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Tag: Responsible Service of Alcohol

  • Calls for National Alcohol Summit to tackle Booze Issues

    The Australian Medical Association (AMA) has called for a national alcohol summit to tackle the problematic issues surrounding the misuse of alcohol in Oz.

    Doctors are apparently calling for the Abbott Government to take a stand against what they call an “epidemic” of alcohol abuse beginning with a national summit to discuss ways to changes the nation’s problematic boozing culture – the root of numerous related issues including alcohol fuelled violence.

    The AMA want the federal government to convene a summit to bring together the state governments, local councils, health experts, industry members, police and those affected by alcohol related violence.

    In an article on Smh.com.au the AMA’s president Steve Hambleton was quoted as saying:

    ”We have a major national problem that requires a major national solution,” AMA president Steve Hambleton said.

    ”The NSW Government has this week introduced some very tough and very welcome new laws to address alcohol-related violence on the streets of Sydney, and we now have to look at the broader harmful effects of alcohol misuse in every corner of the country.”

    Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/ama-wants-a-national-summit-to-curb-alcohol-abuse-and-related-violence-20140122-3196w.html#ixzz2rALFEYUz

    He also went on to state that a co-ordinated and nationally consistent approach by all governments was needed on alcohol issues such as alcohol marketing, pricing, taxation, venue licensing and operating hours.

    Earlier this month Mr Abbott said he was concerned about the number of alcohol fuelled violent incidents but also cautioned that we shouldn’t rush into “knee jerk reactions”. He placed most of the responsibility on state governments.

    The opposition leader, Bill Shorten has on the other hand backed the AMA’s call for a national summit. He has called on Mr Abbott to support the call, the post on Smh.com.au went on to explain:

    ”As a community, we must stand up against violence in all its forms and do what we can to prevent it,” Mr Shorten said.

    Labor oppositions in NSW and Victoria also backed the idea.

    Labor’s Victorian health spokesman Gavin Jennings said he would attend if invited.

    ”Labor would be supportive of a national summit to discuss a national approach that deals with the excess use of alcohol,” he said.

    NSW Labor health spokesman Andrew McDonald, who is a paediatrician, said the summit was an excellent idea.

    ”We need to listen to the evidence and develop bipartisan policies,” he said.

    Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/ama-wants-a-national-summit-to-curb-alcohol-abuse-and-related-violence-20140122-3196w.html#ixzz2rALFEYUz

    What the experts say

    According to Professor Mike Daube the Public Health Association of Australia’s spokesperson, we already have the evidence when it comes to alcohol abuse, we need to now decide on what to do about it and how to take action not setting up more reviews.

    Although the federal government has placed most of the responsibility on state governments, Michael Thorn, chief executive of the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education said he believed the federal government should be part of the solution. Sandra Jones, the head of the Centre for Health Initiatives at the University of Wollongong, said Australian culture was too set in alcohol marketing.

    With all of these differing opinions on what the root of the problem is and what actions need to be taken, perhaps the idea of a national summit to bring all of these ideas together is not just a bad thing?

  • Alcohol Fuelled Violence seems to be spreading from Melbourne CBD

    According to new statistics, Melbourne’s CBD is has become the worst place for assaults and violent crimes and it seems to be spreading quickly.

    According to reports the number of assaults has begun to rise outside of Melbourne, with Geelong being one of the most violent areas. According to the statistics violence is no longer concentrated within the Melbourne CBD but has spread to surrounding areas such as Geelong.

    Melbourne’s CBD has been dubbed the “states biggest assault hotspot” but this violence is spreading to other areas more quickly.

    The following excerpt from an article on www.heraldsun.com.au explains more:

    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.

    Source: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/scourge-of-violence-spreads-from-melbournes-cbd/story-fni0fee2-1226799718151

    The article goes on to explain that according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare the number of victims of alcohol-related physical abuse rose from 4.5 per cent in 2007 to 8.1 per cent in 2010. Statistics show that alcohol related hospitalisations cost the country up to $36 billion every year.

