Fair to say that rarely has a government-initiated change been as dramatically successful as the change in pub closing times in Sydney.

Just 12 months after they were introduced, early closing times for pubs and clubs in central Sydney have caused a massive decline in crime throughout the previously violence-ridden Sydney suburb of Kings Cross. NSW Police data reported in Sydney’s Daily Telegraph last week illustrates the impact of trading hours restrictions in King Cross after 12 months. It shows:

sexual assaults in the area are down by 20.8%

assaults causing grievous bodily harm are down by 43%assaults causing actual bodily harm have declined by 50.3%

robberies have fallen by a huge 57.1%

car theft is down by 44.6%, and

stealing from motor vehicles is down by 47.5%.

Probably the most important gain – and one that’s not mentioned above – is the onehighlighted by Kings Cross local area commander Superintendent Mick Fitzgerald:

“The man hours saved and the way we are able to reallocate our resources has been phenomenal.”

https://theconversation.com/early-pub-closing-times-work-for-kings-cross-they-will-for-queensland-too-39643

wtgmv: ktf

Wrong thread, sorry.

In any case, it does appear to be a success. Let’s hope the success is repeated in Queensland.

:)

There are of course dissenting views:

http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/feb/05/sydneys-fun-police-have-put-out-the-light-of-the-nightlife-the-citys-a-global-laughing-stock

It’s a very long read, so I will paraphrase:

“Blah, blah…blah, blah, blah…blah, blah…evil government…blah, blah…cops suck…blah, blah, blah…”

dv said:

Fair to say that rarely has a government-initiated change been as dramatically successful as the change in pub closing times in Sydney.

A nonlinearity. I can clearly remember that when later pub closing times were first introduced, there was no resulting increase in crime.

Does this mean that every time pub closing times are increased there is no increase in crime and every time pub closing times are decreased there is a decrease in crime? Is so, we should keep lengthening and shortening pub closing times on a regular basis.

sibeen said:

There are of course dissenting views:

http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/feb/05/sydneys-fun-police-have-put-out-the-light-of-the-nightlife-the-citys-a-global-laughing-stock

How hard would it be for the member of the public to get the following figures and when would the collated data finalised?:
1. The economic loss of the hotels, restaurants and other entertainment in the area.
2. The economic savings to the public purse for lower emergency services, hospitals, etc as well as the lost government revenues paid by business in the way of taxes and licencing?
3. If there was a substantial change in points 1 and 2 for other regions in the greater sydney city areas.

Og course the are a multitude of other things that could be taken into account; not least of which is revenue from the bars and clubs potentially staying to help support families etc. It might just be a better thing for the communities as a whole but without some economic understanding, this guy is free to spruik and demonise the lawmakers on this matter.

The Sydney changes were modeled on the so called so called “Newcastle solution”.
——-

Deakin University’s Peter Miller said the Newcastle model – which combines lock outs, early closing times and alcohol restrictions – has the rest of the world paying attention.

“Newcastle has every right to be quite proud of the interventions that have been put in place over time,” he said.

“Up to a 58 per cent reduction in assaults – you’ve got 300 people less turning up at your emergency departments every Friday and Saturday nights.

“And even your culture around drinking has improved substantially.”

The research shows curbing venue trading hours is the single biggest factor in reducing alcohol-related assaults.

abc
——-

Newcastle, aka Gocastle, also had a raging amphetamine abuse problem in the early naughties.

Other centres also recorded marked drops in violence during this period. And many people just stayed home more, so the causative factors in the improvement are a bit hard to quantify.

the 6 o’clock swill

wookiemeister said:

the 6 o’clock swill

It’s your shout!

dv said:

Fair to say that rarely has a government-initiated change been as dramatically successful as the change in pub closing times in Sydney.

Just 12 months after they were introduced, early closing times for pubs and clubs in central Sydney have caused a massive decline in crime throughout the previously violence-ridden Sydney suburb of Kings Cross. NSW Police data reported in Sydney’s Daily Telegraph last week illustrates the impact of trading hours restrictions in King Cross after 12 months. It shows:

sexual assaults in the area are down by 20.8%

assaults causing grievous bodily harm are down by 43%assaults causing actual bodily harm have declined by 50.3%

robberies have fallen by a huge 57.1%

car theft is down by 44.6%, and

stealing from motor vehicles is down by 47.5%.

Probably the most important gain – and one that’s not mentioned above – is the onehighlighted by Kings Cross local area commander Superintendent Mick Fitzgerald:

“The man hours saved and the way we are able to reallocate our resources has been phenomenal.”

https://theconversation.com/early-pub-closing-times-work-for-kings-cross-they-will-for-queensland-too-39643

Not quite an accurate headline. I don’t know about you but I think 1:30am is not early.

Pubs and bars in Sydney’s CBD and the Kings Cross area will have to lock out new customers from 1.30am, and cease alcohol trading by 3am, and bottle shops will have to close their doors at 10pm, under a new package to be introduced by the New South Wales Government.

Tamb said:

Not quite an accurate headline. I don’t know about you but I think 1:30am is not early.

Well everything is relative.

in LA all he clubs shut at midnight or 1am… and they hardly have any trouble there… … .. . .

wookiemeister said:

the 6 o’clock swill

When I lived opposite the Windsor Castle Hotel I can remember this happening…well, from my spot across the road and from the safety of my favourite window.

Somewhere in the Grauiad’s article there was the suggestion that the violence might have moved elsewhere where bars are open later. However, that does seem to be an admission that late opening and violence are linked.

When I were a lad takes on old fart persona pubs closed at 11PM and we went home to someone’s place to drink coffee and watch the 80s equivalent of Rage on TV.

I have a pet theory: If you haven’t scored by midnight, you ain’t going to so you take your frustrations out with a bit of biff.

( sort of TIC)