Mount Isa Mayor’s solution to booze ban evasion

Mount Isa’s Mayor has a plan to curb alcohol-fuelled violence as people circumvent the current “gentlemen’s agreement” on liquor sales.

Nightclub-style identification scanners should be used to help curb alcohol-fuelled violence in a North Queensland town where people are skirting around the current “gentlemen’s agreement” liquor accord.

Mount Isa Mayor Danielle Slade said some days, up to 50 people were lined up at some establishments to buy grog in the regional city, and an alcohol ban register was needed.

“People are finding ways to get around these restrictions,” Cr Slade said.

Cr Slade is one of a trio of mayors, including Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill and Cairns Mayor Bob Manning, who have written to the state government asking to implement an alcohol ban register in their regions as violence spirals out of control.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk questioned the idea on Friday, saying she thought it would impact “tradies, families, mums and dads having to produce identification in those big cities to get alcohol”.

Cr Slade said their proposed system would work like nightclub scanners and issue an alert when someone on the register was scanned, and that it should be funded by both the state and federal governments.

Rodger Winch has 13 security cameras on his Mount Isa home. Picture: Liam Kidston

“It is a requirement for people to be driving around with their IDs anyway so they should already have their IDs on them,” she said.

“I know for a fact my community would be on board for doing this and venues would be happy to trial this.”

Mount Isa’s Rodger Winch has seen the escalation in crime from his home on Abel Smith Parade, which locals call “The Bronx”.

Mr Winch has 13 security cameras set up on his house and they have captured stolen cars knocking over light posts and police attempting to intercept teens in vehicles.

His videos have amassed a following on social media and YouTube, racking up thousands of views.

“Day after day I see stolen cars,” Mr Winch said.

“It’s an embarrassment to the state allowing it to ever get to this stage, it’s an embarrassment to the community,” Mr Winch said.

Palaszczuk government Minister Yvette D’Ath on Saturday insisted there had been an expansion of crime-related programs and initiatives in Mount Isa.

“The Premier and the government absolutely acknowledges that there’s an issue in Mount Isa,,” she said.