Citation

Conigrave K. Curr. Iss. Crim. Justice 2016; 28(1): 111-116.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Institute of Criminology Press, Sydney Law School)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The tragic deaths of two young men after unprovoked violent assaults in Kings Cross, Sydney between 2012 and 2014 prompted a public outcry. This added to existing voices of health, police and resident bodies who were calling for measures to reduce alcohol-fuelled violence. As a result, the New South Wales Government amended the Liquor Act 2007 (NSW) in January 2014 to limit last drinks to 3 am in Kings Cross and the Sydney central business district, and to prohibit entry to bars after 1.30 am and serving of shots after midnight. These legal changes were associated with a marked reduction in violent assaults in the target areas, without significant displacement of harms to neighbouring suburbs. Opponents of the laws have raised concerns about the impact of the restrictions on enjoyment of individuals or profits of local businesses. However, evidence suggests that alternative interventions, such as community education, would have been unlikely to produce benefits of this magnitude.

Language: en