Inner-city pubs to ban drunken patrons
A group of Newcastle hotels has joined together to create security policy aimed at reducing anti-social behaviour.
MJ Finnegans, Fannys, King St Hotel, the Cambridge and the Queens Wharf Brewery are listed among the most violent venues in New South Wales.
The pubs are introducing ID scanners and the systems will be linked so that patrons banned from one venue would be stopped from entering the others.
MJ Finnegans is one of five local venues to join together to try and combat anti-social behaviour and violence.
Russell Richardson, who owns Fannys and the King Street hotel says people's privacy will be protected when they visit the hotels involved.
He says the information gathered by the scanners will not be misused.
"We've worked with our legal advisers and it goes under all the guidelines of the privacy act and the national guidelines as well," he said.
"Details are only kept within a database, they're not given to anyone and used for any advertising material or anything like that.
"They're purely used for entry towards a nightclub."
The Australian Hotels Association says the moves to make Newcastle safer on weekends, should encourage more cab drivers back into the city.
AHA Newcastle president Rolly DeWith says public transport needs to be improved, but many cab drivers fear for their safety.
"They are telling us that, they are making a decision to work in other areas," he said.
"They don't necessarily have to come into the city because it's busy in the suburbs.
"So we want it to be safe for everybody to come to the city, so whether you're working in a taxi at night, you shouldn't be fearful of your own safety."
The Police Association is welcoming the new measures, but says more needs to be done.
Association President Scott Weber says it is a positive step, but he is concerned that it comes as the supermarket chain ALDI has been given approval to sell alcohol at venues across the region.
"We need to sit down with the Liquor Accord and these licensed premises and put more initiatives in place," he said.
"Obviously we have reduced alcohol-related violence a fair bit in the Newcastle area, but we've got to do more.
"And this is why it boggles the mind that there'd be more licences being handed out to premises that sell alcohol.
"All you're doing is adding fuel to fire."
Source: ABC News, 10 July 2012
