Category: Blog

There seems to be an increase in the pub violence occurring in the Kings Cross district of Sydney. But licensees are insisting that they are not to blame, calling for authorities to act to decrease the prevalence of violence in the area.
 

Although establishments have a responsibility in how they serve alcohol, establishments insist they are not the root of the problem, which lead to the death of a young man in the area recently.
 

But are these licensees just passing the buck on something they should take responsibility for?  Well they claim that other problems such as a lack of reliable transport, mixing drugs and alcohol all contribute to the violence in the area.
 

While pub owners are calling for more surveillance in the area by the council installing more cameras, authorities have done even better by introducing increased police presence in the area on “party” nights, similar to the kind of policing used for special events. Authorities will also install additional cameras to monitor activities in the area. One of the other possibilities is the introduction of a reliable 24 hour transport service, so patrons are not left stranded in the area without transport, which leads to loitering and nasty incidents.
 

There are also a number of minors in the area that shouldn’t be, so parents also need to take responsibility and know where their children are especially at night. Pubs need to be vigilant in who they are serving, because these minors are getting their alcohol from somewhere. So publicans that are serving minors need to stop, as they face hefty penalties if they are caught, this includes fines for the workers, the owners and management of the establishment.
 

It may not be entirely fair to blame pub owners, as stats show that the violence is occurring not in the pubs themselves but rather outside them on the streets.
 

Theshout.com.au has more on the issue:
 

Licensed premises cannot be held responsible for violence in Sydney’s Kings Cross entertainment district, according to AHA NSW boss Paul Nicolaou, who has joined with a prominent Kings Cross publican in calling for greater CCTV coverage of the area and improved transport options.
 

 In a frenetic week of media coverage following a fatal assault on teenager Thomas Kelly last Saturday night, blame has swiftly been apportioned to venues serving alcohol in the area.
 

 But CEO of the AHA NSW, Paul Nicolaou, yesterday said inadequate CCTV coverage and transport options are the real cause of the problems.
 

 “It has been too easy to simply blame licensed premises for too long without any attention being paid to the very obvious problems in places like Kings Cross – problems with late night transport, pre-fuelling and people mixing drugs with alcohol in particular,” he said.
 

 Today City of Sydney Council announced an action plan for Kings Cross including major event-style policing on Friday and Saturday nights, increased Council powers to limit licences and a range of new transport measure with ‘sprint’ bus services between the Cross and Town Hall.
 

 Yesterday the City announced it would install within a month an additional six CCTV cameras it approved last March, taking the total for the area to nine.
 

 Andrew Gibbs, CEO of Solotel, proprietor of the Kings Cross Hotel, told TheShout that the problems in the area are all occurring outside licensed venues.
 

 “There are no Kings Cross venues on Level one or Level two of the NSW violent venues list – this would indicate the problems in Kings Cross are not occurring within venues but on the streets.
 

 “You always see a lot of underage kids on the streets, many of whom are obviously affected by alcohol or drugs.
 

 “Transport options are at best poor, which leads to frustration and violence particularly at taxi ranks.
 

 “The CCTV coverage in Kings Cross is very poor.  Police generally rely on footage from venues when investigating incidents that take place on the street.”
 

 In news just released, Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore is meeting with Paul Nicolaou to discuss new solutions including the possible introduction of 24-hour transport.
 

Source: http://www.theshout.com.au/2012/07/13/article/Dont-blame-pubs-for-Kings-Cross-woes-AHA/OVZIQSWQAO.html

 

Posted By Peter Cutforth
 


 

Counsellors are people who are most often looked up to in a community, there as role models to the youth, however that was not the case in a recent incident involving a former drug and alcohol counsellor.
 

The counsellor tested three times over the legal blood alcohol limit when he crashed into 3 parked cars in the Hepburn Springs area. One would expect a former counsellor to be all the more careful and as he knew the dangers of drink driving better than anyone, in my opinion the courts went a little too easy on him.
 

