Kings Cross: The way you want it

The quest to make Kings Cross a safer place for revellers has reached an all-time high. Following recent attacks in the area, new proposals are constantly coming out of Council and old policies have come under scrutiny. The panic button has been pushed, with MPs going as far as brandishing the area “a war zone.”

More than ever, it is imperative to ask young people who live and party at The Cross what they think needs to be done.

Potts Point resident, Sara-Jane Curtees, 31, said: “I love the area, but it’s revolting on the weekend … I don’t have a problem with it. You feel safe and there’s a lot of people.”

Inner Sydney has one of the youngest demographics in NSW, with an average age of just 32. And, with the majority (33 per cent) of Darlinghurst being between 25 and 35 years old, an ageing Council’s opinion may need reviewing.

A spokesperson for City of Sydney said: “We spent 18 months undertaking new research and consulting thousands of Sydneysiders, young and old … about what they want for their city at night and one of the key themes was: more options for more people.”

To diversify night life, Council drafted OPEN Sydney, on public exhibition until August 31. The aim is to detract Sydneysiders from excessive alcohol consumption by keeping other establishments, like libraries and galleries, open later. The plan’s effectiveness is debatable – even among Councillors.

Greens Councillor, Chris Harris said: “It remains to be seen if late night operation of these businesses is profitable and viable at 3am … Art lovers might prefer to look at pictures and sculptures on a Sunday afternoon rather than 3am!”

And, with nearly 200 licenced venues in the 2011 postcode, it will always be a place to party.

Mr Harris wants higher controls in liquor licensing laws and improvements to late night transport. These feature in Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP’s eight step plan to improve Kings Cross.

Ms Moore spoke to the Premier last week to discuss discretionary powers for Council to better control drinking in a given area, e.g. by rejecting development applications for new bars based on the density of licensed venues in close proximity.

“We have called for a coordinated Management Plan for Kings Cross and the creation of a high level Executive Group that includes local council to respond to late trading issues. The Premier has agreed to this,” the Council spokesperson said.

As for transport, Ms Moore is proposing a one-way express train service to Town Hall or Central Station, where party goers can continue their journeys on night ride buses.

Matt Tyrel, 25, lives in Heathcote. He is not sure this will solve the problem: “Night buses don’t come often … only every hour or so.” 24 hour public transport is also possible, but Council is waiting on Government approval for this – and all other – proposals.

Until then, safety in Kings Cross is paramount and widely discussed in the run up to September’s mayoral elections. After all, as British backpacker Matt Figgis, 27, puts it: “It’s certainly one of the dodgier areas of Sydney.”

But for Amber Jones, 36, excessive alcohol consumption has become a scapegoat.

“There are so few places to go out and such long queues,” she said. “That breeds a lot of frustration and that’s what causes violence. It’s frustration … that leads more to violence than alcohol.”

Instead of a “nanny state,” Ms Jones would like to see different suburbs become night life hot-spots. “The problem is you get everyone from out west pile into one place,” she said. “Obviously they’ve got nowhere to go out there. The idea is to ease up regulation in the areas they are closer to and give them places to go out.”

With after-dark antics getting attention, it is easy to forget what Kings Cross is like in the cold light of day. Kasia Stelmach, 24, from Potts Point, said: “During the day, it’s actually a very cultured place. There are lots of boutique shops and bars that many people don’t associate with The Cross. The issue is mainly on Friday and Saturday nights, when everyone flows in from the west.”

For Ms Stelmach, this indicates a larger problem: binging culture.

“Australia in general has not handled the concept of alcohol,” she said. “Plenty of people try and force the issue and tell these guys they can’t drink … when you tell someone they can’t do something, that is exactly what they will go and do.”

While Ms Jones agreed drinking culture needs transforming, she does not consider it a nation-wide problem. Comparing her experience in Sydney to Melbourne, she said: “There are smaller bars [in Melbourne] … You go out and have a few drinks. You might get drunk, but it’s more civilized.”