RSA Alcohol Australia Exam Questions & Answers 2026 (11–20)

Question 1

A new staff member without an RSA certificate is rostered on for a shift and begins serving alcohol without informing the manager. Under the NSW Liquor Act 2007, who bears legal liability for this breach?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Both the licensee and the staff member, because the Act imposes obligations on both parties. The NSW Liquor Act 2007 imposes concurrent obligations: the licensee must ensure all staff hold RSA before serving, and the individual staff member must not serve without certification — both can face penalties.

Question 2

Under the NSW Liquor Act 2007, a licensee claims they did not personally observe a staff member serve an intoxicated patron and therefore cannot be held responsible. Is this defence valid?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

No, licensees have a non-delegable duty to ensure harm-minimisation practices are followed by all staff. The NSW Liquor Act 2007 places a non-delegable harm-minimisation duty on licensees; they remain liable for breaches by staff even when not personally present at the time of the unlawful service.

Question 3

An RSA-certified staff member is pressured by a manager to continue serving a visibly intoxicated patron to avoid losing a high-value customer. What is the staff member's correct legal and professional position?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Refuse to serve the patron, as RSA obligations are personal and the staff member faces individual liability for serving an intoxicated person. RSA duties under the NSW Liquor Act 2007 are personal: each certified staff member is individually responsible for not serving intoxicated patrons, and a manager's instruction to do so does not transfer or remove that individual liability.

Question 4

Under the NSW Liquor Act 2007, which of the following best describes the legal definition of 'intoxicated'?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

A person whose speech, balance, coordination or behaviour is noticeably affected by alcohol or another drug. Under the NSW Liquor Act 2007, a person is intoxicated if their speech, balance, coordination or behaviour is noticeably affected, and it is reasonable to conclude this is due to the consumption of alcohol or another drug — there is no BAC threshold in the definition.

Question 5

How many grams of pure alcohol are contained in one Australian standard drink?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

10 grams. One Australian standard drink contains exactly 10 grams of pure alcohol, as defined by the National Health and Medical Research Council and used throughout NSW RSA training.

Question 6

Which of the following is a visible sign of intoxication relating to a patron's speech?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Slurred, incoherent or unusually loud speech. Slurred, incoherent or unusually loud speech is a recognised observable sign of intoxication under Liquor and Gaming NSW guidelines, as alcohol impairs the motor control and cognitive functions needed for normal speech.

Question 7

A patron spills their drink twice, sways when standing and knocks over a bar stool. Which category of intoxication signs do these observations fall under?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Balance and coordination signs. Swaying, stumbling, spilling drinks and knocking into objects are classic balance and coordination signs of intoxication, which are explicitly listed in Liquor and Gaming NSW's observable signs framework.

Question 8

Under the NSW Liquor Act 2007, it is an offence for a licensee or staff member to do which of the following?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Serve alcohol to a person who is intoxicated. Section 73 of the NSW Liquor Act 2007 makes it an offence to sell or supply liquor to an intoxicated person on licensed premises, placing direct responsibility on both the licensee and the staff member who serves them.

Question 9

Two patrons arrive together. One has eaten a large meal before drinking; the other has not eaten at all. Both have consumed the same number of standard drinks over the same period. Which statement most accurately describes their likely intoxication levels?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

The patron who ate a meal will likely show fewer signs of intoxication because food slows alcohol absorption. Food in the stomach — particularly protein and fat — slows the rate at which alcohol passes into the small intestine, reducing the peak blood alcohol concentration and delaying the onset of intoxication, as outlined in NSW RSA training on factors affecting intoxication.

Question 10

A patron informs a staff member that they are taking prescribed medication for a chronic condition. Why is this information relevant to an RSA assessment of that patron?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Some medications can intensify or alter the effects of alcohol, potentially causing intoxication at lower consumption levels. Liquor and Gaming NSW RSA training identifies medication as a factor affecting intoxication because many prescription and over-the-counter drugs interact with alcohol, magnifying its effects and causing a patron to reach noticeable intoxication after fewer standard drinks than would otherwise be expected.

RSA Alcohol Australia Exam Questions & Answers 2026 (11–20)

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