    In Victoria on the whole, alcohol related hospitalisations have increased by 74 per cent since 2001. That accounted for more than 30,000 hospitalisations in 2010. According to the article other states have reported a similar situation.

    According to licensees, they are doing their best to work in cooperation with police to curb problematic alcoholic behaviour but others have blamed the high density of liquor stores for some of the surge in violence. The article on www.heraldsun.com.au explains:

    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.

    Source: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/scourge-of-violence-spreads-from-melbournes-cbd/story-fni0fee2-1226799718151

    According to one government spokesman an increase in police recruitment and tougher penalties for drunken behaviour or breaches of liquor licenses were some of the strategies used to combat this problematic culture and stop the spread of violence.

    Despite these efforts, according to the article on HeraldSun.com.au the “assault hotspots for Victoria 2012-2013” include:

    Melbourne: 2741

    Casey: 2225

    Hume: 1900

    Greater Dandenong: 1859

    Greater Geelong: 1848

    Brimbank: 1791

    La Trobe: 1617

    Frankston: 1522

    Whittlesea: 1453

    Wyndham: 1227

    Source: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/scourge-of-violence-spreads-from-melbournes-cbd/story-fni0fee2-1226799718151

  • Best Way to Tackle a Hangover this Holiday Season

    With Christmas and New Years behind us most of us will be getting back into the routine of normal life but chances are you may have one or two more soirees planned before this happens and after all that drinking you will probably need a few quick fixes to help to feel your best.

    Although we should be drinking responsibly enough to avoid a hangover, sometimes we tend to overdo it over the holidays so remember these tips to help you avoid that dreaded morning after feeling.

    Because dehydration is the cause of that horrible feeling you get when you’re hung-over it is important to drink plenty of water especially in-between drinks and before you go to bed.

    Instead of the unhealthy and heavy comfort food we crave, have a healthy pasta dish with protein, fat and anti-flammatory nutrients obtainable from garlic to clean the gut and keep the immune system healthy.

    Nutritionists also suggest eating full fat Greek yoghurt to help restore beneficial gut flora in the intestines which are disrupted by alcohol.

    Another excellent “super food” is coconut water which will not only hydrate your body but replenish lost electrolytes while milk thistle tablets will help to detox it. Charcoal supplements are also a good way of absorbing toxins from the gut.

    Remember that alcoholic drinks are high in calories, so if you don’t want to put on added pounds keep track of how many calories you’re not only eating but drinking as well.

    Vitamin B3 is a good way to start the recovery process as it will help break down the alcohol in the body and thereby help minimise the effect of the hangover the next day.

    When embarking on a heavy night of drinking, avoid greasy and fatty foods which are harder to metabolise and break down, they alcohol slows this process even more, causing your body to store more fat.

    According to a post on BrisbaneTimes.com.au which was compiled using the advice of nutritional experts and trainers, this is how you cure a hangover:

    Eat a avocado pasta dish (quinoa pasta, avocado, garlic, Greek yoghurt and parmesan cheese)

    Drink coconut water before during and after eating the dish

    Take milk thistle and Vitamin B before during and after the meal

    Take charcoal capsules to absorb toxins

    Take carnitine and hydroxycitric acid to burn fat

    Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/how-to-cure-a-christmas-hangover-20131223-2zuc9.html#ixzz2oZns8Ods

    Let’s not forget the importance of moderation over the silly season. Although most view it as the season for excess, drinking in excess over the holidays may seem like fun at the time but it can have dire consequences, more severe than just a hangover or some weight gain. Alcohol fuelled sicknesses, diseases, violence and road accidents are also a common part of the festive season, don’t let your new year’s fun be ruined by a tragedy caused by drinking too much.

