Page 190 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 13 February 2008
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in Canberra’s nightspots, and I note the solutions proposed. They include a more formalised system of communication between police and licensed establishments and between individual hotels and nightclubs, targeting violent or unruly patrons who have been ejected from an establishment. That seems like a reasonable measure though I would need somebody to explain to me how it would work logistically.
Secondly, there was a suggestion of an improved and expanded night rider service operating beyond the busy December period. I am hoping to hear from someone how the existing night rider service works. Did it work? Do taxi drivers and patrons feel safer? That is the measure of whether it has worked or not.
Thirdly, there was a suggestion of better lighting outside hotels and nightclubs and a greater number of CCTVs and more strategically placed CCTVs. But we have to be careful that we do not just force crime to relocate. If we light up areas, people will look for the nearest darker areas. We should be aware that we do not prevent these activities by lighting up areas and putting in more CCTVs; we just relocate them.
Fourthly, there was a suggestion of on-the-spot fines for people who are drunk in a public place and causing damage or engaging in violent behaviour.
I got that from the Canberra Liberals website.
For many of us in our community these issues have a deja vu factor.
Members interjecting—
DR FOSKEY: What did I say wrong?
Mr Mulcahy: No, no, I was just taking—
DR FOSKEY: It was just off the website; we can all get hold of that one. However, like many in our community there is a deja vu factor; there is another French term that I forgot to mention earlier on. We had to go back to 1997 when a legal affairs committee conducted an inquiry into the voluntary codes of practice for liquor licences, which of course is quite a major part of this whole issue. The committee heard evidence from a variety of groups from the ACT, including government agencies, bar and nightclub proprietors, community safety committees and other relevant associations. The committee’s recommendations included, amongst other measures, training in responsible service of alcohol requirements for the liquor industry; education for the public, both adults and children, about the responsible consumption of alcohol; and the establishment of a liquor industry advisory council.
We have a very strong, and probably quite expensive, public campaign against smoking. I know that it is not possible to prohibit drinking in establishments that are created primarily for that purpose. I note that the autumn legislation indicates that there is going to be further strengthening of measures to make these venues smoke free, but another legal drug that we know to be very damaging, alcohol, does not get the same concerted effort in our public advertising and so on. We have some bans on alcohol advertising, but I would have to say that with alcohol we are probably where we were 20 years ago with smoking.
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