Everyone enjoys going to or hosting a party. For young people it is certainly a part of growing up and celebrating special occasions with their friends.

There are many things to consider when planning a party, and good planning can reduce the risk of potential problems on the night.  This site provides some great ideas to help you make your party safe, lawful and enjoyable for everyone concerned including, parents, hosts and guests.

Register your party

Party Safe allows you to register your party with your local police.

More information on how to register your Party Safe party and what this will mean for your party is available on our Party Safe Registration page.

Try and register your party at least two weeks beforehand so that police are able to supply you with all your Party Safe wristbands and other helpful information well in time for your party.

Share your thoughts: Have you registered a party with Police? We would greatly appreciate your completing the Party Safe Survey and giving us your feedback on the QPS Party Safe Program.

Party Safe information

These information sheets have some great ideas to assist in holding successful, safe and lawful parties for everyone concerned including parents, hosts and guests.

Out-of-control parties and events

New laws have come into effect which will impact anyone who organises, or is involved in, and event that becomes or could become out-of-control.

See the Out-of-control events Frequently asked questions (FAQ)​

Alcohol and the law

The Queensland Government, Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation offers a range of resources, information and fact sheets on Liquor Compliance issues.  Links to some relevant information is set out below:

For more information from the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation go to www.olgr.qld.gov.au

Noisy Parties

More information on the laws regarding noise from a party is contained in our information sheet Noisy Parties: Wh​at you need to know​

Information on alcohol and other drugs

For general information about alcohol-related health issues and Australian Government policy go to http://www.alcohol.gov.au.

For more information about the effects and impact of alcohol and other drugs you can go to:

  • Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs (ATOD) www.health.qld.gov.au/atod/drug_info/default.asp
    The Queensland Health’s Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs website provides information and resources on the effects and impact of alcohol and other drug use.
  • Australian Drug Foundation
    www.druginfo.adf.org.au
    The Australian Drug Foundation’s DrugInfo website offers information about alcohol and other drugs and the prevention of related harm.

Safe Driving: Alcohol and Drugs

The Queensland Government Department of Transport and Main Roads has information to improve awareness of the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol and other drugs.  For more information go to www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Safety/Driver-guide/Alcohol-and-drugs.aspx

Always Remember

If you are unable to handle a situation, call the local police or, in an emergency or life threatening situation, call Triple Zero (000).

For confidential 24-hour alcohol and drug information and counselling, free call the Alcohol and Drug Information Service on 1800 177 833.

Party Safe | South Australia

Party Safe can assist you to make your party a safe and enjoyable event for your friends and family.

Plan your party

Use the Party Safe booklet checklists to plan your party to ensure that it is safe and incident free. The checklists provide tips for:

  • planning your party
  • during your party
  • parents of party guests
  • party guests.

The booklet includes a copy of the Party Safe notification form.

Download the Party Safe booklet or get a copy from your local police station.

Find your local police station

Notify the police that you are having a party

You can notify South Australia Police that you are having a party. This will help us if we are called to attend your party.

Complete a Party Safe notification form and return it to the police station in the area where the event is being held.

A copy of the notification form is included in the Party Safe booklet.

Download the Party Safe notification form or get a copy from your local police station.

Find your local police station

Hosting a Party | Western Australia

New laws came into effect from Saturday 15 December for anyone who organises a gathering that becomes out of control.

The Criminal Law Amendment (Out-of-Control Gatherings) Act 2012 provides police with additional powers to manage an out-of-control gathering. The legislation also gives the courts the discretion to order a person to pay reasonable compensation costs to police for their response to the out-of-control gathering.

Your responsibilities

As a host, you have a duty-of-care for the safety and wellbeing of your guests. While you want them to have a good time you also want to minimise the potential for harm to persons and property as a result of excessive alcohol consumption or gatecrashers. You could be held partly or fully responsible for something that happens to one of your guests at your party.

Hosting a party for teenagers

The guide Hosting a Party for Teenagers provides information and advice for parents when considering hosting a party with teenagers or allowing them to attend a party elsewhere. This guide is available at the Alcohol.Think Again website, which provides numerous resources for parents about alcohol and young people.

Note: the term ‘gathering’ is now commonly used by teenagers as a substitute for the word ‘party’.

Register your party

Please register your party with WA Police in advance of your party or event. You can register online up to 28 days beforehand.

Only parties / events to be held in Western Australia can be registered with WA Police.

As responsible hosts you are also encouraged to register your party so that, if trouble does arise, the police have important information on which to rely when attending to your call.

Registering your party does not mean that it is an invitation for the police to come into your home. Police will not attend a registered party unless:

  • There is a specific request to do so either from the party, from a neighbour or from a concerned parent; or
  • It is in the public interest in order to maintain community order and safety.

The information you provide on the party registration form will be kept in strict confidence and used only by police in the event police need to respond to an incident at your party.

Please note: registering your party with WA Police does not mean that police will provide security for your party and that the capacity of police to undertake patrols of party venues or to visit a party venue in the event of trouble will depend on other demands on resources at the time and the nature of the event in question.

