Too Much Booze – a Christmas Recipe for Disaster

The final tally for this weekend’s Operation Unite recorded over 2617 arrests, 222 assaults, 1072 drink driving offences and 1073 licensing breaches across Australia and New Zealand.

Despite this, spokesperson for Operation Unite, Commissioner Andrew Scipione said that overall most party-goers went out to have a good time, behaved sensibly and looked after their mates.

“Christmas is supposed to be an enjoyable time but too often celebrations get out of hand and alcohol misuse results in serious assaults and injuries. We have got to fall out of love with booze,” said Mr Scipione.

Mr Scipione said that as a community we all must do everything in our power to ensure this practice of drinking excessively stops. Operation Unite is part of an ongoing opportunity for the community to demonstrate that drunken violence and antisocial behaviour will not be tolerated.

Mr Scipione also commended the health community for their involvement in the operation. Mr Scipione said: “It is encouraging to have the health sector support this operation – it is a frightening reminder of the life-changing consequences of the misuse of alcohol.”

Police across Australia and New Zealand will continue working with health and community sectors to reduce alcohol-related violence and preserve community safety and security.

Patron of the Alcohol and other Drugs Council of Australia (ADCA), Professor Ian Webster AO said that police officers and frontline health workers needed political support, combined with the backing of the wider community, for the difficult job they do in either confronting those who put themselves and others in danger through excessive alcohol consumption or repairing the victims of violence.

“Tackling this issue is not something that police can do alone; we must push for a change in our drinking culture and acceptable standards of behaviour. Issues such as pricing of alcohol, its availability, accessibility and marketing need urgent attention in order to reduce the growing impact on our community,” says Professor Webster.

While the operation is now over, police will continue to target alcohol misuse and antisocial behaviour until police, the health sector and the wider community see a drastic change in the behaviour of the public.

ENDS

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