By VANESSA CHIRCOP
A COUNCIL decision to shut down underage disco events at the Altona Youth Hall has left organisers and young people gobsmacked.
The decision, which was not in the council meeting’s agenda and proposed under Urgent and Other Business, was passed without giving notice to the organisers of the underage event.
Councillor Michael Raffoul brought the motion forward saying he received a call from a concerned resident over the previous weekend regarding the conduct of young people exiting the disco that Saturday night.
Despite the claims, police were not called to the hall on the evening with a spokesperson for Victoria Police telling Star: “Police patrolled past the front several times and security were present with no issues”.
Cr John Hogg said a mixture of alcohol and lack of supervision were issues at the hall.
Cr Angela Altair and Cr Peter Hemphill did not support the motion.
Cr Hemphill said he drove past the venue twice that evening, once when the disco was just finishing and a second time when most of the young people had dispersed.
“I’m not aware that some of the things that are alleged have happened,” he said.
Hobsons Bay Inspector Bill Mathers said although there were no problems with the disco on the Saturday in question, police have had issues in the past.
“We haven’t had any problems with Saturday night’s disco but in the past we’ve had trouble, not so much with the disco, but with people coming and going from the disco – in terms of hanging around the streets and waiting for transport to get home,” he said.
“We’re also very mindful of social media and how this can attract large numbers of young people with the potential then to get out of control.”
Organiser Michael Jones denied claims of youth misconduct and underage drinking, claiming the complaints were being manufactured in an attempt to have the hall shut down.
“I’ve been there five years, I’ve had only one verbal complaint from a private telephone number in the five years I’ve been there,” he said.
“There are residents that congratulate me on running the underage because I’m keeping all the kids off the street.”
The discos are expected to remain prohibited until a feasibility study is brought to the council and considered.
The study is expected sometime later in the year.
