Adelaide City Council no longer wants to trial a 24-hour dry zone in the south parklands, but will instead apply for a timed dry zone in order to “give residents and businesses a break” from disruptive behaviour.
The council made a request in July that the state government approve a six-month trial of an all-hours dry zone in the south parklands.
Last night, the council voted to change this request, so that the trial would only ban the consumption of alcohol in the parklands outside the hours of 1pm and 8pm.
Adelaide City Council CEO Peter Smith said the consumption of alcohol in the parklands was a complicated issue, and that the council was working with residents, businesses, police and others to solve it.
Smith told 891 ABC radio this morning: “It’s a complex problem; we’re trying something different as a circuit breaker.”
“It gives residents and businesses a break (from disruption) without displacing the problem to somewhere else.
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“… we’ve got some very vulnerable people here and we want them to accept the services being offered to them.”
The proposed dry zone trial would not affect major licenced events in the parklands.
The change to the request was made after a group of representatives from the city council, SA Police, Aboriginal Services, SA Health, Housing SA and Consumer and Business Affairs unanimously advised that a timed dry zone would be the best compromise.
They told councillors a 24-hour dry zone would risk displacing drinkers to other areas and that a timed dry zone, by contrast, would reduce levels of drunkenness due to the shortened drinking time and improve the chances of diverting people who suffer alcohol addiction to appropriate services.
“We have been informed that a number of stakeholders have raised concerns about the impact of a 24 hour dry zone in this area, and that a time based dry zone in conjunction with an enhanced service response is an alternate option to control the use of alcohol in the parklands,” Smith said in a statement.
“This will improve the level of safe enjoyment of the parklands for all members of the community.
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“This is a pressing situation for the residents of South Terrace who have been putting up with these disturbances for a long time.
“Council is keen to see change happen as quickly as possible to give residents some peace, while at the same time maximising opportunities for vulnerable people to access services that can help them.”
According to the Hutt Street Centre for the homeless, access to drug and alcohol rehabilitation services in Adelaide is low.
“There are a number of people that we work with who are sleeping rough or in temporary accommodation who want and need live-in rehabilitation to exit their cycle of addiction,” a Hutt Street spokesperson said.
“… first and foremost we are concerned about the safety of our clients who do live or spend time in the parklands so we do consider that anything that makes the parklands a safer place is a good thing.”
The council received legal advice that it was able to vote on the change, despite being in caretaker mode in the lead up to next month’s elections.
“The decision to amend the application to Consumer and Business Services after taking into account the views of the commissioner is not one that falls within the ambit of a ‘major policy’ decision,” a council spokesperson said.
“… unless considered a ‘major policy’ decision by the CEO, a decision of this nature is not prohibited by the Council’s Caretaker Policy.”
Adelaide City Council will undertake five days of community consultation about its amended request.
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