By Bridie Byrne
WERRIBEE Police and Wyndham Council will unite to launch a major campaign to tackle the city’s binge-drinking crisis.
The campaign follows a new study that revealed the rapid growth of bottle shops was fuelling violent assaults.
Wyndham has 140 liquor licensed premises and 32 bottle shops across the municipality.
The joint initiative, labelled ‘Be Safe Not Sorry’, targets alcohol abuse and alcohol-fuelled violence.
Werribee Police Senior Sergeant Dagmar Andersen said the station had struggled to address the anti-social drinking problem.
Sen Sgt Andersen said high level meetings would continue over the next few months with the council officers and bottle shop owners before the campaign was unleashed on the community.
It is believed the drinking culture at sporting clubs will be the first targeted.
“The visible police presence is useful to have as a back up when there are people fighting on the streets,” she said.
“But we had to start looking at a range of different programs to be more engaging with the community.
“A substantial number of our assaults relate to people who know each other, or family violence.”
Sen Sgt Andersen said the police would also crackdown on revellers consuming liquor in public places.
The Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre study linked bottle stores to a rise in attacks being carried out in the home.
Eastern Health researcher Michael Livingston said the number of alcohol outlets in Melbourne had risen sharply in recent years.
“Such an increase is related to an extra 690 alcohol-related assaults per year,” he said.
Mr Livingston said there needed to be greater control over the proliferation of liquor premises.
The council’s substance abuse action plan identifies alcohol as one of the key health issues in the community.
A public outcry followed the approval of a bottle shop in Rosella Ave last year.
The Heathdale Association challenged the opening hours while hundreds displayed their disgust over the ruling in letters to VCAT.
The council had identified the Heathdale Neighbourhood Renewal zone as one of the most disadvantaged inside the Melbourne metropolitan area.
There are already 30 liquor licensed premises within a two kilometre radius.
Children as young as 10 have been found roaming the streets on booze-fuelled drinking binges.