The bizarre incident involved the man side swiping 2 parked cars before colliding with another parked vehicle. Ironically the man was a third time drink driver, but somehow managed to escape jail. 
 

The penalty awarded by the court seems mild considering that the driver was a former counsellor and this was not his first incident. He was only sentenced to community service and a licence suspension period of 26 months. The fact that the man continued to drive after hitting into the parked vehicles means he does not wish to take responsibility for his actions. Thankfully the man is no longer a drug and alcohol counsellor.
 

This post by TheCourier.com should provide you with more insight:
 

FORMER drug and alcohol counsellor crashed into three parked cars while almost three times over the legal blood alcohol limit, a court has heard.
 

Simon Holmes, 42, was going to get dinner in Hepburn Springs on the night of February 16 this year when the series of collisions occurred.
 

After drinking at home, Holmes decided to get take away food from Ruben’s Restaurant, but before he got there he side-swiped two parked cars belonging to restaurant employees.
 

He then kept driving and collided into the rear of a parked silver Toyota vehicle, which belonged to a restaurant patron.
 

The Toyota suffered moderate damage.
 

Holmes, a third time drink driver, appeared in Ballarat Magistrates Court yesterday where he narrowly avoided jail.
 

Instead, he was sentenced to a 12 month community corrections order including assessment, treatment and testing for alcohol abuse.
 

He was also disqualified from driving for 26 months.
 

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Clint Prebble said that after hitting the three vehicles, Holmes drove off before returning, parking his car and picking up his dinner.
 

Police attended at Holmes’ address about 50 minutes later.
 

Defence lawyer David Tamanika said his client had since resigned from his job.
 

“His concerns were that his personal habits were not on par with how his position was to be carried out,” Mr Tamanika said. “It seems he carries a lot of grieving issues around with him.”
 

The court heard Holmes had gotten out of rehabilitation just days before the incident occurred.
 

In sentencing, magistrate Michelle Hodgson said Holmes should have known not to drive, especially considering his past occupation.
 

“Obviously this occurs at a time of crisis for your client,” she said. “He’s damaged his own health significantly due to alcohol and drug use and now it’s impacting on the rest of the community.
 

“He was very close to receiving a jail sentence today.”
 
The father-of-one pleaded guilty to four charges including drink driving, careless driving and failing to stop a vehicle after an accident.
 

Source: http://www.thecourier.com.au/news/local/news/crime-and-law/former-alcohol-counsellor-on-drink-driving-counts/2582650.aspx

 

The outcome of the counsellor’s drink driving could have been much worse. Recently a man was jailed in New Zealand after crashing into 2 children while intoxicated. The one girl suffered near fatal injuries to the brain and the man was jailed.
 

Tvnz.co.nz reported on the incident:
 

On December 22 last year, Aiono drunk drove down Wordsworth Rd, Manurewa, at between 75kmh and 94kmh.  The speed limit is 50kmh.
 

Aiono swerved to avoid a van, and lost control of his car.
 

The car then crossed to the other side of the road and hit two girls – aged eight and 11 – who were walking along the footpath.
 

The girls were thrown over a fence.
 

Judge Blackie said Aiono’s first reaction was to accelerate off the lawn of the property his car had landed in and flee the scene, but his car was too damaged to do so.
 

“You therefore got out of the car and ran off. Others who were in the vicinity apprehended you and brought you back to the scene. Meanwhile, both of the two girls, one aged 8 and aged 11 both lay very seriously injured. One girl might be described as critically injured.”
 

Eight-year-old Carmella was taken to hospital and spent ten days in a coma.
 

“She almost died,” the judge told the court.
 

Source: http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/drunk-driver-jailed-hitting-girls-4967821

 

This incident should be a warning to other motorists that their actions have consequences for more than just themselves, innocent lives can be affected. Responsible drinking is a subject that needs more attention especially if even drug and alcohol counsellors cannot be trusted to do the right thing when it comes to alcohol consumption and driving.
 