  • Dubbo Police Break-up Wild Alcohol Filled Party

    Undoubtedly the people most at risk of being the victims of alcohol fuelled harm as well the biggest perpetrators are young people.

    A man was arrested at Narromine after assaulting a police officer and an out-of-control part involving more than 100 people had to be broken up.

    According to reports police were generally satisfied with the behaviour of the general public during Operation Unite but some young people are still exhibiting dangerous drinking behaviour, placing themselves at risk and becoming a menace to others.

    During the operation one man, an 18 year old was arrested after he became violent with a police officer, wrestling him to ground and striking the officer before being taken to the police station. This excerpt explains:

    After striking the officer the man was wrestled to the ground and arrested before being taken to Narromine Police Station and charged with assaulting a police officer, resisting arrest, failing to comply and breaching bail for an unrelated issue.

    The man appeared in Dubbo Local Court on Sunday and was given bail with conditions. The officer suffered minor facial injuries.

    Less than 24 hours earlier police were called to a residence in Fairview Street for reports of an out-of-control party and underage drinking. Police attended and found about 50 to 60 teenagers present.

    Officers were abused and bottles were thrown at police. Additional police were called and the crowd was dispersed with no arrests made.

    Source: http://www.dailyliberal.com.au/story/1973834/police-shut-down-wild-teenaged-party/?cs=112

    Orana Local Area Command Operation Unite Commander Gemini Bakos said that the incidents were the only really major concerns during the blitz by police officers. This year’s operations yielded much better results than last year with fewer arrests being made.

    Police in Dubbo arrested 4 people during the operation but not all of these arrests were linked to alcohol. The DailyLiberal.coom.au post also explains:

    An additional 21 officers were on duty between 6pm Friday and 6am yesterday when the operation concluded. During that time, police in the city visited 50 licensed premises and issued four people with infringements for failing to comply.

    Source: http://www.dailyliberal.com.au/story/1973834/police-shut-down-wild-teenaged-party/?cs=112

    It is interesting that a total of 323 random breath tests were issued and only one person was caught drink driving, this shows improvement in the city in alcohol behaviour and that people are becoming more responsible drinkers.

    Commander Bakos went on to explain:

    “It’s been a successful operation. It’s good to see the public has taken the message on board about responsible drinking,” Inspector Bakos said. “We had a really good police presence and that was effective. It was good to get around to all the licensed premises and talk to licensees and security personnel.”

    Source: http://www.dailyliberal.com.au/story/1973834/police-shut-down-wild-teenaged-party/?cs=112

    According to the article, during the weekend of the operation across the state of NSW 540 arrests were made and 1062 charges were laid. Common assaults and people drinking past intoxication were the greatest concerns.

    Another issue being tackled by authorities during Operation Unite was drink driving. Across NSW 40.000 people underwent random breath tests.

  • Drink Drivers Arrested During Operation Unite

    Alcohol related violence and drunken behaviour have been getting a lot of attention recently particularly in the aftermath of Operation Unite but another alcohol fuelled social issue which was identified as problematic during the blitz is drink driving.

    The police across Australia, in all states embarked on the blitz on alcohol fuelled misconduct and made hundreds of arrests relating to drink driving, violence and assaults.

    In the WA area of Esperance alone 5 motorists were arrested during the operation for drink driving and while the focus was on licensed venues and entertainment precincts, people getting behind the wheel while intoxicated is another huge problem that we need to tackle.

    According to Esperance police Sergeant Swadkins, officers charged 5 motorists with drink driving during the Operation Unite, designed to heighten the community’s awareness of social issues relating to alcohol. The following excerpt from www.esperanceexpress.com.au explains further:

    The operation was designed to heighten awareness in the community of the social issues that need to be addressed in the community, in particular excessive consumption and risky drinking behaviour, especially among young adults which leads to the risk of injury, assault and other violence.

    WA Police deployed its resources across the state, with a focus on licensed venues and entertainment precincts.

