The City of Sydney council has halved the number of alcohol-free areas in central Sydney, defying NSW Police, amid concerns the bans don’t work and unfairly impact disadvantaged groups.
At its final meeting before the election, the council passed a proposal to renew only 218 alcohol-free zones or alcohol-prohibited areas, usually streets and parks. Police had asked for all 428 existing zones to be renewed.
Lord mayoral candidate Yvonne Weldon says picnics during the COVID era are a good example of how people could drink responsibly outside.Credit: Oscar Colman
The 24-hour alcohol bans in Redfern Park, Waterloo Park and Glebe’s Wentworth Park have been removed, as have evening and overnight bans in Sydney Park and Rosebery’s Turruwul Park, and overnight bans in foreshore areas of Glebe and Pyrmont.
Restrictions remain in Hyde Park, Prince Alfred Park and Belmore Park, among others, while some parks had their 24-hour bans reduced to overnight. For example, Fitzroy Gardens and Lawrence Hargraves Reserve in Potts Point are now alcohol-prohibited areas from 10pm to 10am only.
Adam Trotter of the nearby Potts Point Liquor & Deli said: “It’s great they can sit in the park and have something to drink. Especially around here. People are adults.”
There are no fines associated with breaching the rules, but police have the power to tip out or confiscate alcohol being consumed in those areas.
Lord Mayor Clover Moore says police couldn’t back up their opposition to a reduction in alcohol bans with evidence.Credit: Dion Georgopoulos
NSW Police opposed the reduction in alcohol-free zones. According to the council’s summary of the submission, police feared the move could harm public safety and neighbourhood amenity, including children who may be harmed by broken glass.
“Police also hold concerns about an increase in the instance of ‘preloading’ due to the proposed reduced outdoor alcohol restrictions in those locations,” the summary said.
But Lord Mayor Clover Moore said there was no robust or reliable evidence that alcohol restrictions were effective in preventing anti-social behaviour, and the police had provided no evidence to that effect.
“Police don’t support the removal of restrictions, but unfortunately, they were unable to support their opposition with data that shows how the restrictions actually prevent harm and crime, and that they do not lead to over-policing of vulnerable people,” Moore said.
Wentworth Park in Glebe was taken off the list of alcohol-prohibited areas.Credit: Jessica Hromas
“We know that police do have the ability to deal with antisocial behaviour under law enforcement powers.”
NSW Police said it was disappointed with the decision and its submission “included significant statistical data, including BOCSAR statistic data, supporting the police response as to the risk of lifting these AFZs”.
“Police continue to run high-impact operations and have strategies in place to provide a high-visibility police presence across the Sydney City CBD, which has proven to have a significant impact on criminal and anti-social behaviours.”
The council also rejected 10 new proposed outdoor alcohol bans, including in Paddington’s Regent Street Reserve, Towns Place in Millers Point and several streets in Glebe and Newtown, because they were not supported by the public, or they were not locations with a higher than average incidence of alcohol-related assaults.
The outdoor area of the Old Fitz was ordered to close at 8pm due to stray kegs found on the footpath by inspectors.Credit: Janie Barrett
The review of restrictions was commissioned late last year due to concerns they had a disproportionate impact on people with low incomes, people living in social housing and First Nations communities. All the old zones expired on Tuesday.
There is a renewed focus on various restrictions to do with alcohol and nightlife as council elections approach on September 14.
Moore on Monday promised to expedite a review of a staff decision to wind back outdoor dining hours at the popular Old Fitz pub after the Herald reported it had been ordered to close at 8pm instead of 10pm due to compliance issues.
“I’m sure it’s not beyond us all to work this out,” she said.
Music and Night-time Economy Minister John Graham praised the decision to wind back alcohol bans covering whole streets, and urged the council to find a “rapid resolution” for the Old Fitz.
“Let’s let adults make their choice whether they stand or sit to enjoy a drink at a venue, and let them do so outside,” he said.
Councillor Yvonne Weldon, who is running for lord mayor at next month’s election, said reducing alcohol-free zones was not about encouraging excess drinking but allowing people to enjoy public spaces freely and responsibly, citing the COVID-era picnic boom.
The rules disproportionately affected public housing tenants and “those without the means to dine alfresco with a chardonnay”, she said.
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