Cops seek lockout

Hamish Heard
Police will apply to Liquor Licensing Victoria for a 1am lockout at Geelong licensed venues after a violent weekend on city streets.
Chief Inspector Wayne Carson yesterday said he had arranged a meeting with Liquor Licensing Victoria director Sue McLellan after some venues failed to support police efforts to stamp out antisocial behaviour in the city centre.
Insp Carson said the authority had the power to impose a lockout to restrict movement of drunks between venues.
“After last weekend, with a number of assaults and the number of drunks we locked up, I’m not sure the clubs have genuinely lifted the bar, so I’m of the view that the next stage has to be pushing for a lockout,” he said.
At least three people were injured during assaults on the weekend, including a 20yearold man later flown to Melbourne’s Alfred Hospital with lifethreatening head injuries.
Geelong Nightlife Association has repeatedly snubbed police calls for a selfimposed lockout.
Insp Carson said violence was still a problem on the city’s nightlife scene despite an ongoing police operation resulting in a 70 per cent reduction in violence and property damage reports.
“We’ve put as many cops as we can on the streets and, while that has had some success, we need a new strategy to deal with ongoing issues, so we’ve decided that has to be a lockout,” Insp Carson said.
“Enough is enough.”
Insp Carson renewed his criticism of venues offering cheap drinks to entice young drinkers.
“(Licensees) have a responsibility to keep drunks from entering or remaining in the venues and I still maintain that selling cheap booze doesn’t help the situation.”
Insp Carson said cheapdrinks promotions at Room 99, Statik and Home House sparked antisocial behaviour.
Room 99 owner Grant Ryan angrily rejected the claim.
Mr Ryan said police had issued no infringement notices since scrutiny of his venue.
He called on the justice system to impose harsher sentences for violent behaviour.
“Things have changed since Wayne Carson went out — back then they had 6pm closing,” Mr Ryan said.