You can register as late as the day of the party / event; however the registration form will accept a date up to a maximum of 28 days in advance. Once you have submitted the online form your party / event will be registered with the Western Australia Police. Please note: Should you encounter any problems at your party / event that require Police attendance please call 131444.

‘This party has been registered with WA Police’ poster

You can put the ‘This party has been registered with WA Police‘ (PDF, 261 kb) poster on display at the entrance to your party, to inform invited guests and potential gate crashers that your party is registered with the WA Police. (Note: the poster is A3 size but can be printed to fit on A4 paper)

Contacting police: For police assistance in the event of trouble call 131444 or in an emergency call 000.

 

Out-of-control gatherings frequently asked questions

Click here to read some frequently asked questions about out-of-control gatherings.

Party Safe | Tasmania

The Party Safe Program provides education and support to members of the community intending to hold a party. The Program aims to promote responsible organisation and conduct of parties in order to minimise the potential for harm to persons and property. One aspect of the Program involves the registration of parties with Tasmania Police.

Registration of a party provides Tasmania Police with the necessary details in the event we are called to deal with an incident at your party. The capacity of police to undertake patrols of party venues or to visit a party venue in the event of trouble will depend on other demands and priorities on Tasmania Police resources at the time and the nature of the incident.

Registering your party does not mean that it is an invitation for the police to come into your home. Police will not attend a registered party unless there is a specific request to do so. This request is not restricted to someone from the party but may include a third party, such as a neighbour or concerned parent; or if it is in the public interest in order to maintain community order and safety.

Party registrations should be provided to police seven days prior to the event.

The Sale and Supply of Alcohol to Youths (Police Offences Act 1935) legislation regulates the supply of alcohol to people under 18 years, on private property.

Completed Party Safe Registration forms can be emailed (as an attachment to an email message) to one of the following, dependent on the party location:

> Southern District:
crime.management.unit.south@police.tas.gov.au

> Northern District:
crime.management.unit.north@police.tas.gov.au

> Western District:
crime.management.unit.west@police.tas.gov.au

Party Smart | Northern Territory

So, you’re going to have a party – or going to a party – and you’re going to have a great time – right?

Hopefully. But not always. Drunks, gate crashers, arguments, neighbours’ complaints and, occasionally, fights can ruin the occasion. Alcohol consumption can be an unpredictable social factor.

But there are ways to avoid such pitfalls.

These tips – for party hosts, guests and parents – will help ensure parties are what they are meant to be – an event where everyone has a good time.

Party hosts

  • Prevent neighbour complaints
    Inform neighbours in advance and provide a phone number in case they wish to contact you.
  • Keep out the gatecrashers
    Issue written invitations and make entry by invitation only.
  • Stop the stayers
    Put a finishing time as well as start time on the invitation.
  • Advertise your intentions
    Consider displaying a ‘Safe Party Alert Poster’, available from your local police station.*
  • Supervise
    If it’s a young person’s party make sure there are non-drinking adults attending.
  • Arrange pick-ups
    Encourage parents to collect their children at a pre-arranged time.
  • Supply the drinks
    BYO parties can lead to excessive supply and unsupervised drinking.
  • Serve the drinks
    Make alcohol available from one area, served by a non-drinking adult.
  • Provide alternatives
    Non-alcoholic and low alcohol drinks allow guests to have a drink in their hand without increasing their alcohol consumption
  • Limit supplies
    Restrict the supply of full strength beers, champagne, wines and spirits.
  • Feed the guests
    Eating can slow down the rate at which alcohol is absorbed, but avoid salty foods which will encourage more drinking.
    If all else fails – you’re the host, you can ask people to leave. Be verbally assertive to gain control of the situation. Call police if matters are getting out of control, before they get worse.

Party guests

  • Keep it to yourself
    Don’t tell others who haven’t been invited about the party, the most common cause of gatecrashing.
  • Share transport
    Don’t drive to a party if you’re going to have a drink, pool with other guests and nominate a sober driver to drive everyone home or arrange to be picked up at the end of the party.
  • Go with invited friends
    Link up with others to look out for each other, both at the party and getting home.
  • Bring an alternative
    Don’t take alcohol unless specifically asked and don’t take more than you will drink. Excessive supplies can lead to excessive consumption.

Parents

If your child has been invited to a party:

  • Check it out
    Speak with the host’s parents about the invitation list, numbers attending, age range, food and alcohol provision and pick-up times.
  • Get their number
    Make sure you know the address and telephone number of the venue.
  • Drop off and pick-up
    Be clear about when to drop your child off and when to pick them up, thus avoiding children collecting on the street unsupervised.

* It’s possible to register your party with police. Pick up a Safe Party Registration Form from your local station (parties must be registered at least seven days before the date). Alternatively you can download the form by clicking on the link on the top right hand side of this page. Police will unobtrusively monitor the event and your registration provides police with the information needed should trouble occur.