Posted by Peter Cutforth
 


 

An interesting and shocking statistic recently revealed that 90% of Australian youth had tried alcohol by the age of 14.  The risk of serving alcohol to underage drinkers goes far beyond the legal ramifications for the server. Alcohol consumption by teenagers can have dangerous and far reaching consequences. 
 

Under Responsible Service of Alcohol law serving alcohol to minors carries major fines for workers, management and owners of establishments, but the real cost of serving teenagers are the social consequences, such as teenage drink driving, teenage pregnancy and teenage violence.
 

Perhaps the most serious and common danger associated with drinking in general is the amount of people that get behind the wheel while intoxicated. This is not limited to teens, but it is a leading cause of death in teenagers.
 

A lot of the teenage drinking occurs during “schoolies week” or the week when teens celebrate the closure of school. Parents need to be aware of this and guard their children against it.
 

An even more problematic issue that teens than drink occasionally are teens that develop a habit of alcoholism. Alcoholism is a substance abuse disorder in which the sufferer has problems managing how much alcohol they drink, and their lives as a result. Because teenagers are not mature – physically and emotional, they are more susceptible to addictions and make rash decisions when intoxicated. 
 

The symptoms of alcoholism include tolerance to alcohol, withdrawal episodes, using more alcohol for longer periods of time, and problems managing life issues due to alcohol.  Often teenagers may try to dull their adolescent problems with alcohol.  Alcoholism is caused by a number of individual, family, genetic, and social factors rather than by any one cause. 
 

Alcoholism is diagnosed by evaluating whether the individual shows a number of symptoms of problem drinking on a regular basis.  
 

Causes of Alcohol Abuse in Teens
 

One of the main factors contributing to teenage addiction are family risk factors. These include little parent care and supervision, lack of communication from parents, inconsistent or severe parental discipline, abuse, bullying at school or among peers and a family history of alcohol or drug abuse. Individual risk factors include problems managing impulses, emotional instability, thrill-seeking behaviour and perceiving the risk of using alcohol to be low due to insufficient guidance and peer pressure.
 

According to documented research girls who drink, as well as teens who begin drinking prior to 14 years of age or those whose mothers have drinking problems, are more likely to develop alcoholism. Also studies show that teens who have a good relationship with their mothers in particular, are less likely to develop a drinking problem.
 

Symptoms of Alcohol Abuse in Teens
 

While the symptoms can be similar or exactly the same as adult alcoholic’s symptoms, some of the most common symptoms of alcohol abuse in teenagers include lying, making excuses, breaking curfew, staying in their room, becoming verbally or physically abusive toward others, having items in their possession that are connected to alcohol use, the smell of alcohol on their breath or body, mood swings, stealing, and changes in friends.
 

One of the most common occurrences amongst teenage drinkers is alcohol poisoning. This is the potentially fatal result of drinking excessive amounts of alcohol in a short period of time, the body is not able to process the amount of alcohol introduced to it. In teens whose bodies are still developing and do not have any alcohol tolerance this problem is particularly relevant.  It is caused by alcohol slowing down the body’s functions such as breathing, heart rate, and gag reflex), thereby potentially leading to choking, coma, stopped breathing, stopped heart, and death. Treatment involves getting the teenager to the hospital immediately so he or she can be closely watched by medical professionals, given oxygen and fluids, and so that other measures can be taken in order to prevent choking, as well as stopped breathing or heartbeat.
 

While parents play the biggest role in influencing teenagers, peer pressure is also a major cause of drinking. Parents can’t prevent their teenagers from experimenting with alcohol, but they can encourage sensible drinking habits and display a good example for their children to follow.
 

Those in a position to serve alcohol to underage minors need to be aware of the ramifications of their actions not only for themselves for the teenagers involved. Serving alcohol to a teen may affect the rest of their life or cut it short, so be responsible rather than their friend – it could save their life.
 

Posted by Peter Cutforth
 


 

The recent decision by many leading sporting organisations to drop their alcohol sponsors has opened up the debate of whether sporting teams should endorse alcohol.
 

