Darwin council called upon to reduce drinking hours, anti-social behaviour at East Point

NT POLICE have written to Darwin council requesting alcohol be banned at East Point Reserve from 7pm each night after an increase in anti-social behaviour

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NT POLICE have written to Darwin council requesting alcohol be banned at East Point Reserve from 7pm each night after an increase in anti-social behaviour.

Alcohol can currently be consumed at the popular spot until 9pm on weekdays and 10.30pm on weekends.

In a letter to Darwin council, NT Police Commander Matt Hollamby said there was no need for alcohol to be consumed beyond 7pm, and reports showed it only created problems.

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“The current time period is lengthy and extends well beyond the daylight hours where a person might be permitted to enjoy the sunset with an alcoholic beverage,” he said.

“The current hours directly results in intoxication, violence and anti-social behaviour in this area.

East Point looking back towards Darwin city. NT Police have called on council to restrict drinking hours to 7pm nightly. Picture: Will Zwar

“Allowing drinking for a four-hour period ensures that a large volume of alcohol is able to be consumed by people who have no other safe place to drink it, resulting in intoxication night after night.”

Council’s general manager of community and regulatory services, Polly Banks, said alcohol had increasingly become an issue at East Point.

“Excessive alcohol consumption and the resultant anti-social behaviour at East Point has escalated in the last several months,” she said.

“Council currently expends considerable resources in an attempt to address and/or mitigate anti-social behaviour issues at East Point Reserve caused by excessive alcohol consumption.

“Anti-social behaviour and the number of people rough sleeping at East Point has amplified significantly since the CBD private security patrols were funded which, rangers and police have suggested, has pushed people outside the CBD boundaries and into other locations including East Point Reserve.”

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If approved, the Nightcliff Foreshore and Mindil Beach would be the only reserves where pedestrians would be allowed to drink until 9.30pm on weeknights and 10.30pm on weekends.

Changes to the timeslot would cost $2000 to change advertising and signage.

Council will decide whether to agree with the reduction in hours at Tuesday night’s council meeting.

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