New ambassadors a hit with city mall kids

GEELONG youths have given the thumbs up to new council-appointed ambassadors pat-rolling central Geelong.
Youths who frequent the city’s mall area said they came into contact with the ambassadors when they approached them about their behaviour.
“They talk to us and, after a while, they ask us why we have to hang out here,” one boy said.
“There’s nowhere else to go other than Eastern Beach but this is the best spot to hang out.”
The boy said the ambassadors had tried to entice the group to move out of the mall with free games of paintball.
“I think that’s funny, to want to give us guns,” he said.
City of Greater Geelong appointed the three ambassadors earlier this year to crack down on anti-social behaviour and provide advice to visitors and shoppers.
City community laws and compliance coordinator Steve Sodomaco said the ambassadors had reported several incidents, mostly in the mall, by radio to police. The incidents had related to alcohol consumption or “behavioural issues”.
Mr Sodomaco said the feedback to having City ambassadors wandering around the mall was mixed.