This king-hit on drunken violence might not work It should go without saying that we deplore the senseless violence of an alcohol or drug-fueled punch against an innocent stranger, especially when it leads to a death.
Yet kneejerk reactions to individual incidents should always be avoided. Governments govern best when they act in a calm and considered way, informed by a rational assessment of the facts. Two "king-hit" deaths in Sydney, the tragic cases of 18 year olds Thomas Kelly and Daniel Christie, have understandably focused community and political attention on street violence. But, given these attacks occurred at Kings Cross about 10pm and 9pm, respectively, it requires a special kind of logic to presume they could have been prevented by a ban on the serving of alcohol in nightclubs and bars in the wee hours. Yet a lockout of customers from 1.30am, last drinks at 3am and the closure of all bottleshops from 10pm form part of NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell's response to a public (or should we say media) outcry. There is no doubt these new business and entertainment restrictions will be welcomed by many people, for various reasons, but we must ask whether the extra curbs on free choice and trading will do anything to achieve the desired outcomes. Government intervention, extra regulation and restrictions on the free choices of law-abiding citizens are best avoided unless a clear case is made for the greater public good. In this instance, despite the infuriating injustice of young lives cut short by the senseless violence of strangers, the statistical evidence suggests the incidence of drunken assaults is actually either in slight decline or, at worst, relatively stable in Sydney. So the first question that arises is whether -- apart from justice in each particular case -- there is a problem to be resolved here or whether what we have seen is more akin to a moral panic generated by publicity around these cases. If current regulation and policing is reducing the overall occurrence of violent crime then the first instinct would be to continue on that course. Perhaps of greater practical concern than the statistical trends, however, is the anecdotal evidence from those involved in the nightlife of our major cities, including the police and medical staff who attend to its human toll. They point to a new phenomenon of random aggression, often directed at strangers and almost impossible to quell. The critical ingredient in these cases is not so much alcohol (although it is usually part of the cocktail), but crystal methamphetamine or ice. If this cheap and readily available illicit drug -- seared into the public consciousness through the television drama Breaking Bad -- is the trigger for young men breaking into violent and unprovoked attacks then we need to do more to combat it. Calling last drinks will have no impact whatsoever. Mr O'Farrell's package does at least make some attempt to tackle the drug issue by authorising alcohol and drug testing of suspected offenders and removing voluntary drug or alcohol intoxication as a mitigating factor in sentencing, while making it a trigger for mandatory sentencing. However, it is difficult to see why offences committed while sober should attract a less severe penalty. In fact, crimes committed soberly could be argued to be more reprehensible than those committed while intoxicated. And none of this addresses the supply issue with ice. The Premier's proposed changes to sentencing arrangements actually provide a clue as to one of the most obvious problems with these shocking bashings -- although it is doubtful changes to the law are necessary given the severe penalties already available to the courts for crimes such as assault, grievous bodily harm and manslaughter. Kieran Loveridge was on a good-behaviour bond for assault when he struck Thomas Kelly in July 2012. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter and, with a minimum sentence of just over five years, could walk free less than four years from now. Another man charged over a so-called coward punch death had been convicted four times for assault, but was never put behind bars, instead receiving suspended sentences and good-behaviour bonds. Tougher sentences providing tangible punishment for violent acts and removing brutal thugs from our streets, at least for a period, must help. Whatever cultural changes and social engineering politicians hope to prescribe by limiting the nightlife options and freedom of all citizens and businesses, we cannot escape the reality that violent crimes are carried out by individuals who make their own choices, fail their own responsibilities and ultimately must face the consequences of their own actions. THE AUSTRALIAN JANUARY 22, 2014 |
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MELBOURNE'S CBD is the state's biggest assault hotspot, but the scourge of violence is spreading further and faster.
As police look for ways to tackle alcohol-fuelled king hits, new analysis of crime statistics reveal Melbourne had 2741 reported assaults last year.
But while assaults in the CBD have only increased by 1 per cent in the past year, the rate of violence has started surging outside of Melbourne.
Geelong has become increasingly violent with a jump in assaults of 28 per cent since 2003, to 1848 reported cases.
Whittlesea is also on the rise with a 19 per cent increase in assaults - 1453 last year. Wyndham's assault rate has increased 20 per cent to 1227.
According the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, the number of victims of alcohol-related physical abuse increased from 4.5 per cent in 2007 to 8.1 per cent in 2010.
Alcohol-related hospitalisations cost the country up to $36 billion each year.
Alcohol-related hospitalisations in Victoria have increased by 74 per cent since 2001, accounting for more than 30,000 hospitalisations in 2010. Other states report similar trends.
Pubs and clubs say they are working with police to curb bad behaviour.
"Violence in and around licensed premises are at the lowest levels in 15 years - this is thanks to the co-operation between hoteliers and police," said AHA director of policing John Green.
Gino Vumbaca, executive director of the Australian National Council on Drugs, blames the increasing number of suburban liquor stores for the increased violence.
"There are three causes of problems - price, availability and promotion. Now when you go out to get a haircut, you can now buy cheap liquor as well," he said.
"This is increasing the random acts of violence."
A Government spokesman said police recruitment and tougher penalties for drunken behaviour and breaches of liquor licences were central to its strategies.
"We have undertaken a strong, multi-pronged approach to combat alcohol fuelled violence," he said.
ASSAULT HOTSPOTS FOR VICTORIA 2012-13
Melbourne: 2741
Casey: 2225
Hume: 1900
Greater Dandenong: 1859
Greater Geelong: 1848
Brimbank: 1791
La Trobe: 1617
Frankston: 1522
Whittlesea: 1453
Wyndham: 1227
(by Local Government Area)