Although alcohol sponsors provide valuable funding to many sporting teams, government feels it is sending the wrong message, as many of the sports teams represented are health conscious sportspeople who don’t even drink alcohol. The government has in turn provided funding to replace that lost by dropping the alcohol sponsors.
 

Whether or not the largest sports teams in Oz will also adopt the new sponsorship approach remains unclear with the AFL, NRL and Cricket Australia still remaining neutral on the issue, some say continuing to be a bad influence on children by exposing them to alcohol promotion. Meanwhile the Football Federation of Australia has adopted a leading role in the movement to remove alcohol sponsorships from sport.
 

It is probable that alcohol sponsorships will gradually phase out as did the tobacco sponsorships of the past. And as this made tobacco less “glamourous” by not promoting it and associating it will sports, government hopes that this initiative will do the same for alcohol.
 

The large number of minors especially that alcohol is being promoted to is worrying. Just because it is easier to accept money from the big alcohol companies, doesn’t mean it is what is best for society and the community, government wants more sporting teams to take a stand and the funding it provides has given the initiative a kick start.
 

This post on Sbs.com. provides more detail:
 

Australia’s biggest sporting leagues are under pressure to drop alcohol sponsorship after a dozen other codes effectively banned similar types of advertising and support.
 

 Twelve leading sporting organisations – covering athletes in soccer, basketball, netball, swimming, cycling, hockey and others – have agreed to end all existing and future alcohol sponsorship agreements.
 

 In exchange, the groups will share $25 million in replacement government funding taken from new Alcopops tax revenues.
 

 But the nation’s biggest sports organisations – AFL, NRL and Cricket Australia – have not yet signed up to the new program, prompting alcohol abuse experts to push for a similar approach.
 

 “We urge the remaining sports such as AFL, NRL and cricket to start discussions with the government as to how they too can move away from their present role in exposing children to alcohol promotion,” said Professor Mike Daube, co-chair of the National Alliance for Action on Alcohol.
 

 Sports Minister Kate Lundy, who announced the “Be The Influence” strategy on Saturday, said more sporting groups were not part of the initiative partly due to funding issues.
 

 “With $25 million available, this is the best we can do,” she told reporters in Melbourne.
 

 She did, however, praise the three big leagues for their own efforts in trying to reduce binge drinking.
 

 “The issue here is that they are all carrying a responsible drinking message,” she said.
 

Last week, the AFL announced a 10-year extension to a major sponsorship deal with Carlton United Brewers.
 

Cricket Australia has been sponsored by VB for years while the NRL has commercial partnerships with Fosters and Diageo, which makes Bundaberg Rum.
 

These kinds of funding arrangements, however, are now being questioned by some athletes.
 

“It would be an easy option to turn to the alcohol companies,” said Olympic swimming champion Geoff Huegill, who supports Swimming Australia’s decision to join the government initiative.
 

“Back in the 80s you had the tobacco companies that were doing the same things as well. From stamping that out, we’ve had massive change.”
 

 Football Federation of Australia CEO Ben Buckley says his organisation is proud to take a leadership role in reducing alcohol abuse.
 

 “We have an absolute responsibility to make our community clubs and our professional clubs role models in society,” he said.
 

 But NRL spokesman John Brady said he hoped the government would invest more funding in harm prevention groups rather than target sports sponsorship programs.
 

 “Trying to ban alcohol sponsorship isn’t going to achieve anything,” he said.
 

 Australian Medical Association president Dr Steve Hambleton urged big sporting codes to realise the days of accepting cash from alcohol companies were quickly coming to an end.
 

Source: http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1662422/12-sports-ditch-alcohol-sponsorship

 

 Posted by Peter Cutforth
 


 

 Reports detailing the benefits of moderate alcohol intake for the bones has been doing the rounds this week on the internet. It has been instigated by a finding by academics who claim to have assessed alcohols impact on bone regeneration in women who have gone through menopause. Moderate drinking has now been hailed as the solution to weak bones in postmenapausal women who often suffer from osteoporosis and other bones diseases. This study is particularly useful for women who cannot afford the costly medication needed to maintain bone density. A healthy diet, together with good and regular exercise when combined with moderate alcohol intake is said to increase the bone turnover and result in strengthened bones. The women in the study averaged 1.4 drinks a day and more than 90% were wine drinkers. As loss in bone density is a problem that experienced everyone who ages, the study may revolutionise the way people deal with bone diseases.