    Sgt Swadkins said police issued five street drinking infringements over the weekend.

    “We had three arrests that resulted in two disorderly charges and one obstruct police charge,” he said.

    Locally, police ran a number of rolling random breath tests to target any alcohol-related crime.

    “It’s disappointing that we had five people drink driving,” Sgt Swadkins said.

    Read more at: http://www.esperanceexpress.com.au/story/1975455/5-drink-drivers-nabbed-in-esperance-leg-of-operation-unite/?cs=1520

    According to Sgt Swadkins police operations will continue to target drink drivers over the Christmas and New Year periods. He issued a warning to drinkers that if they are going to drink, do not under any circumstance get behind the wheel of a vehicle.

    One of the major aims of Operation Unite this year, according to Metropolitan regional officer acting Commander Charlie Carver was to encourage the public to think about their behaviour and whether it would impact them personally in terms of their health, career or family relationships.

    As the Commander explained, going out and having fun is not a problem neither is having a few drinks but people need to stop binge drinking and learn what their limits are and stick to them – not only for their own personal wellbeing but also to be considerate of the people around them.

    The article goes on to explain:

    “Alcohol-fuelled anti-social behaviour is not acceptable, and it is time for a cultural shift in the way we drink to make our drinking behaviour safer and more responsible.”

    WA Police released its Operation Unite 2013 summary, detailing that state-wide, some 516 individuals were charged with offences over the period, 62 of those were excess 0.08 per cent charges, 66 for drug offences and 65 for disorderly behaviour.

    Read more at: http://www.esperanceexpress.com.au/story/1975455/5-drink-drivers-nabbed-in-esperance-leg-of-operation-unite/?cs=1520

  • Researchers want Community Defender Office to help Fight Bars and Alcohol Shops

    According to a group made up of medical and research groups established in NSW to review alcohol fuelled misconduct and its impact on communities, a community defender’s office is called for in order to protect residents and communities from alcohol fuelled problems stemming from “unwanted” bars and pubs in the area.

    A community defender’s office should be established under the liquor law so that residents, schools and hospitals can fight a flood of unwanted bars and bottle shops, an alliance of medical and research groups claim.

    According to an article on Smh.com.au the number of active liquor licences in NSW increased by 13 per cent between 2008 and 2011. Councils across Sydney complain that the community is locked out of decision-making and does not have the resources to fight applications from companies with money and resources at their disposal.

    The following excerpt from www.Smh.com.au explains further:

    The NSW Alcohol Policy Alliance, which includes the NSW Police Association, Australian Medical Association and hospital and surgeon groups, has called for a defender’s office to be funded through the introduction of annual licence fees for pubs and clubs.

    A report to be released on Thursday at a forum at NSW Parliament has found the community impact statements lodged by liquor licence applicants are often misleading while spot checks by the regulator have revealed many pubs and hotels don’t tell communities – giving them no chance to object.

    A community defender’s office would notify communities of a new licence application, help prepare affidavits and gather data needed to challenge a new licence under complex rules.

    ”NSW communities are demanding a say in liquor licensing decisions but are increasingly frustrated at being locked out by a process that is unfairly weighted in favour of the alcohol industry,” said Michael Thorn, chief executive of the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education.

    Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/push-for-help-fighting-bars-bottle-shops-20131019-2vtja.html#ixzz2iKdVFFSl

    As one member of the community, Kandy Tagg explained, liquor licences arent the problem but the concern is that more big bars bring more drinking, more violence and noise and subsequently more disruption for the community.

    The Fairfield City Council explained that it is extremely difficult for the community to challenge a licence proposal because they often dont have the means to do so and sometimes they arent even aware of the applications.

    It is important that in areas where there is a high density of bars, pubs and licenced premises that Responsible service of alcohol regulations are strictly adhered to because often it is the only defence against the alcohol fuelled problems that communities are so fearful of.

