Lyndon Community deputy CEO Dr Julaine Allan and Canobolas Local Area Command Superintendent David Driver said young people’s attitudes had not changed over the years, but society would no longer tolerate the behaviour it once did. 

Their comments conclude a four-part series  by the Central Western Daily following a Saturday night observing late night trading at the Occidental Hotel .

“Society just won’t cop this anymore, society is getting sick of it,” Superintendent Driver said.

Dr Allan said binge drinking and alcohol-related violence was no longer tolerated by older people. 

She said research showed that alcohol-related violence was more common in rural areas where people had higher incomes.

Many of the violent episodes that break out in Orange after dark are often domestic related from altercations that have happened years previously. 

She said the difference in Orange compared to Sydney was that there are fewer places to go out, therefore people who do not get along are more likely to run into each other.

“In Sydney if you break up with your boyfriend or whatever, you only have to walk two [kilometres] to a different suburb and you can drink somewhere else,” she said.

The demographic of people who are involved in alcohol related violence has not changed in the last five years at least. 

It is still males aged 18 to 25.

People employed by Cadia Valley Operations near Orange have high disposable incomes, not a good mix with alcohol according to Dr Allan.

“In Orange you can’t get shots and the restrictions in Orange and other rural areas are tighter but for some reason the trouble is intensified,” she said.

“The miners, they’re the people with the big incomes and the community and the government needs to take some responsibility.”

Dr Allan said the only solution to the social problems related to alcohol would be to limit the availability. 

“It’s reducing the availability, reducing the number of licensed premises and reducing the number of liquor outlets.”