Glass bottles should be banned from public events.

[*ryan777*]

What about using plastic cups at places where these things happen, but not at venues that follow the rules and generally avoid fights and the like?

like blacklist certain venues and ban them for using glass?
not a bad idea but its not easy for the club/pub itself to avoid these things when its mostly the ppl inside the venue causing problems
i could see these ppl searching for other places hence spreading the problem into otherwise quiet, problem-free places
i guess id have to agree with collin tho

[stonecold]

I do agree that tougher penalties for offenders, similar to those in New York, would be the best solution. However to me,  it seems that the current government has thrown out the idea of harsher sentencing for offenders, in favour of a couple of other mediocre changes, which are having no effect whatsoever on violent attacks in the city.

Sure it would be better if society could be trusted with these types of things, but it is clear it can't.  If enough people were in favour of banning glass at public venues at night, the government would bow down.  To me, it is almost a case of double standards.  Drinks are served in plastic at major sporting events and concerts to ensure the safety of athletes and performers.  Does the general public not deserve a similar level of safety?

[schmalex]

Pretty sure it would be extremely difficult to throw a bottle at britney spears from the back of the rod laver arena, they use cups to protect te audience;)

[*ryan777*]

this is slightly off topic but has relevance, anyway what do ppl think of the current sugestions to raise the drinking age?

personaly i dont think it will solve alot of problems since just as much trouble happens at suburban house parties as in the cbd

[stonecold]

Yeah you are right ryan, increasing the drinking age will have no effect at all seeing as most parents buy their kids alcohol or allow them to drink anyway.  Look at the US, the minimum drinking age is 21 and that seems to have to little effect in curbing violent and antisocial behaviour.

[Albeno69]

True the problem also lies with underage drikng in australia.

[xXNovaxX]

thats what i meant sorry, y isn't it this bad overseas?

A different culture I presume. Although these CLEARLY are not limited to Australia, I personally feel it is MORE socially UNACCEPTABLE in other countries.

Take Middle Eastern Countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia for example. We all know Indonesia has issues (terrorism, civil violence etc etc) HOWEVER, we also know their strict religious teachings and family up bringing have alcohol as TABOO, -->less alcohol related violence.

I KNOW Indonesia has high levels of crime, especially in the cities, however there is less ALCOHOL related crime. What I am trying to say is, it is POSSIBLE tor educe crime related to alcohol (police I think said 70% of all crimes are connected to alcohol)

And notice how I admitted each country has problems, exemplifying we are not the only one.

Now, before people think I am saying "lets all turn Muslim", I am trying to show how RELIGION dictates social values.

And in Australia, we rely on public campaigns, the media, police, welfare groups etc to act as "preachers" which will eventually see these cases declines.

In France for example, there is a lot of ethnic violence between difefrent groups (remember the riots a few years ago in Paris?), thats A PROBLEM, however it is not alcohol related....why? Because French people are very "high class" and "wine lovers", it's their CULTURE.

I hope people understand the point im trying to get across?

[*ryan777*]

Yeah you are right ryan, increasing the drinking age will have no effect at all seeing as most parents buy their kids alcohol or allow them to drink anyway.  Look at the US, the minimum drinking age is 21 and that seems to have to little effect in curbing violent and antisocial behaviour.

ive heard that alcohol is quite easy to access at US colleges and unis even if ur under 21 anyway

[xXNovaxX]

Yeah you are right ryan, increasing the drinking age will have no effect at all seeing as most parents buy their kids alcohol or allow them to drink anyway.  Look at the US, the minimum drinking age is 21 and that seems to have to little effect in curbing violent and antisocial behaviour.

ive heard that alcohol is quite easy to access at US colleges and unis even if ur under 21 anyway

This goes to show, in Australia we are having SOME success. It seems form that simple sentence, we have a tougher stance on serving alcohol to those <18 (companies have been fined MILLIONS for failing this, and we have under cover people trying to buy alcohol when they are <18 etc to catch bad businesses). This ahs taken YEARS to work.

I think our problem now is lax parenting, especially at parties etc.

