COUNTRY pubs face liquour licensing fee increases of up to 400 per cent under the State Government's proposed Liquor Control Reform Regulations currently before parliament.
Local publicans are calling for the State Government to review the changes, which they claim will unfairly slug country pubs while problem venues in Melbourne escape excessive increases.
The reforms are being introduced as part of measures to combat alcohol related violence issues in Melbourne.
The State Government previously indicated the fee increases would be targetted at Melbourne's night clubs and "sexually explicit entertainment venues''.
But it appears suburban and country venues are the ones being targetted under the legislation, with the proposed fees effectively deeming the smaller pubs a higher risk than their city counterparts.
For example, the proposed fee for the Spearmint Rhino strip club in Melbourne is $9585, whereas the fee for Kazbah Lounge in Sale is only marginally lower at $8340.
Wellington shire venues face increases of 423 per cent at Club Hotel Sale, known as Ringers; 345 per cent at the Loch Sport Hotel, 233 per cent at the Gippsland Hotel, and 187 per cent at Kazbah.
Star Hotel publican and Australian Hotels and Hospitality Association Gippsland councillor Trent Fairweather said local publicans thought the increases were excessive.
"We expected the rises but to have one jump like that is a huge burden,'' he said.
"I'm really worried mum and dad operators that run good family operations in small country towns will be the ones stung by this. To lift the fees by 300 to 400 per cent at the one time is too high.''
Mr Fairweather said he was also concerned by about increases in penalty notices, where any police officer can issue a notice potentially costing a venue $2840 to $22,720.
"We see it as a bit unfair and it's a bit vindictive to get such a big fine,'' he said.
Mr Fairweather said 70 per cent of alcohol was sold from liquor outlets yet they were not facing any fee increases.
He said businesses would be forced to increase the price of drinks to cover the costs, which could lead to people binge drinking at home before heading out to a licensed venue.
Mr Fairweather said something needed to be done about alcohol related violence but said individuals needed to take more responsibility for themselves.
Australian Hotels Association chief executive Brian Kearney said it was ludicrous to suggest traditional pubs posed a greater risk than bars and nightclubs.
"The Government presumes a hotel with a large beer garden is as risky as a nightclub with a capacity for several hundred patrons, which demonstrates how flawed and inequitable the proposals are,'' he said.
Gippsland South MLA Peter Ryan has met with local publicans about the issue and said he wanted the proposed fees reviewed.
"The general principal was supposed to be that the greatest problem venues are supposed to pay the greatest amount of money,'' he said.
"On that basis we support the principle but the government has adopted a simplistic formula.
"The end result is those who are compliant or a minor component of this problem have to pay fearsome fees, while those who are at the forefront of the problem don't have to bear their share.''
The changes passed through the Legislative Assembly last week but Mr Ryan said the opposition would push for amendments in the Legislative Council this week.