Monitor The
Your Community Newspaper ~ Roxby Downs
www.themonitor.com.au
Phone (08) 8671 2683
IN THIS
edition
Fax (08) 8671 2843
Volume 7, Wednesday July 14, 2010
broke in Woolies!
have Jake ’s hair on 17 July
S
58 boats
Page 3
Page 16
Page 20
My water
and 300 people
Youth calls for a dry zone at Park By Celeste Lustosa
T
he youth of Roxby is sick to be blamed for drinking and vandalism around the Lion’s Park/ skate park precinct and is calling for a dry zone to be established there.
Even a week ago two people were caught on CTV drinking, vandalising and setting fire to branches they had torn off trees in the Lions Park. Many towns and communities ban outdoor consumption of alcohol, in an effort to reduce alcohol related harm and antisocial behaviour, and now the young are saying it’s time for Roxby Downs to follow suit. Dry zones in South Australia are found at Glenelg, Adelaide city centre, Port Augusta and in sections of several country towns. Dry zones are often established by local councils after certain areas, such as local city parks, become favourite locations for problem drinking, violence, and anti-social behaviour. But even in a dry zone, special occasions can still be celebrated with alcohol as long as you have a special events permit. Roxby Downs Youth and Social Services Co-ordinator and Chairman for the Youth Advisory Committee, Shane Hough told The Monitor that before the possibility of a Dry Zone in Roxby Downs is investigated, the implications of this have to be educated to the public. “A Dry Zone would only be a partial solution to an ongoing issue in town, which will be masking any underlining issues that our typical demographics face. “If a Dry Zone was to go ahead, it should be a phased in approach and not just be for a particular ‘trouble spot’. “There are many options available, such as time allocated Dry Zones that allow permits for events such as the Christmas Pageant, which could
work very well for a town like Roxby. “It is vital that all alcohol venders should work closely with key town’s people, including relevant forums and agencies” Mr Hough said. A local 16 year old teenager told The Monitor that a dry zone would be a good idea for Roxby, but it should work on specific times and locations. “There should be a dry zone in Roxby but not for the whole town and time should also be considered.” According to him, a dry zone is needed because of people’s behaviour when they drink. “When people drink too much their behaviour is not good and not appropriate for family areas like the Lion’s Park for example. They also leave broken glass and rubbish behind.” An 18 year local boy also agreed that a dry zone is the way to go for Roxby, specifically for the Lion’s Park. “I think only the Lion’s Park should be a dry zone and there should be a different place where people could go and drink but not a family environment area. “People drinking at Lion’s Park have been a huge problem because they leave broken glass and rubbish everywhere and it is dangerous for the people coming with their skates or children that come to play afterwards. There’s glass everywhere there all the time.” He said that the Lion’s Park is the main place people go to drink as there are no houses around it. Both boys said that they would feel safer if the Lion’s Park became a dry zone. Some local parents agree with the boys and believe the Lion’s Park should be a dry zone for their kids’ safety. The mother of a 12 year old who lives in Roxby Downs and asked not to be identified said that it is no surprise that the Lion’s Park is a point for drinking and drug abuse.
“My son sees kids his age at Lion’s Park drinking all the time. I think if the kids want to drink, they will find a way to do it but it shouldn’t be in a family place, like the Lion’s Park. “Also lots of older people go there and after drinking they get aggressive with the younger ones,” she said. Reverend Mary Lewis was also asked for her opinions on the matter and she told The Monitor any restrictions on alcohol consumption only work when they are in conjunction with education and motivational programs for people to consider sensible use of alcohol. “I think it is important that there are areas of towns where families and children can know that they will be safe and not bothered by people who are inebriated and behaving badly. This is uncomfortable and even dangerous to others, especially children. “Dry zones can just push the alcohol problem to another place just outside the boundaries, so a policy of ‘no alcohol in any public area’ has been more effective,” she said. She also acknowledged that this doesn’t stop alcohol consumption, but it does keep it on licensed premises or on people’s private property. “I can’t see any reason why we need to able to consume alcohol in the streets and parks. “I am concerned about underage drinking in the park and streets and I am concerned about appropriate age drinking when it is out of control in places that are hard to control by peers groups, police and security. “Roxby Downs has outlets to buy alcohol to take home and well appointed licensed premises for drinking; let’s use them. If there are special occasions at which we want to serve alcohol in a public area, then it needs to be licensed and have adequate boundaries where it is sold and people can drink (eg a fenced off area),” she concluded.