States give thanks for etiquette, quick clean-up in NYE aftermath

NSW Premier Chris Minns shared his relief at passing midnight with only minor grief from transport unions, while police praised revellers across Australia.

A lone reveller sleeps off the New Year’s Eve aftermath under the shadow of the Opera House. Picture: Thomas Lisson

After ringing in the New Year, those saddled with the clean-up have given thanks for successful festivities that were “in no way spoiled” by strings of youth assaults and illegal fireworks.

NSW Premier Chris Minns honoured the efforts of transport workers overnight, despite the recent threats of a rail strike that the state government tipped could devastate its festivities.

“This is a big driver of tourism and visibility for the city globally. It’s one we didn’t want to miss, and I’m grateful that we haven’t missed it, because not only is it a good opportunity for families to have fun, it’s a great opportunity to showcase the best city in the world,” Mr Minns said at a press conference.

“Thank you. To the families, to the crowds, to people who went out and had fun with their family and friends and did it, did it in a safe way. We were amazed at the number of people that were able to come to vantage points and experience the best party in the world.”

The City of Sydney broadened the ambitions of its annual fireworks display by setting off a volley of pyrotechnics from the western face of the Harbour Bridge, in addition to the classic cascade fired from the east.

“It’s undoubtedly the case that the western side of the harbour having access to those fireworks off the bridge was a massive success. It meant that more crowds could get around the harbour at different vantage points, and I think that’s only going to bode well for the future of fireworks in Sydney on New Year’s Eve,” Mr Minns said.

“More vantage points, more great sight lines, opening up that western side of the Harbor Bridge was a massive success.”

The Rail Tram and Bus Union, which has been caught in an increasingly public wage dispute with the state government for months, still carried out “pretty trivial” industrial action on Tuesday night, carrying out a five minute stoppage. Services quickly recovered.

“I describe it as minor. In the end, there was about five minutes worth of delays, but Sydney trains were able to get all services back to their regular running within the hour, and most returned to normal within minutes,” Mr Minns said.

“Obviously we prefer no disruptions at all, but I don’t want to over egg it. We’ve been really clear about the impacts of rail right through this industrial dispute, but I’m not going to call something larger than it actually is.”

Sydney woke slowly on January 1st, as revellers made their home along Oxford st. Picture: Thomas Lisson

Punters eat a traditional kebab breakfast after a night out. Picture: Thomas Lisson

While arrests were made nationwide, NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb joined her interstate counterparts in praising revelry that passed with few major incidents.

“(We are) generally very pleased with the way the operation came together,” Ms Webb said.

“A small number of individuals had a bad night, and they are now before the court.”

36 arrests were made in NSW overnight with officers handing down charges of assault, robbery and more.

Most notable was the police response to claims of illegal fireworks in Guildford in Sydney’s west. Upon arriving at the scene, officers found a 17-year-old with knife wounds. It’s alleged he was stabbed in the back by a group of assailants who fled soon after.

Further east in Coogee a teenager was arrested under charges of assaulting police and drug possession.

Police in Melbourne were kept busy chasing the trail of illegal firework displays, with 280 alleged offences reported on Tuesday and through the early hours of the 1st.

Officers combated three separate grass fires across the city, along with a separate spate of teen stabbings on the Mornington Peninsula. It was one of 52 reported assault cases statewide.

Despite responding to almost 300 illegal firework call-outs, Victoria’s assistant police commissioner Chris Gilbert said celebrations were “ in no way spoiled”.

“Right across the state, we saw the community come out to their local areas … to celebrate the new year,” he said.

“There were only a small number of people who did the wrong thing, but they were dealt with swiftly by police, so the atmosphere was in no way spoiled.”

On the Gold Coast a string of assaults left two teenagers struggling through life threatening wounds.

Five assaults were reported along the Coolangatta waterfront, with the 18-year-old victims suffering major head wounds. Police are still investigating the attacks.