Year long bans for party zone trouble makers

Victoria Police will be given the power to ban trouble makers from more entertainment precincts across the state.

Exclusion zones are already in effect in Melbourne's CBD and Prahran are already in effect.

However additional areas will be added to the ban, including party precincts in Fitzroy and St Kilda, as well as regional centres Geelong, Ballarat and Warrnambool.

Offenders could be banned for up to a year for more serious offences.

Updated: Tue 9:42am (AEST)

Drunks, criminals face crackdown

HOBART waterfront licensees and Tasmania Police are looking at tough new policies that might see troublemakers banned from the wharfside entertainment precinct.

Victoria Police will soon have the power to ban drunks and criminals from nightclub districts for up to a year and Tasmania Police and the Australian Hotels Association are already talking about a similar crackdown in Hobart.

AHA Tasmanian general manager Steve Old said licensees had been working with police for several weeks to work out ways of banning troublemakers from the waterfront, not just individual establishments.

"One of the things we are looking at is whether there could be a veto system introduced where a person can be banned from all venues," Mr Old said.

He said he would be talking to police again tomorrow.

"We are already looking at systems which have combated antisocial behaviour in other places like the UK to see how they might apply to the waterfront precinct," he said.

"A whole new approach could be taken in Hobart, but ultimately we still need to work out if new rules can be effectively policed. How will people be monitored, how will breaches be handled and how can a publican who bans an individual or group get the word out to other pubs and nightclubs?

"We all agree on one thing -- we need to combat anti-social behaviour right now and a precinct-wide crackdown could be the way to go."

In Victoria, new laws that come into effect later this week will ban people from being in an entertainment zone for periods ranging from 24 hours to one year. Five entertainment hotspots will be targeted and minor offences will attract 24-hour bans.

Police will be able to seek court orders to ban people from entertainment zones for up to a year for more serious offences.

Breaching the bans will carry hefty penalties.

One hundred and forty people have already been banned from areas in and around Melbourne.

Quote: Asking for trouble? Not easy to enforce! What about banning alcohol? Too expensive for the govt and corporations? What about warning labels on alcohol? Too expensive for govt and corporations? The virus is now spreading to Tasmania, why not call a curfew? Don't we live in a police state out here in minimum security? Can't put warning labels on alcohol? Prevention is better than cure.

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