Kings Cross's younger sibling

What a ridiculous article, and highly offensive to the Canberra hospitality industry.

Canberra is my favourite city in Australia to go out at night, having lived in a few. This is for many reasons, including:
-Our tight knit community means you’re likely to know someone on every street corner, especially as a uni student/teenager, so help is never far away should you need it
-Unlike in Sydney, the bouncers are incredibly friendly and very reasonable. They aren’t racist, sexist or ageist, and while they enforce a dress code they do not make up their own.
-Because people know what to expect in each club, it’s completely pointless for bouncers to create artificial lines to generate patronage. This disgusting practice just does not happen in Canberra, meaning crowds on the street are only ever due to unavoidable over-capacity issues.
-Drinks are actually affordable, even on a Saturday night. While you do get a few townies having pre’s in the Mooseheads carpark, people are for the most part A LOT less drunk/wired than people in Sydney.
-The one central taxi queue is exceptionally well managed
-There is a strong police presence

And lastly, people are incredibly friendly and sociable. Just ask the buskers who are willing to sit on street corners with musical instruments worth >$5,000 just to make a few bucks.

This is an incredibly isolated incident and the perpetrator should feel the wrath of the law. However comparing this to Kings Cross is beyond a joke.

I don’t feel particularly safe in any Australian city at night. There is latent aggression in Australia at all times when people *aren’t* drunk. Throw in alcohol and it’s a pretty nasty place. I lived for two years in Japan. Didn’t once feel threatened by anyone. First weekend back in Australia got some road rage during the day and aggro at night, before drinking even got serious.

Australia has a problem and it’s only getting worse.

Exhibit A.
Caused serious permanent physical and psychological injury to a stranger.
Previous history of violent assault.
He’s really really sorry.
He was drinking and has now cut down on his alcohol intake.

One year of weekend detention.

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/weekend-detention-for-onepunch-assault-that-fractured-mans-skull-20140822-10746d.html

justin heywood said :

banco said :

Security at clubs in Civic needs to take some more responsibility for what happens as a result of their actions. A lot of this stuff happens right outside after they’ve refused entry to someone (as in this case) or they’ve kicked someone out. But because it’s not in the club they wash their hands of it.

To be fair, we can’t really expect club’s security to keep the peace out on the street.

I think that better and more obvious CCTV cameras might help. If these idiots knew that everything they did was available to the police and the lawyers in high definition, they might think twice.

I doubt they’d think twice because that is what a sober rational person does. But CCTV will at least make it easier to give them a slap on the wrist and or show them how naughty they are.

banco said :

Security at clubs in Civic needs to take some more responsibility for what happens as a result of their actions. A lot of this stuff happens right outside after they’ve refused entry to someone (as in this case) or they’ve kicked someone out. But because it’s not in the club they wash their hands of it.

To be fair, we can’t really expect club’s security to keep the peace out on the street.

I think that better and more obvious CCTV cameras might help. If these idiots knew that everything they did was available to the police and the lawyers in high definition, they might think twice.

Security at clubs in Civic needs to take some more responsibility for what happens as a result of their actions. A lot of this stuff happens right outside after they’ve refused entry to someone (as in this case) or they’ve kicked someone out. But because it’s not in the club they wash their hands of it.

farnarkler said :

The government needs to put into place a pubwatch type scheme like in the UK. Repeat offenders are barred from all venues and if they’re found in any venue by plod, they’re arrested and charged. It wouldn’t be difficult to implement.

Wouldn’t be difficult to implement, but none of our authorities would have the stones to police it. Hell, we can’t even punish offenders at the moment so getting all the involved parties working together in this scenario would be laughable.

farnarkler said :

The government needs to put into place a pubwatch type scheme like in the UK. Repeat offenders are barred from all venues and if they’re found in any venue by plod, they’re arrested and charged. It wouldn’t be difficult to implement.

We need a licenced venue “drunkers” licence, similar to your driver’s one.

Certain number of demerits points that you lose for being a knobhead.

No licence, no grog inside.

So one reported act and now we’re Kings Cross Jr?

Was there a spate of other incidents you forgot to mention, or do you honestly believe that this one incident has been noted the rest of the country and has tarnished their view of the capital?

The government needs to put into place a pubwatch type scheme like in the UK. Repeat offenders are barred from all venues and if they’re found in any venue by plod, they’re arrested and charged. It wouldn’t be difficult to implement.