    The post on Smh.com.au goes on to explain:

    Applicants were only required to provide the location of nearby schools, churches and hospitals, not the views of these groups. The only way a community discovered an application had been lodged was if they happened to see an A4 piece of paper stuck on a building, she said.

    Manly Council uses its planning powers to alert community groups if a development application for a new pub or restaurant is received. Any objections go to an independent panel. Cr Griffin said the NSW government should adopt the same approach for liquor licences.

    Residents on Thursday took objections to a restaurant Justin Hemmes plans to open on the Manly wharf to an independent hearing. It ruled the project could proceed but must address noise and environmental concerns.

    Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/push-for-help-fighting-bars-bottle-shops-20131019-2vtja.html#ixzz2iKdVFFSl

     

     

  • End to Booze Filled Weekend in NSW

    Last weekend was an eye opener for anyone who didn’t know the extent of the alcohol fuelled violence across the country. According to the police who embarked on the country-wide blitz last weekend, a person was arrested every 3 minutes across the state of NSW during the blitz on booze-filled violence.

    Senior NSW detectives involved in the blitz expressed their anger at the outcome of the weekend long operation. 540 People were arrested on the streets of NSW and more than 20 arrests per hour were made.

    The operation included a joint effort between police across the country and as Premier Barry O’Farrell explained, the problem in NSW is severe.

    The following excerpt from www.dailytelegraph.com.au explains:

    Senior NSW detectives said they were angered by the staggering numbers, while Prime Minister Tony Abbott described the issue as “urgent” and Premier Barry O’Farrell insisted the problem was a national one.

    But alcohol policy groups said the responsibility was the state government’s and yesterday called for a summit on the issue of booze and violence.

    In a frightening glimpse of the summer ahead, 540 people were nabbed on the state’s streets over the weekend, with police making more than 20 arrests per hour as part of Operation Unite – aimed at reducing alcohol-related crime across Australia and NZ.

    The weekend confirmed NSW as the Australasian capital of boozy violence, contributing the same number of arrests to the blitz as the combined totals of Queensland (395), Victoria (76), South Australia (46) and Auckland (27).

    Source: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/alcoholfuelled-violence-on-our-streets-two-nights-of-living-hell-in-nsw/story-fni0cx12-1226783631106

    Violent attacks took place all over the state during the weekend with one man remaining in an induced come after a booze-filled attack near Bondi Beach.

    More than 280 people were arrested on Saturday night into Sunday morning alone and police officers at youth parties were subjected to abuse as youth hurled rocks and beer bottles at them.

    The article went on detail some of the alcohol fuelled issues that occurred in NSW over the weekend blitz,

    In shocking scenes during the early hours of Sunday, a man in his early 30s was bashed and allegedly stomped in a fight with another man outside a Darling Harbour nightclub. He was found unconscious and bleeding by paramedics. The scenes were so disturbing, one distressed bystander had to be treated for an asthma attack.

    In other incidents yesterday, police arrested six men after a scuffle outside a hotel in Oxford St, a man was treated for injuries following an incident in Pitts Rd, a pizza delivery driver was treated after an assault in Balmain, and, in Martin Place, a barman was struck in the head with a bar stool after four men got into a fight

    Source: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/alcoholfuelled-violence-on-our-streets-two-nights-of-living-hell-in-nsw/story-fni0cx12-1226783631106

    Premier O’Farrell reiterated that Australia has an unacceptable drinking culture which needs to be addressed. Binge drinking and loading is a major problem contributing to the alcohol fuelled violence on our streets.

    RSA servers also need to be aware of the role they play in alcohol fuelled violence. Enforcement of RSA is vital in bringing down the high number of assaults and attacks fuelled by alcohol.

     

  • Club Forced to Close due to RSA Breaches

    The consequences of breaching Responsible Service of Alcohol laws have been demonstrated by an incident which took place at the Wagga Wagga Boat Club at Lake Albert.