According to a post found on The Jerusalem Post Website this is what the university study had to say:

Moderate drinking as part of healthy lifestyle could lower risk of developing osteoporosis, new study finds.

 

Drinking a moderate amount of alcohol as part of a healthy lifestyle may benefit women’s bone health, lowering their risk of developing osteoporosis.

 

A new study assessed the effects of alcohol withdrawal on bone turnover in postmenopausal women who drank one or two drinks per day several times a week. Researchers at Oregon State University measured a significant increase in blood markers of bone turnover in women after they stopped drinking for just two weeks.

 

Bones are in a constant state of remodeling with old bone being removed and replaced. In people with osteoporosis, more bone is lost than reformed resulting in porous, weak bones. About 80 percent of all people with osteoporosis are women, and postmenopausal women face an even greater risk because estrogen, a hormone that helps keep bone remodeling in balance, decreases after menopause.

 

Past studies have shown that moderate drinkers have a higher bone density than non-drinkers or heavy drinkers, but these studies have provided no explanation for the differences in bone density. Alcohol appears to behave similarly to estrogen in that it reduces bone turnover, the researchers said.

 

In the current study, published online July 11 in the journal Menopause, researchers in OSU’s Skeletal Biology Laboratory studied 40 early postmenopausal women who regularly had one or two drinks a day, were not on any hormone replacement therapies, and had no history of osteoporosis-related fractures.

 

The researchers found evidence for increased bone turnover – a risk factor for osteoporotic fractures – during the two week period when the participants stopped drinking. Even more surprising: the researchers found that less than a day after the women resumed their normal drinking, their bone turnover rates returned to previous levels.

 

“Drinking moderately as part of a healthy lifestyle that includes a good diet and exercise may be beneficial for bone health, especially in postmenopausal women,” said Urszula Iwaniec, associate professor in the College of Public Health and Human Sciences at OSU and one of the study’s authors. “After less than 24 hours to see such a measurable effect was really unexpected.”

 

Iwaniec, OSU’s Skeletal Biology Laboratory director Russell Turner, and researcher Gianni Maddalozzo assisted OSU alumna Jill Marrone with the study, which was Marrone’s master’s thesis.

 

This study is important because it suggests a cellular mechanism for the increased bone density often observed in postmenopausal women who are moderate drinkers, Turner said.

 

The researchers said many of the medications to help prevent bone loss are not only expensive, but can have unwanted side effects. While excessive drinking has a negative impact on health, drinking a glass of wine or beer regularly as part of a healthy lifestyle may be helpful for postmenopausal women.

 

“Everyone loses bone as they age, but not everyone develops osteoporosis,” Turner said. “Being able to identify factors, such as moderate alcohol intake, that influence bone health will help people make informed lifestyle choices.”

 

The study was funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health and the John C. Erkkila, M.D. Endowment for Health and Human Performance.

 

Source: http://www.jpost.com/Health/Article.aspx?id=277422

Posted by Peter Cutforth

Accolades have been piling on for Sydney bartender Tim Phillips who has be named the top bartender in the world. Phillips, who represented Oz for the second time won the contest which was held in Brazil last week. Last year he didn’t make the top 5, but this year he has taken top honours, putting critics to rest. Other Australian bartenders have someone to aspire to in Phillips.

TheShout.com.au has a detailed post :

BREAKING NEWS: Sydney bartender Tim Philips has won the international World Class title.

 

 Philips, of Hemmesphere was representing Australia for the second time in the World Class global finals run by Diageo in Rio de Janeiro this week.

