'no Excuses' For Troublemakers In City Nightspots

'No Excuses' for Troublemakers in City Nightspots

Media Release

Wednesday, 9 December 2009

People who misbehave in the city's pubs and clubs over the festive season face on-the-spot fines of more than $200 under a campaign launched by Lord Mayor Robert Doyle today.

The No Excuses campaign will educate patrons on the consequences of their actions if they choose to misbehave in licensed premises, as part of Council's ongoing commitment to a safer city.

The campaign is part of a four-pronged approach the City of Melbourne is implementing with key stakeholders over the festive season to tackle the issue of city safety. Other initiatives include:

* the reinstatement of the Community Village at St Paul's Cathedral on Swanston Street on 11, 12 and 18 December. City of Melbourne will provide in-kind support to set up a temporary infrastructure so late-night revellers can receive refreshments, wait to be picked up by a taxi, or catch the NightRider bus. The village will coincide with the national weekend of police action, Operation Unite, and the last working day before Christmas for many people on 18 December;

* three Safe City taxi ranks will operate as usual over the weekend of Operation Unite, with the Flinders Street taxi rank positioned opposite the Community Village

* three local area pilots involving city licensees and Victoria Police are underway to encourage better relationships between police and venues.

With the support of the City of Melbourne, the Melbourne Licensees Forum and Victoria Police, the No Excuses campaign is being driven by the Association of Liquor Licensees Melbourne to make patrons aware that licensees can refuse them entry or ask them to leave if they are drunk, violent, quarrelsome, disorderly, or smoking on premises.

Failure to do so means they can receive a $234 on-the-spot fine from police. In addition, troublemakers will soon be hit with fines for drunk and disorderly under new legislation currently before state parliament.

The Lord Mayor said the No Excuses campaign was a great example of how Council, police and licensees can all work together for a common cause.

"We don't want people coming into the city looking for trouble. By all means, visit our many bars and clubs and have a good time, but don't drink to such an excess that you are going to cause trouble or become violent," the Lord Mayor said.

"People need to remember that when you are in a licensed venue, you are on private property and licensees can ask troublemakers to leave at any time and we support them in their right to do so."

The campaign is just one of many initiatives the City of Melbourne has implemented since the City Safety Summit last year.

A report released last night also shows a number of outcomes have already been achieved following the 2008 summit, including the expansion of the Safe City Cameras program, the roll-out of the first of eight late night taxi ranks over the next four years, and a six-month trial of two CCTV cars.

"City safety is a multi-faceted issue for which there is no single 'quick-fix' solution, and we are determined to continue to work on new initiatives to bring about change for the better in Melbourne," the Lord Mayor said.

"These initiatives are all aimed at encouraging an environment in the city where people can feel safer."

Victoria Police Inspector Paul Ross said: "This initiative is a great example of a cooperative response between the City of Melbourne, CBD licensees and Victoria Police. It's all about reminding patrons of their obligations when they are in licensed premises. We're confident that this strategy, along with several others currently being used, will positively impact on late night amenity issues within the CBD."

The posters will be displayed in licensed premises throughout the city and at inner-city transport hubs.

ENDS

Media Contact:
Beck Angel, City of Melbourne Media Adviser (03) 9658 9858 / 0421 271 279


SOURCE: City of Melbourne