    Police say they were forced to shut down the club after they discovered more than 200 licensing breaches relating to responsible alcohol service during a single inspection.

    The police’s discovery was made during a raid on the weekend which was part of Operation Unite. The operation is a joint effort by police across Oz and NZ to crackdown on alcohol related criminal behaviour.

    The following excerpt explains what happened:

    The Club at Lake Albert was raided on Saturday night during Operation Unite – a crackdown on alcohol related crime and anti-social behaviour.

    In a statement, police say the breaches of the liquor law were discovered during a single inspection.

    The club was immediately closed and directed by the officers to cease trading.

    The Crime Manager of the Wagga Wagga Local Area Command Inspector Darren Cloake says the breaches relate to the number of days the club is alleged to have operated without properly accredited management.

    Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-12-16/police-close-wagga-boat-club/5158908?&section=news

    It is important that other licensees recognise how crucial it is for all employees including those who are not directly serving alcohol to be in possession of a Responsible Service of Alcohol certificate. Management and security staff working in a licenced venue must also complete the training and keep proof that they have done so on the premises so that when authorities request it, it is available. Even temporarily employed staff must complete this course, not only those permanently employed.

    The boat club involved in this incident had employed a temporary manager without ensuring that he had completed RSA training, the authorities take this type of offence very seriously, as Inspector Cloake explains:

    “The club has currently employed a temporary manager and that manager doesn’t hold a current RSA (Responsible Service of Alcohol) or RG (Responsible Conduct of Gambling) certificate, therefore the club’s been operating without the necessary authority,” he said.

    “The person’s been operating for approximately 44 days. Those offences relate to the sale and supply of alcohol. Basically for the 44 days, each day that they’ve been operating is an offence.”

    Inspector Cloake says police will follow up on the closure order tomorrow.

    No-one from the Boat Club’s been available for comment, but ABC News understands officials are working to reopen the facility as soon as possible.

    Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-12-16/police-close-wagga-boat-club/5158908?&section=news

    It is surprising that people in the alcohol service industry choose to neglect the importance of the Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) certificate, despite it being so easy to obtain. Perhaps some of the reason why people operate illegally and fail to obtain their RSA certificate is that they are misinformed about how to complete the RSA course and aren’t aware of how simple a process it can be.

    The course can be completed easily and conveniently online from the comfort of your home or office. The online course is also much more cost effective than traditional forms of training in a classroom, so RSA staff and management have no excuse not to obtain their RSA certificate.

  • Study Disproves Theory that Alcohol leads to Depression

    According to a group of Western Australian scientists, alcohol consumption does not lead to depression as previously assumed.

    The scientists discovered that there was no truth to theory that alcohol causes people to become depressed.

    The discovery was made following a study of 3873 elderly men conducted over a period of 3 years as part of a long running men’s health study and the findings have been eye-opening especially in debunking some old myths such as the myth that drinking alcohol causes depression.

    This post from www.perthnow.com.au explains:

    A study of 3873 elderly men has shown no truth to the long-held belief alcohol causes people to become depressed, University of Western Australia school of psychiatry and clinical neurosciences professor Osvaldo Almeida said.

    The study was conducted over three years as part of the long-running Health in Men Study.

    “We found (as expected) that this particular genetic variant was associated with reduced alcohol use, but it had no association with depression whatsoever,” he said.

    Source: http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/alcohol-and-depression-not-linked-wa-study/story-fnhocxo3-1226717903594

    The researchers came to the conclusion that alcohol doesn’t cause depression in older men. There are often people who suffer from alcoholism and the effects of these addictions may lead them to become depressed but alcohol in itself doesn’t cause depression, as we previously thought.

    Even though this study shows that alcohol consumption does not directly lead to depression in drinkers, we should not take this as an opportunity to binge drink. Any excessive consumption of alcohol can lead to severe and sometimes life-threatening consequences which is why alcohol should always be consumed in moderation and responsibly.

