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.

Related:

Govt to tackle violent crime increase
The Victorian Government says it will tackle the rising level of violent crime in the state. Leaked police data shows crimes committed against people are increasing, especially robberies, abductions and assaults.

Binge drinking teens: 'two deaths a week'
South Australia's Drug and Alcohol Service says there are about two deaths a week in Australia involving young people who have been binge-drinking.

Govt to tackle violent crime increase

The Victorian Government says it will tackle the rising level of violent crime in the state.

Leaked police data shows crimes committed against people are increasing, especially robberies, abductions and assaults.

The figures also show the total crime level has fallen slightly, but a smaller proportion of cases are being solved.

The Opposition says it is clear the Government needs to put more resources into Victoria Police.

But Premier John Brumby says the Government is already tackling alcohol abuse and violent crime.

"We intend to keep up with our efforts in public education, in things like tougher liquor-licencing laws, the Safe Streets Taskforce, all of those things which are about cracking down on binge drinking, cracking down on alcohol abuse and cracking down on night-time violence," he said.

Overall drop

The total crime rate has fallen, as have the number of homicides and rapes.

The Opposition and the Police Association say the figures show the force is under-resourced.

But the Deputy Police commissioner, Kieren Walshe, says new initiatives have been introduced to tackle violent crime.

"There has been a deterioration in public order and we've seen an increase in assaults in and around licensed premises," he said.

"Hence, we released and started our Safe Streets Taskforce in October last year and more recently this year we started our Liquor Licensing Taskforce."

The Opposition Leader, Ted Baillieu, says the figures for violent crime show fewer crimes are being solved.

"Dropping clearance rates simply means that police are stretched to the limit," he said.

"They're under the pump, and they can't do what they want to do."

Deputy Commissioner Walshe said the crime statistics are provisional figures and have not been verified.

He says there will be an investigation to find the source of the leak.

"We in Victoria Police are extremely disappointed that that has been undertaken," he said.

"Our concerns is that it provides unnecessary concern in the community until such time as we're in a position to put out verified crime statistics."

Related:

Record blood alcohol reading for a woman
A driver who recorded what is believed to be Victoria's highest blood alcohol reading for a woman, has been sentenced to six months jail.

Girls gone wild
Not long ago, the women in Victorian prisons were there largely because of drug or property-related crimes. But that picture is slowly changing, with a rising number of women being convicted for assault and other violent crimes.

Calls for binge warnings on alcohol packaging
The Public Health Association (PHA) says warnings about the dangers of binge drinking should be pasted on all forms of packaged alcoholic drinks.

Support for booze public education
A SURVEY of 1000 Australians found more than three-quarters of those questioned about attitudes to drinking said there was not enough public education about the dangers of alcohol, despite the Rudd Government's promise of a multimillion-dollar binge-drinking strategy.

Message on a bottle for binge drinkers
BOTTLES of alcoholic drinks could soon carry graphic pictures warning of the dangers of excessive alcohol consumption as part of the Federal Government's latest series of measures to cut down on under-age and binge drinking.

300 riot in east Arnhem community

Northern Territory police were stretched in the east Arnhem community of Ramingining overnight after a riot broke out involving about 300 people.

Police say a 44-year-old man was attacked with a knife by a 34-year-old man during a fight at an outstation.

Another man and a women were also hit in the head when they tried to intervene in the fight.

A large crowd armed with weapons then gathered outside the health clinic.

Maningrida police were called in to help officers in Raminginging disperse the large crowd and conduct patrols.

Two men have been charged with aggravated assault.