By Charlene Gatt
Latest figures released by the Turning Point Drug and Alcohol Centre reveal the extent of binge drinking and its effects in the municipality, with the area recording upward trends in alcohol-related hospital admissions, assaults, ambulance attendance and liquor licences.
More than 483 Maribyrnong residents were hospitalised due to alcohol-related conditions or injuries in the 2007-08 financial year, up from 295 in 1999-00.
From that, 409 were aged between 15 and 24.
The statistics show that 107 people died from alcohol related causes during the same period.
The study also reveals:
– There have been 2495 ambulance attendances where alcohol was mentioned since 1999-00, with 319 of those 15 to 24-year-olds;
– More than 2600 Maribyrnong residents have received alcohol-related courses of treatment; and
– Maribyrnong residents have been involved in 518 alcohol-related assaults and 412 alcohol-related serious road injuries.
“For Victoria overall, all indicators of alcohol use and harm either increased or remained stable across the last eight years,” the report read.
“Most Australians drink alcohol and it is the most widely used drug across our society.
“It is, therefore, particularly important that the health and social consequences of drinking are monitored.”
Footscray has been plagued by public drinking problems in its CBD for years, with Maribyrnong City Council trying a range of initiatives – including a CCTV system to be rolled out this year, a Footscray Lighting at Night strategy and calling on a bigger police presence on the streets – to make the area a safer place to be.
The City of Maribyrnong has 186 liquor licensed restaurants, cafes and other premises and 32 bottle shops across the municipality, with 106 premises around Footscray and West Footscray.
That figure includes alcohol stocked in supermarket aisles in at least five supermarkets, including Aldi stores and Braybrook’s Coles.
According to section 38 of the Liquor Reform Act, there is no limit to how many licensed premises a municipality, suburb or street can have.
