THE coalition of inner-city residents who successfully campaigned to cut Newcastle alcohol-related violence by 30 per cent through earlier closing times has called on Maitland residents and businesses to unite.
The coalition, led by activist Tony Brown, encouraged Maitland residents to use provisions in the Liquor Act that let them lodge disturbance complaints.
After details of two inner-Maitland bashings last month came to light, the city's liquor accord chairman Ralph Ward told The Heraldon Monday some street violence could be blamed on "a gang subculture".
Mr Ward blamed the juvenile justice system for responding to violence from teenaged gang members with sentences that amounted to "a slap on the wrist", and called for changes to the Young Offenders Act to allow harsher penalties for offenders aged 15 to 18.
But Mr Brown said talk of gangs was a smokescreen from pub-owners trying to shift blame.
"[Maitland residents and businesses] are being given the usual Australian Hotels Association-inspired runaround by their local liquor accord, whose first response is to deflect responsibility onto other groups, the latest being youth gangs," he said.
The association's Hunter president Bruce Woods said he was "not too interested in what Tony Brown [had] to say", and said liquor accord chairman Mr Ward was a solicitor with no ties to pubs or clubs and no interest in protecting them from scrutiny.
Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research figures show that assaults in Maitland increased 6 per cent in the past five years.
Of the 433 assaults recorded in Maitland last year, 138 were in public places and 105 in or around licensed premises.
Issued by The Herald 9th December 2009
http://www.theherald.com.au/news/local/news/general/tony-brown-pushes-antialcohol-campaign-to-maitland/1699640.aspx
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