NSW: Booze-fuelled violence doubles in decade in NSW=2

AAP General News (Australia)
04-23-2008
NSW: Booze-fuelled violence doubles in decade in NSW=2

"The increase in alcohol-related crime is disturbing," Mr Acherstraat said.

Part of the problem stemmed from the inconsistent application of laws surrounding the
irresponsible service of alcohol, he said.

Mr Acherstraat said NSW police and the Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing (OLGR) both
had powers to lay charges but in some cases licensees would receive a verbal warning when,
for a similar incident, another would be fined.

"Whenever you have two agencies involved in administering a program there is always
the need to liaise closer, and invariably things can fall through the cracks," Mr Achterstraat
said.

In terms of pub and club owners facing the courts, police referred 136 cases to prosecutors
in 2007, well up on the 58 cases in 2006.

The OLGR referred just six cases in 2007, up from two in 2006.

The report, titled Working with Hotels and Clubs to Reduce Alcohol-related Crime, found
NSW has a total 14,227 licensed premises.

Thirty per cent of ARAs occurred on licensed premises in 2006-07, another 35 per cent
occurred outdoors, while 24 per cent were in residential homes.

AAP dr/hn/it/sp

KEYWORD: ALCOHOL 2 SYDNEY

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