Opinion

Drinking culture

Young people's drinking culture has changed dramatically in the three decades since I was a lad about town. That change is not due to Responsible Service of Alcohol laws, because as worthy as these may be the fact is that they change little. It's not due to the number of drinking venues, and it is likely that there were more then than now. It's not the lock-out, or curfew, in place in inner Newcastle and Hamilton at 1.30am on weekend nights, because almost all late-openers 30 years ago barred newcomers at a certain point in the night. (I cannot understand why Newcastle's publicans have so vociferously opposed an earlier lock-out.)

The major difference between drinking as a young fellow then and now is the number of late-opening pubs and clubs. Then we had two or three places to party until 1am, perhaps 2am, and getting into them was difficult; today it seems that every inner-city pub is a nightclub with a 3am, and in some cases 5am, licence.

What has changed is the duration of the night out. We'd go out between 7 and 8pm and often we'd have nowhere to go when the pub or club closed at midnight other than a coffee shop or home. Today young people are out, routinely, until 3am, and it has become the habit of a generation to "get charged" with alcohol at home with friends before they go out. The result is that young people today drink for much longer than we did, and the results of that are visible still in inner-Newcastle and Hamilton on weekend early mornings.

Addressing the problem of alcohol-fuelled behaviour on our streets in the hours before dawn is a matter of addressing the amount of alcohol consumed, and while restrictions on the strength and types of drinks, and possibly RSA monitoring, help, they don't and won't help enough. The solution is confrontingly clear: pubs and clubs must close earlier.

It's usually 3am in inner Newcastle and Hamilton, with last drinks half an hour earlier, and the Casino, Liquor and Gaming Control Authority's draft ruling this week after its hearing into Hamilton's problems doesn't change that. Therefore, I say, the authority's ruling will change nothing. It is attacking the problem with a limp leaf.

Why should pubs and clubs anywhere in NSW be permitted to serve the fuel of violence and disruption until 3am? Is a good night out better or worse for a 1am end?

Posted By: Jeff Corbett on 23/07/2010 5:00:00 AM | Comments (49)

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I used to believe that it was mainly alcohol that was causing the problems , however the more I see of the violent and destructive habits of the trouble makers it would appear that illicit drugs are a major source of the problem as they give the users the ability to "party on" way past what would've been the norm years ago.This culture of drug taking along with a court system that actually allows these cretins to lay the blame on a substance and not themselves when they get caught surely has to be a major contributor , I get sick every time I hear the excuse of "he was drunk/drug affected so please let him off cause he's usually a good kid" , what a load of bollocks - with the rights to go out and party comes the responsibility to control your actions.

Posted by smithy, 23/07/2010 7:25:55 AM, on The Herald

I think if you havent had a good enough time before 1am,...there is something seriously wrong with you. But it's not only the pubs and clubs that are to blame. Maccas are open all hours for a feed, perhaps if they closed at 1am also it would send people home to ni'ni's and leave residents to a good night sleep?

Posted by Dave B, 23/07/2010 8:30:59 AM, on The Herald

If RSA was strictly adhered to, maybe even a breathalyser on entry, then the facts of decreased/changed incidents of antisocial behaviour could give an insight into where the real source of trouble lies, Loading up b4 the night out or licensed venue intoxication. From my experience, people refused entry are most likely the troublemakers, being left stuck outside fuels anger. Perhaps then a crackdown on being intoxicated in a public area by police will move them on or lock 'em up. Responsible revellers should not be punished by the actions of a minority of troublemakers.

Posted by greenant, 23/07/2010 9:46:58 AM, on The Herald

Are you mad Jeff? Are you serious about saying "NO" to the entitled generation. Mate these guys go out with the full intention of getting smashed, but hey it's just not them Hamilton is full of drunken 30 year olds as well. And just to add something new, the size of the arms on some of these young fellows makes me wonder if there is not some roid rage out there as well. Roids + estacy + alcohol = shitfight. Sorry to the youngens, I know you are not all like this.

Posted by Ducati, 23/07/2010 9:51:15 AM, on The Herald

I wonder too about the role of 'roid rage in weekend violence, Ducati. Steroid use is so obvious and so common, this past decade.

Posted by Jeff Corbett on 23/07/2010 10:01:29 AM

Theres one substance mainly responsible for this and its not alcohol... - PARTY DRUGS....

Posted by Felix, 23/07/2010 9:57:48 AM, on The Herald

Greenant has a point there, recently a young friend was put in hospital after being set upon by a group of 6 who had just been turfed out of wests. They were angry and took it out on the smallest person they could find, throwing the boot in while he was on the ground. The trouble with pubs and clubs is they will take the customer's money, get them drunk then kick them out, essentially setting them loose on the surrounding suburbs drunk and angry. They do this but accept no responsibility for the resulting anti-social behaviour because "it didn't happen on our premises". There is only one thing licenced premises care about and that is profit.

Posted by Nowonmai, 23/07/2010 10:25:14 AM, on The Herald

Grog, drugs and energy drinks fueled by huge profit raking by pubs is a lethal combination. I say bring back the clubs. Remember in yesteryear the pubs closed at 10 and we all went to the club. The pubs were rough and the clubs upmarket. AND the behaviour was mostly very good (but we did drive home pissed!) Remember the Workies used to be packed. Its time for CLCGA to get fair dinkum. Close the pubs at midnight. If publicans can't pay the mortgage from 5am to 12am then there is little hope for them. I know you favorite breckie pub seems to make plenty of money without this crazy late night rubbish.

Posted by Spinner, 23/07/2010 10:28:56 AM, on The Herald

So where do you draw the line? What about early openers catering for night shift workers (not so myuch around anymore). Isn't it about freedom of choice - if the market is there for someone who wants a drink at 4am, why shouldn't somewhere be open to cater for it. The problem is the behaviour associated it with a bender - and we have laws to cater for it. I'm sure there are lots of young people enjoying themselves with no harm to anyone else in these venues in the early morning hours.

Posted by stevo106, 23/07/2010 10:33:51 AM, on The Herald

I agree with your thoughts Jeff. Selling alcohol after midnight is not a right. It is a privilege. I don't think closing the doors to newcomers at 1 am and selling alcohol until 2:30 am is in any way harsh or punitive. It's not even close to wowserism! If you're out drinking til 3am then this can only interfere with your other relationships-with family, friends the community and work. (Regarding the 'roids/amphetamine issue -don't forget the sale of high dose caffeine type stimulants with alcohol is quite legal now. But alcohol has, over centuries of use, always been associated with violence).

Posted by Rights and Responsibilities, 23/07/2010 10:48:43 AM, on The Herald

I do not think its the alcohol, nor the service times that are the problem - I think its all about respect. I am in my early 30's, have been a regularly going out (all over the world) for the best part of hte last decade. On occassions I have a few too many, but I have never been ina fight, never been in trouble - I've never even had a parking fine. I remain respectful to police and club staff (who are simply trying to do their job, after all). If they tell me I've had enough, then I accept it and leave. The problem is that there are too many idiots! Simple as that, and its not the alcohol. MY wife is a teacher (primary school) and is regularly told to F*** off by 10 year olds. There is no discipline to stop this. These 10 year olds KNOW that the teachers/police etc can't do anything to discipline them. What happens, when these 10 years olds become 18 year olds, out in a pub, with a belly full of courage, who have had a decade of doing whatever they want?? Trading times etc are just tinkering around the edges - what use is closing a pub at 1am if those that cause the trouble are still on the streets? Drugs are likely also to be an issue!

Posted by Tomato Juice, 23/07/2010 10:53:05 AM, on The Herald

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