Alcohol Violence in Sydney Triggers Law Reform

[Daltron]

Mandatory eight-year jail sentences for fatal one-punch attacks fuelled by alcohol or drugs are among are raft of measures to be introduced to curb alcohol-related violence in Sydney.

The so-called one-punch laws, announced by New South Wales Premier Barry O'Farrell today, include expanded Sydney CBD lockout zones, a freeze on new liquor licences, and the statewide closure of bottle shops at 10:00pm.

Sentences for serious assaults involving alcohol will also be increased by two years.

"It is no longer acceptable to go out and drink yourself stupid, take illicit substances, start fights, 'coward punch' people or engage in other assaults thinking you [will] get away with it," Mr O'Farrell said.

Under the laws, there will be a mandatory 1:30am lockout for licensed premises across an expanded Sydney CBD entertainment precinct, spanning from Kings Cross to Darling Harbour.

Drinks will not be allowed to be served after 3:00am, but premises can remain open.

Full article here.

These changes to legislation have been introduced in reaction to coward punches in the cross over the past few years. A coward punch is where someone typically off their face drunk punches someone half their size and they are killed in one blow.

I logged onto Facebook today to see most my friends list arguing against these new laws saying how wrong it is and it won't reduce levels of violence. I am sorry but if you need to be getting drunk at 3am you have serious problems with your life.

People are also claiming this won't reduce levels of violence because the coward punches were happening at earlier times however the same situation was mirrored in the city of Newcastle a few years ago and the same changes to legislation worked in reducing alcohol fuelled violence by 30%. Sydney hospitals are already clogged up with drunken idiots every night in the emergency department, my mom who worked as a surgeon is quite relieved something is finally being done about alcohol abuse in general.

It's hard to argue the numbers - Newcastle had seven venues on the state's most violent list before the NSW Liquor Administration Board imposed unprecedented licensing conditions on 14 pubs and clubs in 2008. They included a 1am lockout, reduced trading hours and a prohibition on shots or mixed drinks with more than 30ml of alcohol.

Within a year, assaults after dark had dropped by almost a third. By 2011 the city was recording 35 per cent fewer non-domestic night time assaults. Street offences requiring police had fallen by half.

Full article here.

The only thing I don't agree in terms of the new laws is the bottleshop hours closure. I would rather they be open all night so people can drink in their home at least.

So what are your thoughts?

Based on this information do you think the lock outs are necessary or should places be open indefinitely to allow people to drink?

[GommeInc]

I'm amazed it needed a change to the law when surely current laws could have been used? Anything that makes it clear that punching someone like this is incredibly dangerous can only be a good thing. 10pm seems a bit early but if people really want alcohol they can just learn to go earlier to get it.

Have you come across this violence personally, as in witnessed it or nearly being a victim?

[Kardan]

Why would you need to buy alcohol after 10pm? Just buy it earlier?

[Daltron]

I'm amazed it needed a change to the law when surely current laws could have been used? Anything that makes it clear that punching someone like this is incredibly dangerous can only be a good thing. 10pm seems a bit early but if people really want alcohol they can just learn to go earlier to get it.

Have you come across this violence personally, as in witnessed it or nearly being a victim?

I have witnessed it the one time I went to the cross on more than one occasion during the night. It's not a very nice place

- - - Updated - - -

Why would you need to buy alcohol after 10pm? Just buy it earlier?

Good point

[Phil]

The 10pm law is already here and has been for years. Never really had a problem with it. Unless a pub has a late license here they close at like 1:30am or something and they lock the doors. Although everyone is supposed to be out of the pub at this stage, the ones I go to lock the door so nobody else can get in and everyone else just leaves whenever but I think there's a fine for this if they're caught

[-:Undertaker:-]

I'd argue for stronger laws to deter people from getting off their faces and becoming violent, rather than restricting the liberties of everyone.

I am sorry but if you need to be getting drunk at 3am you have serious problems with your life.

Werllllll I wouldn't say that.

[Blinger]

I am sorry but if you need to be getting drunk at 3am you have serious problems with your life.

Not really, it's socialising for us where I live. Once you start to drink sometimes they just go down like water and you lose track of time - especially when you're having fun

So what are your thoughts?

Obviously it's good if it works, but it'll probably mean that Melbourne will follow suit if anything bad happens here too.

or should places be open indefinitely to allow people to drink?

I'd like that sometimes. I finish work in the morning (9-10am depending on the day) and if I could go to my local watering hole and have a drink I'd enjoy that. The atmosphere/having a beer on tap is nicer than having a cold one at home.

Why would you need to buy alcohol after 10pm? Just buy it earlier?

You may go somewhere without the intentions of drinking, decide later you want to have a drink and you're stuck without any, Nothing wrong with late night bottle-o's.

[Eric]

i think 8 years isn't enough when you can have up to 25 years of sentence for possession of steroids???

[Kardan]

Not really, it's socialising for us where I live. Once you start to drink sometimes they just go down like water and you lose track of time - especially when you're having fun


Obviously it's good if it works, but it'll probably mean that Melbourne will follow suit if anything bad happens here too.


I'd like that sometimes. I finish work in the morning (9-10am depending on the day) and if I could go to my local watering hole and have a drink I'd enjoy that. The atmosphere/having a beer on tap is nicer than having a cold one at home.


You may go somewhere without the intentions of drinking, decide later you want to have a drink and you're stuck without any, Nothing wrong with late night bottle-o's.

Then always make sure you have 'back-up' alcohol in your cupboards

[Blinger]

Then always make sure you have 'back-up' alcohol in your cupboards

but if you go to someone elses house.. My mates don't share alcohol like that, really.