More lame duck excuses as to why not immediately trial the successful Newcastle conditions of a modest reduction in late trading hours.
The premier indicated he had not yet spoken to the AHA about the changes but was unable to confirm whether his ministers had (he thought not).
The NSW ship of state, crewed by fools, is still being steered by the powerful liquor industry.
Extremely disappointing that the government has ruled out the adoption of the moderate Newcastle conditions as a proven, cost saving circuit-breaker to the primarily preventable cycle of alcohol fuelled violence and preloading (biggest predictor of violence).
He failed to acknowledge the additional unprecedented benefits of Newcastle conditions,including 26 per cent reduction in emergency-department admissions and very substantial police and health cost savings that have never been replicated in Sydney.
The AHA succeeded in watering down the three-strikes laws to render them effectively useless.
The police commissioner has said ‘we cannot arrest our way out of the problem’.
Why should NSW taxpayers have to foot the bill for more police in Kings Cross?
Following the death of Tom Kelly, at the subsequent Sydney town hall public meeting I understood Don Weatherburn supported the evidence of the effectiveness of reducing trading hours.
What is his current views on this measure?
Will the premier include independent public health experts and resident/community reps in consultations leading up to the new measures.
Or will this like the watering down of the Liquor Promotion Guidelines be the exclusive domain of the powerful liquor industry?
Have any other ministers or government officials already discussed the new proposals with the liquor industry or their representatives?
Barry O’Farrell is not looking after the safety and best interests of Kings Cross residents and families
Tony Brown, Newcastle
So Barry OFarrell says that tourism will be affected if they wind back closing times.Does he think that the international media is not broadcasting all the alcohol attributed deaths and violence? Barry really has head in the sand or is he really in bed with the AHA. Self regulation doesn’t work and why should the majority be too scared to stay out on streets late at night.
Booze is getting all the bad raps these days, but I think the problem is deeper than that. Alcohol-induced anger is one thing but when it’s mixed with ‘meths’ and other illegal drugs it’s, well, a deadly killer as we’ve seen recently. One professional whose name I don’t recall was on TV recently saying that RBT police pull over more people with illegal substances in their system than alcohol.