Carlisle St, Balaclava a hotbed of anti-social drinking, say residents

AN OBSCURE local law that allows public drinking has led to people urinating and defecating on a Balaclava street during the day, say fed-up residents and traders.

More than 50 people attended a crime forum where the issue of daytime drinking on Carlisle St was a hot topic.

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A “RIDICULOUS” local law allowing daytime boozing on Port Phillip streets has been blamed for skyrocketing crime around Carlisle St.

Traders and residents fed up with rising violence, verbal abuse, begging and graffiti want it scrapped.

About 50 people vented their frustrations to police and Port Phillip Council staff at a community crime forum on Tuesday night.

HAVE YOUR SAY: Have you seen anti-social behaviour in the area? Tell us below.

Long-time resident, Christina, said daytime outdoor drinking should be restricted to alfresco dining areas at licensed venues.

“It’s ridiculous; people shouldn’t be allowed to walk up and down the street sucking on a tinny,” she said.

Under current bylaws street drinking is banned only between 8pm and 9am.

Further bans are in force on New Year’s Eve and Australia Day and during the Grand Prix and St Kilda Festival.

People are allowed to drink on the street in the City of Port Phillip between 9am and 8pm.

Trader, Alicia, said she had recently seen a vicious drunk wield an empty bottle at an elderly man passing by Woolworths.

“There is often a large group sitting and drinking outside Woolworths,” she said.

“Drinking is not just a social pastime, it’s actually giving people a weapon; bottles can become weapons, it’s just asking for trouble.”

Louise, who has run a business on Carlisle St for the last 20 years, said drunks were urinating and defecating outside shops and harassing her staff and customers.

A woman who regularly shops along the strip said it had become “a slum”.

“It’s out of control, uncomfortable and unsafe during the day,” she said.

She called for benches outside the Commonwealth Bank to be removed to eliminate places for people to congregate and drink.

Balaclava local, Bill, said it was a “tolerant place” but patience was wearing thing as crime and anti-social behaviour spiralled further out of control.

“There are complex issues here but one thing we could change right now is to stop people drinking on the street,” he said.

“That would increase amenity in the area straight away.”

Port Phillip Acting Inspector Stuart Bailey said there had been an increase in calls to police about incidents in Carlisle St.

“We’re looking at rostering reforms so we get better bang for our buck,” he said.

“Service delivery demands are high, often taking away from proactive policing measures.”

Acting Insp Bailey said police would work with traders and residents to try to clean up the street.

Port Phillip Council community health and service planning manager Danielle Fraser said the council would review its local law in coming weeks.

“I would encourage people to make submissions to that review,” she said.

“We should all feel safe, no matter what.”

Police were called to shoo away loud, obnoxious drunks just moments before the Leader visited the street yesterday morning.