Blue Mountains City Council has adopted an action plan to reduce problems caused by young people drinking to excess in the Blue Mountains.
The plan calls for the combined action of liquor outlets, police, the community sector and government agencies.
First-time councillor, Don McGregor, 68, who moved the motion at the November 27 council meeting, said the alarming incidence of high risk alcohol consumption in the Blue Mountains by young men between 16 and 24 was “more than double the state average”.
“This is very disturbing and must be addressed,” Clr McGregor said.
The report points to the direct relationship between the number of liquor outlets in a given location and the increased incidence of alcohol-fuelled violence and property damage.
Clr McGregor said the community was “all to familiar with regular reports of violence outside late night venues in the larger Mountains towns” and it “was time we all sat around the table — the police, liquor outlets, chambers of commerce, council and community to reduce the damage to our young men and women”.
“I’m not a wowser, I love a drink but there are limits,” Clr McGregor said. “When one place stays open it snowballs and then others stay open as well.”
Clr McGregor says the action plan sets out strategies to reduce youth alcohol abuse, including the need for effective education and treatment — including plans for reduced opening hours.
“We’ve got no regulatory powers over our community . . . it’s bloody horrible,” he said. “We need State Government funding to implement the plan (and) improve council’s ability to factor in social impacts into assessment processes of future liquor outlets,” he said.
“We also need to reduce the supply of liquor to young people who are publicly intoxicated (and) sit down with all stakeholders and have a good look at hours of operation and lock-outs.
“Our community can benefit by looking at the Newcastle trial to reduce alcohol harm in the community. We can learn from their experience. If we work together we can find solutions,” he said.
Blue Mountains Deputy Mayor Mark Greenhill said Clr McGregor had “made one of the most important speeches at a council meeting I have heard in a while”.
“His concern and passion for this issue were obvious . . . the threat alcohol poses to our community is something more elected representatives should challenge. Young people in particular are quite vulnerable.”
Clr McGregor said for tourist locations, he feels pubs and nightclubs should be shutting around 1am.
“The kids travel from pub to pub at 2 o clock in the morning and they are smashed off their trees . . . of course they fight,” Clr McGregor said.
