ORANGE City Council plans to take action on alcohol related violence in Orange and may enforce tougher restrictions than in Newcastle.
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Newcastle council received international praise for its efforts to reduce alcohol related violence in the central business district when they implemented a crackdown on anti-social behaviour in 2008.
Alcohol-related assaults were reduced by 37 per cent in Newcastle a year after it introduced measures including 3am closing and 1am lockouts.
Orange already adopts the lockouts and curfews as well as elements of the model such as no shots, no shooters and lower alcoholic drinks after midnight however council might take the plan further to curb the problems in Orange.
Director of community and cultural services Scott Maunder said he planned to visit the city in April to see first hand other elements of the model that may work in Orange.
“We could look at only serving low-alcoholic beverages or earlier closures of venues,” he said.
He said he had been talking with Newcastle council representatives about the model after council unanimously supported a motion put forward by ex-councillor Gavin Priestley in September last year.
The motion asked council to compile a report into how Newcastle managed alcohol related anti-social behaviour.
Mr Maunder said the trouble was providing a plan that still enabled venues to trade and make a profit but limited the amount of alcohol consumption by patrons.
“One of the issues is that people get a skinfull before they come out,” he said.
“Maybe putting a limit on what bottle shops can sell but I can’t see that as being viable,” he said.
The Central Western Daily’s Orange After Dark series brought the issue of alcohol related violence back into the public arena and onto council’s priority list.
Mr Maunder said he would go to Newcastle and bring his findings back to council.
Click the image above to read the Orange After Dark series.