Council slams down on drinking in the streets

Even more Alcohol Free Zones (AFZs) will come into effect within the next few weeks, with full completion expected in August.

After receiving seven applications from local police and businesses calling for 135 streets and nine parks to become AFZs, council approved the motion – but not unanimously. With 200 AFZs already operating across the city, concerns have been raised over how effective the prohibition is proving.

Councillor Meredith Burgmann voted against the motion. “The only purpose of these zones is to move on the homeless who drink on the streets,” she said.

“When police put forward AFZs in Glebe, it was only in areas of public housing. I have lived in private accommodation, in that public housing area for 42 years and have never seen people drinking in the street and
causing trouble because of it.” The new AFZs will be located across the city, including in Newtown, Redfern, Surry Hills and The Rocks. Most restrictions will be put in place in Kings Cross, with a staggering 110 streets and four parks becoming AFZs.

Superintendent Susan Waits at Kings Cross LAC said: “The Kings Cross area attracts a large number of young party goers who drink on the public street prior to attempting to gain entry into licensed premises as they find the price of alcohol to be expensive in licensed premises.”

The Late Night Management Areas Research Project found that on weekends there were 5,900 pedestrians on Darlinghurst Rd between 1 and 2am. Of those, 22 per cent exhibited anti-social behaviour.

“Community members that live within the Kings Cross area submitted requests to the Police to apply for AFZs… [and] provided evidence of their difficulty to get to sleep due to the noise of people drinking and behaving in an anti-social manner.

“They have people urinating on their property and wake up to find smashed bottles and damage to their vehicles and property,” Ms Waits said.

However, Cr Burgmann said that alcohol-related anti-social behaviour is not to do with people actually consuming in the street. “The assaults may happen in the streets, but that is due to over drinking in bigger bars and clubs,” she said. “AFZs don’t prevent the issue. We need better regulations within the establishments themselves.”

David Porter, a solicitor at Redfern Legal Centre agreed. “The latest proposal – yet another expansion – is not addressing the cause of violence. When you look at the streets already gazetted as AFZs, like
George St, you can see that they haven’t solved any alcohol issues on the streets because people are still getting drunk in the bars,” he said.

“To keep trotting out new AFZs every year is a way for council and police and say that they are doing something without addressing the issue at hand.” This was Greens Councillor Chris Harris’ view too. “It is a policy that makes politicians look like they are doing something,” he said.

The Council also voted in favour of establishing temporary AFZs at the Sydney Mardi Gras Parade from 2013 to 2016.