Summer heat fuels drunken brawling

BY ALEX MCDONALD
Summer heat is more likely to increase the rates of drug and alcohol use than economic strife. And with “glassings” ‘ where a bottle or a schooner glass is used as a weapon by a drunk patron ‘ tipped to rise over the summer months, experts say a move towards a European-style small bar scene could reduce the number of drunken assaults in the city.
“Violence and beer consumption go up and down together and are much more pronounced during the summer months than in winter,” said the director of the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, Dr Don Weatherburn. “It’s not so much related to the economy as it is to how hot it is. How availably alcohol and drugs are the dominant factors.”
Besides introducing a more civilised bar scene, late night trading hours would also be needed in order to stem the number of alcohol-related assaults, Dr Weatherburn said.
“Certainly in Europe they seem to have less problems with [alcohol-related violence],” Dr Weatherburn said. “[Introducing small bars] is certainly worth a try but I wouldn’t be 100 per cent sure it will work until we actually see the results.”
At least half of all city assaults are alcohol-related and an increasing number of these incidents are glassings. Now Star Bar in the city has been ordered to serve drinks in plastic cups from 11.30pm following a series of violent incidents.
Lord Mayor Clover Moore, who has been calling on the state government to tighten controls on licensed venues since 2003, believes the current binge drinking culture has made the city streets unsafe for residents and visitors.
“That’s why I supported the small bars legislation and the recent improvements to licensing laws, but it needs to go much further,” Lord Mayor Moore said. “Licensed premises are an important part of the city’s economy, but they need to be managed to ensure we are promoting a more civilised and sophisticated culture in keeping with Sydney’s international status as a global city.
“The level of violence and anti-social behaviour we are currently experiencing makes our streets unsafe for residents and visitors.”
While glassings and disorderly conduct have risen by more than 25 per cent across NSW in the past five years, city robberies and motor vehicle theft have both dropped in the past 12 months. Break and enters are also down by almost 10 per cent.
Illicit drug use, however, is on the rise, with possession of narcotics up 23 per cent, while ecstasy use has risen by 30 per cent.
“How available alcohol and drugs are are the dominant factors,” Dr Weatherburn said, adding that city residents should brace themselves for more drunken violence come December.
Dr Weatherburn also believes the economic downturn is unlikely to have an effect on the rates of drug and alcohol use.
“Epidemics of drug use usually follow increases in the availability of drugs rather than changes in the economy’ It’s not so much related to the economy as it is to how hot it is.”
Clover Moore, meanwhile, has called on the state government to implement “many outstanding recommendations” from the 2003 Summit on Alcohol Abuse.
“One important recommendation which has not been implemented was the evaluation of 24-hour trading of licensed venues and tightening of conditions,” she said.