By XAVIER SMERDON
WYNDHAM’S police and licensed venues are uniting to help fight theft and alcohol related violence with the introduction of a new liquor accord.
Acting Inspector Damien Christensen told Star last week that the accord was introduced this month and that a meeting between police and owners of licensed premises met for the first time two weeks ago.
The accord is an agreement between owners of businesses that serve alcohol and police to take certain actions to improve safety in Wyndham.
It also means that anyone banned from a licensed premise could be banned from all other licensed venues as well.
“It’s basically so that all the liquor outlets can talk to each other and discuss safety issues and be up-skilled on legislation,” Acting Insp Christensen said.
“It gives a voice to the people that run that business.”
About 30 business owners attended the first meeting with police on 2 October and the group will continue to meet quarterly while a member of the Werribee police will manage the accord.
Acting Insp Christensen said there was a liquor accord in place in Wyndham but it was cancelled in 2008.
“There have been a lot of applications to start new licensed venues. The accord will help reduce crime,” he said.
“The business owners can ask questions and we can deal with issues relating to theft and alcohol related violence.
“It’s strength in numbers, as I say.”
One business owner in Wyndham that did not want to be named told Star his business had been plagued by constant thefts.
“I reckon it’s mostly kids who just want to get drunk but they know we won’t sell them anything so they just take whatever they can get,” the business owner said.
“It was getting to a point where we were having two or three different robbery attempts here every week. It’s not as bad now as it was though.
“I think this accord can only be a good thing. I just hope it produces some real results.”
According to the latest Victorian alcohol statistics, published by Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre, Wyndham had 104 licenced outlets, or 11 for every 10,000 residents, in 2008, the year the last accord was cancelled.
The statistics also reveal that in the 2007 to 2008 financial year Wyndham had 97 alcohol related assaults, almost twice as many as Maribyrnong which had 49.
