Riverina Seafood Market owner Ryan Martin has received the regulator’s tick of approval to sell liquor. Photo: Jarryd Rowley.
The Riverina Seafood Market at Wagga will soon be selling liquor on its premises following a licence approval by the state regulator, the NSW Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority (ILGA).
After applying for the licence in August last year, Wagga’s only seafood market, in Murray Street, has had its application approved and will be allowed to sell alcohol from 10 am to 8 pm Monday to Saturday and from 10 am to 6 pm on Sundays.
“We approve the application above under section 45 of the Liquor Act 2007 (the Act) – with the conditions set out in Schedule 1. The 6-hour closure period overrides any condition of the licence,” ILGA chairperson Caroline Lamb said in her published decision.
“Mixed-use checkouts must be closed outside licensed hours. Under section 103(2) of the Act, any counter or place used to sell or supply liquor under the licence, including any mixed-use checkouts in the liquor sales area, must be closed to the public outside the licensed trading hours.
“We are satisfied that the overall impact of approving the application will not be detrimental to the well-being of the local or broader community.”
Owner Ryan Martin launched the Riverina Seafood Market in April 2023.
At that time, he told Region he had decided to open a fish market after experiencing difficulties sourcing fresh seafood for his restaurant.
“We used to have a seafood menu for the restaurant and it was very tough to get fresh seafood in Wagga,” he said.
“In the whole of Riverina, I couldn’t find [anything].”
Region reached out to Mr Martin to find out about his plans for alcohol sales but he did not respond before publication.
Despite the ILGA approving the licence, it did note several social concerns about premises that sold liquor so close to suburban areas.
“We accept that the proposal could contribute to an increase in alcohol-related harm in the local and broader communities because of the:
• Extremely high crime rates in the suburb and LGA compared to NSW for all categories we considered.
• Proposed premises are located on the edge of a high-density hotspot for domestic violence.
• The incident rate of alcohol attributed death is higher in the LGA compared to the NSW average.
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population in the suburb and LGA being higher than the NSW average, which has been identified in research as a probable risk.”
Regardless of the concerns, ILGA said it was satisfied with the application.
“We are satisfied that these risk factors are reduced by the:
• Relatively small liquor sales area with reduced trading hours.
• Proposed premises not being located in high-density hotspots for non-domestic violence and malicious damage to property.
• The incident rate of alcohol attributed hospitalisation is lower in the LGA compared to the NSW average.
• Harm-minimisation measures outlined in the plan of management and licence conditions.”
