery platforms, compared to just 14% of low-risk consumers. This represents a deliberate strategy to make alcohol purchasing feel normal within everyday activities like ordering dinner.
Industry Fights Back But Evidence Is Clear
Retail Drinks Australia has strongly opposed reforms to online alcohol delivery in South Australia, claiming rapid delivery services are rarely used and that proposed measures would have “next to zero effect on consumer behaviour.” These industry claims now look questionable given the research findings.
The evidence contradicts industry assertions: nearly 40% of alcohol consumers use rapid delivery services, with usage concentrated amongst the most vulnerable populations. The coalition fighting for change includes prominent organisations: the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE), South Australian Council of Social Service (SACOSS), SA Network of Drug and Alcohol Services (SANDAS), Alcohol and Drug Foundation (ADF), Embolden, Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA), and SA Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation Network (SAACCON). This level of unity shows how serious the situation has become and the broad agreement needed for immediate SA alcohol delivery reform.
The debate around online alcohol delivery in South Australia goes beyond statistics. It’s about protecting people from what the Royal Commission called “an industry that profits from commercial determinants of violence.” The Commission identified alcohol as one of the key “commercial determinants of violence,” fundamentally changing how we should view rapid alcohol delivery services.
The Link Between Alcohol Access and Violence
The Royal Commission’s findings completely reframe reform of online alcohol delivery in South Australia by establishing clear connections between alcohol availability and domestic violence severity. The Commission noted that “the relationship between alcohol and drug use and domestic, family and sexual violence in South Australia has been a throughline observed by the Commission during its engagement with people with lived experience.”
The Northern Territory Coroner’s observations, quoted extensively in the Commission report, make the point clearly: “whilst alcohol doesn’t cause domestic and family violence, it is a major enabler of it and increases the probability, frequency and severity of violence.” When alcohol can be delivered within two hours, or often much faster, it removes crucial cooling-off periods that might otherwise help de-escalate volatile situations.
This evidence transforms reform of online alcohol delivery in South Australia from a public health issue into an urgent violence prevention strategy. Moreover, the proposed safety-pause isn’t just about reducing alcohol consumption; rather, it’s about creating breathing space that, ultimately, could save lives.
A New Approach: Safety by Design
The Royal Commission advocates for a “safety-by-design” approach that completely changes how online alcohol delivery in South Australia addresses harm. As noted in the Commission report, “the Liquor and Gambling Commissioner would be adopting a safety-by-design approach that shifts the onus of safety from individuals to industries” (p. 610). This approach moves responsibility from individuals to industries, requiring companies to build protective measures into their business models rather than expecting vulnerable consumers to self-regulate.
This approach recognises that rapid alcohol delivery into homes dramatically increases availability and subsequent alcohol-related harms. The Commission’s recommendation for harm minimisation as the paramount object of liquor licensing represents comprehensive SA alcohol delivery reform that puts community wellbeing over commercial profits.
The Liquor and Gambling Commissioner will adopt this safety-by-design framework, shifting the burden of proof from harm victims to harm enablers.
Strong Community Support for Change
Public opinion research shows overwhelming community support for reform of online alcohol delivery in South Australia. Almost 80% of South Australians believe government should put reducing alcohol harms ahead of protecting industry profits when making legislative changes.
Support for the specific 2-hour safety pause reaches 75% amongst South Australian residents, showing that community sentiment strongly favours protective measures over commercial convenience. This broad-based support provides crucial political momentum for implementing comprehensive regulation of online alcohol delivery in South Australia.
The research methodology strengthens these findings. The Australian Research Council funded the study, and its large representative sample ensures results accurately reflect community attitudes rather than advocacy organisation preferences.
What Comes Next
The SA Premier’s commitment to fast-track the government’s response to Recommendation 128 suggests legislative action is coming soon. The proposed reforms to online alcohol delivery in South Australia represent the most significant regulatory intervention in Australia’s online alcohol market since it began.
Success with online alcohol delivery in South Australia could trigger nationwide reforms, particularly given the National Cabinet’s endorsement of similar recommendations from rapid review processes. Other states are watching closely as SA prepares to become Australia’s testing ground for comprehensive SA alcohol delivery reform.
The coalition of sector organisations has requested urgent meetings with government leaders to ensure the legislation passes without industry-influenced amendments that could undermine its protective intent.
This moment represents more than policy change. It’s a fundamental shift in priorities that places vulnerable community members ahead of commercial interests in Australia’s evolving digital economy.
Reference: No more delays: Royal Commission backs calls for urgent alcohol reform