Susie O’Brien: Why parents are to blame for schoolies booze and stupidity
Since when did it become an accepted norm for young people to go on such an out-of-control, expensive and unsupervised bender? Parents who willingly let their kids party unsupervised at schoolies only have themselves to blame, writes Susie O’Brien.
Susie O'Brien
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Schoolies in Bali were asked by a reporter at the weekend why they were drunk and riding on motorbikes without helmets.
“Because it’s f---ing schoolies, bitch!” one young woman said.
“Yolo, it’s Bali, who gives a f--k,” said a young male.
Behaviour like that is stupid and deadly and yet many parents seem willing to let their kids party unsupervised in Bali. Of course, every kid promises to stay safe and behave and yet the place is littered with kids who get drunk, wasted, ride on dangerous motorbikes, buy drugs, vomit in public places and act like boorish bogans.
UGLY SCHOOLIES BRAWL CAUGHT ON FILM
Footage has emerged in recent days of Aussie schoolies brawling in the street, stopping traffic, spitting and punching each other.
There are also reports of them yelling obscenities to local women such as “Do any of youse have a penis?”, giving each other the finger in the street and congregating in the middle of busy roads to take photos.
These drunken idiots treating Bali like their own bogan backyard give all Aussies a bad name. And this all comes as riot squads were pelted with bottles as they tried to break up a fight on the Mornington Peninsula. Elsewhere, two partygoers were arrested in South Australia for drug trafficking and the Gold Coast police have been busy arresting schoolies and toolies.
While this is a tiny proportion of the thousands who go to schoolies, it’s a reminder that trouble is never far away.
And when something goes wrong in Bali, our pampered progeny — who are probably on holiday for the first time without their parents — may not be able to rely on those who come to help.
This year more than 6000 Australian schoolies are heading to Bali and most will end up in Kuta, partying on a 300m strip between Crusoe’s bar and Paddy’s pub.
In the shadow of the Bali bombing memorial, they will spend the day at the pool, pre-load in the hotel room on cheap booze and hit the clubs at night, ready to party.
SCHOOLIES RUN RIOT IN RYE, BALI
While most of those in Australia will be able get help if they need it, it’s a very different situation overseas.
I’ll bet the schoolies in Kuta haven’t given much thought to the fact that they’re visitors in another country with a very different culture. In Indonesia it’s considered offensive to shout and swear in public — let alone vomit, fight or abuse others.
Those fighting hard for their right to party wouldn’t think about how drug offences can attract the death penalty, gambling is illegal and homosexuality in the province of Aceh is punishable by lashes of the cane.
If things to go wrong — such as when their drink is spiked, their credit card is scammed or they have a bike accident — they will realise very quickly how different things are over there.
Standards of policing, medical care and emergency services are poor in comparison with Australia.
Helpful adults and parents are a couple of days away by plane.
Many schoolies aren’t properly insured and don’t realise accidents on motorbikes may not be covered and the government won’t cover the $60,000 cost of a medevac flight home.
Although most young people manage to party safely, bad things do happen at schoolies. Young people always feel invincible, but sadly they are not. One girl died after she fell from a 26-floor balcony in 2012 and another died in Bali after being electrocuted a few years back.
Check out a few social media accounts and you see kids pouring cask wine directly into each other’s mouths, posing naked standing on the edge of balconies, playing with fire, and passed out drunk surrounded by empty bottles.
Others are smoking drugs or drinking from beer bongs, strapped to chairs with electrical tape and lying on narrow ledges.
Despite the official alcohol-free, drug-free events, the reality is very different. These days, schoolies has become so entrenched as a social institution that young people take for granted that they should be able to indulge in a week-long adult-free festival of babes, blokes, booze and bongs.
SCHOOLIES STUCK IN FREE-FALLING LIFT
SCHOOLIES’ SHOCKING DRUG CONFESSIONS
I think it’s nuts. Since when did it become an accepted norm for young people to go on such an out-of-control, expensive and unsupervised bender?
Think of it this way.
They will spend on average five days partying and will consume about 10 drinks a night. Half of them will be drunk every night and 15 per cent will get stoned every night. One in five will have casual sex and one in four will have sex with a regular partner. Only one in three will use condoms.
On average, a dozen will be arrested.
And, chances are, one or two young people may die.
Young people on the cusp of adulthood often feel invincible, but of course they’re not. It’s up to the adults in their lives to do more to make sure every schoolie comes home safely.
Yolo, in case you don’t know, means “You only live once”. Sadly, that is true.
— Susie O’Brien is a Herald Sun columnist.
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