Sunshine Coast families will be able to enjoy a safe night out following the Government’s introduction of a comprehensive package of reforms designed to end alcohol and drug-related violence.
Member for Maroochydore Fiona Simpson said the Government was delivering on its strong plan to end senseless deaths and violence and make Queensland the safest place to raise a family.
“We’ve received feedback from the local community that they’d had enough. The violence has to stop,” Ms Simpson said.
“As a community, we’ve all been are appalled by the recent tragedies and tragic loss of life from alcohol-fuelled violence. As a society we must do all that we can to stop it happening again,” Ms Simpson said.
Ms Simpson said Maroochydore and Mooloolaba would be included in the Government’s plans for a Safe Night Precinct on the Sunshine Coast.
“The new Safe Night Precinct for the Sunshine Coast will ensure our popular nightspots have locally coordinated prevention and support initiatives in place to keep patrons safe.
“Venues trading after midnight in the precinct will be required to have ID scanners, which will allow them to effectively ban unruly patrons from any venue in the area.” Ms Simpson said
Ms Simpson said the Strategy had been backed by $44.5 million funding injection in this year’s State Budget.
“The Government wants people to be able to be safe while they are out enjoying our diverse and vibrant nightlife and be safe.”
“The overwhelming majority of people do the right thing when they go out and they deserve to be protected,” she said.
“The Safe Night Out Strategy is the most comprehensive plan of its kind in the country and it is about getting our community involved in changing the drinking culture in Queensland.
Key elements of the strategy include:
· Compulsory drug and alcohol education in Queensland schools from Years 7 to 12.
· A new offence of “unlawful striking causing death”, which will carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and require the offender to serve 80 per cent of his or her prison sentence
· Increased penalties for other violent and antisocial offences such as serious assault of public officers, public nuisance, refusing to leave a licensed premises, obstructing police, failing to obey a move-on order and urinating in public
· Empowering police to issue banning orders and ensuring police have the resources to have a presence and ability to respond quickly to alcohol and drug related violence
· Stronger and better co-ordinated action to ensure licensees provide a safe environment and comply with liquor licensing rules, including ‘mystery shopper’ style tests
· An awareness campaign, including advertising, to promote clear standards of responsible behaviour for patrons, licensees and police
· An extension of the moratorium on decisions about late night trading hours to 31 August 2014 to allow the measures in the action plan to be established and take effect.
· Giving local Councils the right to veto Adult Entertainment license applications
