Aussie police and paramedics call for new tough booze controls

As Australia grows ever more concerned about alcohol-fuelled disorder, police and emergency service workers have called on New South Wales' state government to introduce tougher restrictions on alcohol sales, earlier closing times, limits on shots and 1am lockouts.

Dealing with booze-fuelled violence is now the norm for police, paramedics and doctors, who are sick of being 'punching bags for drunks', according to a report from the Police Association of NSW (PANSW) supported by a group of public sector unions. Overall alcohol-related incidents rose from 15,398 in 2004 to 19,735 in 2008 according to the report, assaults on paramedics in the state are up 60 per cent in 2008 and there were 2,855 assaults on police in the same year.

The coalition of unions behind the report, entitled Last Drinks, urges politicians to take action on the issue. It urges the state government to impose a 1am lockout at pubs, ban the sale of shots and ready-mixed drinks stronger than five per cent alcohol after 10pm and trial reduced opening hours for some retailers. It follows an experiment of similar rules at 14 pubs in Newcastle in March 2008 which the unions say resulted in a 29 per cent cut in night-time violence.

But the call has been given short shrift by State Premier Kristina Keneally, who has dismissed any blanket bans for the entire state.

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