    Consuming moderate amounts of alcohol can positively affect your physical and mental state. Even though alcohol is widely abused, which often overshadows the good it can do, there are some benefits to drinking alcohol in moderate amounts. And now that we know that alcohol doesn’t cause depression, people abusing it does, we can recognise the importance of promoting moderate consumption, particularly if we work in the hospitality industry.

    Workers who serve and sell alcohol have a responsibility to ensure that they are not serving alcohol to unduly intoxicated patrons which only promotes excessive drinking and negative consequences such as alcoholism and depression.

    The post goes on to explain:

    “The conclusion is that alcohol use neither causes nor prevents depression in older men.  Our results also debunk the view that mild to moderate alcohol consumption may reduce the risk of depression.”

    Prof Almeida said the association observed between alcohol and depression could be explained by other factors, but not by alcohol itself.

    “It doesn’t mean alcohol is entirely safe and people can consume it in whatever way they like.  We know that alcohol when consumed in excess does create a lot of health problems – but what we now know is that one of those problems is not depression.”

    Source: http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/alcohol-and-depression-not-linked-wa-study/story-fnhocxo3-1226717903594

  • Sydney Panel to make Suggestions on State’s Nightlife

    Sydney will hopefully become less violence infested since the foundation of a panel to make suggestions on issues affecting Sydney’s nightlife has been announced.

    The jury of more than 40 citizens is going to be empanelled with the task of tackling the issue of alcohol fuelled violence plaguing Sydney’s streets.

    The panel is a joint effort, initiated by The Thomas Kelly Youth Foundation, the City of Sydney, the NSW government and the independent newDemocracy Foundation.The group will be composed of 43 randomly selected citizens of Sydney who are not affiliated with any parties, lobbyists or interest groups. Members of the panel will be asked to compile at least 5 recommendations to help make Sydney’s night life safer and less violence prone.

    The initiative is being championed by someone who has been directly affected Sydney’s violent night life, Ralph Kelly, the father of teenager Thomas Kelly.

    Thomas Kelly was slain in the notorious Kings Cross District last year when he decided to visit the area for the first time.

    An article on www.TheAustralian.com.au explains,

    Ralph Kelly, the father of Thomas Kelly who died after being king hit at Kings Cross in July last year, said the panel would hopefully cut through self-interest and conflicting views.

    “I hadn’t appreciated just how politically complex this issue is,” Mr Kelly, who founded the Thomas Kelly Youth Foundation, said on Tuesday.

    “I just want a jury of people to really look at what is happening and for there to be a sensible and informed conversation which government listens to.

    “We don’t know what the outcome will be, but I think a citizens’ jury is a way to get beyond the simple back-and-forth between lobbies which goes nowhere.”

    Source: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/sydneysiders-set-to-form-jury-on-alcohol/story-fn3dxiwe-1226720885641

    The primary sponsors of the initiative are the City of Sydney and the NSW government and will cost the state more than $132,000.

    The call for jury members will be issued to a group of randomly selected Sydney residents from a selected sample of 20,000. The jury will also be made up of university and TAFE students to ensure that the 18-24 year old demographic is adequately represented.

    Discussions will begin early next year and will include 6 face-to-face meetings where members of the panel will be asked to come up with set recommendations to reduce Sydney’s nightlife violence that could be attached and accomplished in a set timeframe.

    Various interest groups will be allowed to voice their opinions to the jury who will make the ultimate decisions. These decisions will then be taken, as is to parliament.  The article on www.TheAustralian.com.au goes on to explain:

    Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said expert groups, interest groups, community groups and lobbyists will be invited to make their case, but the extent of their role will be in the hands of the jury.

    NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell has agreed the recommendations of the jury will be taken to parliament unaltered, she said.

    Source: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/sydneysiders-set-to-form-jury-on-alcohol/story-fn3dxiwe-1226720885641