 

 Philips represented Australia at the Global Finals last year where he placed 6th out of 34 contestants.

 

 He started his bartending career in Melbourne working for venues such as Ffour and Black Pearl before heading overseas to London where he worked at Milk&Honey and also won the 2009 UK Bartender of the year award.

 

 After a stint in France, where he was managing The Clubhouse, a member-only cocktail bar, he returned to Australia and set up camp in Sydney, working at Merivale’s ivy Level 6 bar. He is currently in the process setting up his own bar which is expected to open later this year.

 

 The news of Philips’ victory has been enthusiastically embraced by the local bartending community with an overwhelming number of people offering their congratulations through Facebook.

 

 Read more at: http://www.theshout.com.au/2012/07/13/article/Sydneys-Tim-Philips-wins-World-Class/MRKVUZVPLH.html

This report in thedailytelegraph.com.au provides even more detail on the post:

AN Australian bartender has been named the world’s best at a prestigious awards ceremony in Rio.

 

Tim Philips, 28, who works at swanky Hemmesphere in Sydney, was chosen over 50 other finalists to be named the Diageo Reserve World Class Bartender of the Year.

 

According to organisers, he “captivated judges with his winning signature serve, a twisted chic cocktail: Hot Toddy Australia, made with Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve blended scotch whisky, honey, cinnamon quill, ginger and innovative technique”.

 

Over the past year, 15,000 contenders from top bars around the world have competed in local and regional heats.

 

“I am thrilled and humbled,” the Aussie said

 

Source: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/tim-phillips-from-hemmesphere-name-worlds-best-bartender/story-fncvk70o-1226425758683

Other bartenders who want to give Phillips a run for his money next year had better develop their mixology skills.

We start you off with a few of the basics that you need to learn in order to make it in the world of bartending:

• Learn which is more appropriate for certain drinks. When to Shake and When to Stir Cocktails
• The importance of ice, its varying forms and which way to best use it in different drinks
•  The appropriate glass serving ware for various drinks
• How to present a drink so that it is aesthetically pleasing
• Develop speed and accuracy in amounts when mixing
• Which combinations work best.
• Which cocktails require which mixers.
• If there is a certain order for pouring certain drinks and hat this order is.
• Get a good amount of cocktail recipes under your belt and be innovative in creating your own twists. Putting a spin on the old classics will keep it exciting and impress the judges.
• Learn how to measure quantities efficiently and quickly, there’s nothing worse than waiting forever for a drink
• Know your alcohols

Most importantly in Oz the government requires that you undergo Responsible Service of Alcohol Training. The good news is that it can be done online, cheaply, conveniently and quickly. Don’t bother with expensive and inconvenient face to face training when you can complete your online RSA course today.

Topics to be covered by The Course Include:

1. An Introduction to RSA: Which will help trainees understand the purpose for Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA).  Here trainees will learn about the principles of RSA and the role of Government in developing and enforcing RSA legislation in NSW. Government officers and experienced licensees will explain many of these details so that you gain a thorough understanding from the people that know best.

2.  RSA legislation:  Covers the skills and knowledge to sell or serve alcohol according to NSW legislation.  This topic will also outline the legal requirements of RSA. Industry professionals will explain the key aspects of RSA legislation and how it applies to your role in industry.

3. The Impact of alcohol: Particularly the impact on patrons including long-term health problems, associated with alcohol consumption. Learn how alcohol impacts on personal and community health. Once again we will call on the expertise of a professional, as a health professional will outline issues related to the sale and service of alcohol for different types of customers, especially those at risk. You will also see how to provide accurate information to customers on alcoholic beverages.

4. RSA strategies:  This topic will give you a range of skills that will help you to comply with the requirements of the liquor laws.  In this topic you’ll look at role plays demonstrating best practice in RSA strategies so that you can gain practical knowledge on how to apply what you have learned.  You’ll also hear from licensees about how RSA is typically applied by staff in the workplace.

So don’t delay visit www.rsaonline.com to complete your course!

Posted by Peter Cutforth