SA Police praise good behaviour of South Australians on New Year’s Eve despite 106 arrests
More than 100 people were arrested overnight – some for acting badly, others for drugs and alcohol. But in a nutshell, punters were well behaved on New Year’s Eve, senior SA Police say.
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Senior SA Police have praised the good behaviour of punters during New Year’s Eve celebrations across the state, despite the arrests of more than 100 people overnight.
About 41,000 people watched the Strikers lose their first New Year’s Eve match to Sydney Thunder at Adelaide Oval, which saw the start of a new decade in the city.
Those keen on the beach – more than 20,000 people – flocked to Moseley Square and surrounding areas to watch fireworks at Glenelg.
SA Police Assistant Commissioner Scott Duval said three people were arrested at the Bay, which had been declared a public precinct.
“There were still 106 arrests for behavioural offences, 20 people were reported and 92 expiation notices were issued across the state for offences including possession of drugs, possession of alcohol or consuming alcohol in a dry zone,” he said.
“There were a total of 26 people ordered from public precincts – two of those from Glenelg and 24 from the CBD area.
“There were three arrests that resulted (from the) Glenelg area.”
The total amount of arrests was lower than 2019.
But there was “extremely disappointing” results on the road after more than 5000 drug and alcohol tests.
Mr Duval said there were 24 positive results for alcohol and 15 for drugs.
Last year, 56 were caught drink driving and 26 for drugs.
“It’s still extremely disappointing that people did not heed the message about road safety and not driving with drugs and alcohol,” he said.
“This is on the back of 113 lives that were lost last year and again our road safety message continues to ensure we start 2020 on a good note and positive note.”
The major concern for authorities was a grass fire that broke out at on Lower Northeast Rd, Highbury, about 10.15pm on Tuesday.
Mr Duval said the fire, caused by a campfire not extinguished properly, burnt about 4ha of grass before it was extinguished.
Police are still investigating a deliberately lit fire at Second Valley, which was ignited about 1.15pm on Tuesday.
At major metropolitan public hospitals, the New Year’s Day “hangover” for staff was some respite from a flood of arrivals.
At various stages during the celebrations all emergency departments apart from the Women’s and Children’s Hospital were treating more patients than their official capacity.
However by 9am all EDs were below capacity – some only marginally – but patients with non-life threatening conditions faced long waits for treatment with an average wait in most hospitals of more than an hour.
At Lyell McEwin Hospital arrivals were waiting on average 260 minutes to be seen, at the Royal Adelaide Hospital it was 87 minutes, Noarlunga was 78 minutes, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital 65 minutes while at Flinders Medical Centre it was 56 minutes.
There were also 52 people stuck in EDs who had been treated but were waiting for a ward bed or other suitable care facility, including two who had been waiting more than 24 hours.
