Police booze plan ‘flawed’

NSW Police moves to curb alcohol-related violence on Australia Day are ineffective and flawed, Albury councillor and the city’s liquor accord chairman Daryl Betteridge says.
Police have written to liquor outlets across the state requesting they adopt a range of measures for sales on January 26.

Those measures include a ban on takeaway sales of products with more than 4 per cent alcohol content up to 2pm, and nothing greater than 5 per cent alcohol content after 9pm.

Police have also requested a ban on the sale of shots and doubles after 9pm and a limit of two drinks per person per purchase for the last three hours of the day.

But Cr Betteridge echoed the criticisms of the Australian Hotels Association and NSW opposition police spokesman Mike Gallacher by saying the policy would be ineffectual.

“I think it’s policy on the run and will have a negligible effect,” Cr Betteridge said.

“People can stock up the day before and hotels still have to adhere to the responsible service of alcohol rules, so they shouldn’t be serving drunks, whether or not they’re serving shots.

“I think it’s probably a little bit of over-policing.”

Cr Betteridge also said he doubted liquor licensees would take up the recommendations.

“I don’t think it will be implemented that heavily,” he said.

“People will look at it and go ‘hang on’, what’s the real reason here. If we take this up for Australia Day, are we setting a precedent that this will become policy every day?

“I’d be fairly hesitant in implementing anything without having a full understanding of why it was asked and what are its ramifications.”

And Cr Betteridge said hotels and bars had been wrongly targeted.

“Seventy per cent of alcohol sales in NSW are from bulk liquor outlets,” he said.

Albury Liquor Accord members would make their own decisions.

Chief Insp Guy Haberley said the measures had received a “wide and varied” response .
Issued by Border Mail 15th January 2010
http://www.bordermail.com.au/news/local/news/general/police-booze-plan-flawed/1725686.aspx

Make Australia Day a light beer day: police
A senior policeman with the New South Wales Alcohol and Licensing Branch has called on bottle shops and pubs to restrict sales of full-strength alcohol on Australia Day.

Chief Inspector Guy Haberley sent an email to licensees in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong earlier this week.

One of the measures he proposed was that they not sell any drink with an alcohol content higher than 4 per cent before 2pm on January 26.

He also asked for no pre-mixed drinks over 5 per cent to be sold after 9pm; no shots or doubles; a limit of two drinks per person after 9pm and for food and water to be provided.

Chief Inspector Haberley says he made the suggestions after a jump in alcohol-fuelled violence on the public holiday last year.

"In 2009, 92 people were arrested and charged with 113 offences," he said.

"[That's] compared to 2008, where the operation yielded only 30 arrests with 110 offences.

"So we're still having problems on Australia Day and this is an attempt to ensure that Australia Day 2010 is free from the anti-social behaviour and crime and violence."

The Acting Police Minister, David Campbell, says bottle shops do not have to oblige, but it could help curb alcohol-fuelled violence.

"Our community sadly has seen some problems in recent years," he said.

"Police are offering some suggestions, they are suggestions only - not changes to the law. They won't be enforced."

The head of the Australian Hotels Association, Bill Healey, says the request is over the top.

"Police have shown no real evidence to suggest that Australia Day is a major problem," he said.

Chief Inspector Haberley says he would be happy if licensees complied with one or two of the requests.
Issued by ABC.net.au 14th Janaury 2010
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/01/14/2791932.htm?section=australia