[*ryan777*]

thats what i meant sorry, y isn't it this bad overseas?

A different culture I presume. Although these CLEARLY are not limited to Australia, I personally feel it is MORE socially UNACCEPTABLE in other countries.

Take Middle Eastern Countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia for example. We all know Indonesia has issues (terrorism, civil violence etc etc) HOWEVER, we also know their strict religious teachings and family up bringing have alcohol as TABOO, -->less alcohol related violence.

I KNOW Indonesia has high levels of crime, especially in the cities, however there is less ALCOHOL related crime. What I am trying to say is, it is POSSIBLE tor educe crime related to alcohol (police I think said 70% of all crimes are connected to alcohol)

And notice how I admitted each country has problems, exemplifying we are not the only one.

Now, before people think I am saying "lets all turn Muslim", I am trying to show how RELIGION dictates social values.

And in Australia, we rely on public campaigns, the media, police, welfare groups etc to act as "preachers" which will eventually see these cases declines.

In France for example, there is a lot of ethnic violence between difefrent groups (remember the riots a few years ago in Paris?), thats A PROBLEM, however it is not alcohol related....why? Because French people are very "high class" and "wine lovers", it's their CULTURE.

I hope people understand the point im trying to get across?

ok yeah i understand,
i guess that add campains etc work quite well, i mean just look at the TAC and how they halfed the road toll in 20 years, so hopefully so will alcohol related violence

[*ryan777*]

" I think our problem now is lax parenting, especially at parties etc. "

agreed

[Albeno69]

Yeah you are right ryan, increasing the drinking age will have no effect at all seeing as most parents buy their kids alcohol or allow them to drink anyway.  Look at the US, the minimum drinking age is 21 and that seems to have to little effect in curbing violent and antisocial behaviour.

ive heard that alcohol is quite easy to access at US colleges and unis even if ur under 21 anyway

This goes to show, in Australia we are having SOME success. It seems form that simple sentence, we have a tougher stance on serving alcohol to those <18 (companies have been fined MILLIONS for failing this, and we have under cover people trying to buy alcohol when they are <18 etc to catch bad businesses). This ahs taken YEARS to work.

I think our problem now is lax parenting, especially at parties etc.

yea I agree that that's a good idea to catch business who sell to underage and then to can their lisence and not allow them to sell liquior after a warning and a hefty fine.

[stonecold]

" I think our problem now is lax parenting, especially at parties etc. "

agreed

also agreed.  probably deserves another thread, but ultimately it is up to parents to control their kids.

[xXNovaxX]

I found this good article, I learnt quiet a bit from it just now.

http://www.peele.net/lib/sociocul.html#vi

How Chinese children are introduced to drinking:
While drinking was socially sanctioned, becoming drunk was not. The individual who lost control of himself under the influence of liquor was ridiculed and, if he persisted in his defection, ostracized

How Italian youth, as distinct from American youth, are taught to drink:
"Italians, like Jews, are a group whose members tend to drink and to have low rates of alcohol problems. The attitudes and behaviors of Italians in the United States are a reflection of those in Italy, where children are introduced to alcohol as part of their regular family life and learn to drink moderate amounts while still young. In both countries, alcohol is commonly drunk with meals and is considered a natural and normal food.
People are not pressured to drink, and abstention does not offend others; drinking reflects sociability and social cohesion rather than a means to achieve them

In Australia
It's clear that heavy drinking was an established cultural norm transported to Australia along with other Anglo-Celtic cultural baggage. At the time of colonisation of Australia, it was the norm in Europe to drink heavily. It was the time of the gin epidemics which were devastating communities in Britain. Alcohol in Europe had long served as a food and source of nutrition as the diets of the time were very restricted and there wasn't a lot else to choose from. In some 19th century cities alcohol was also seen as a real alternative to water, or to anything that was water-based, because of problems of pollution. All these different factors led to traditions of heavy drinking being brought to Australia on the first fleets. Once in Australia, these heavy drinking traditions contributed significantly to the destruction of Indigenous culture.

http://www.dulwichcentre.com.au/alcohol-in-australia.html

[stonecold]

I found this good article, I learnt quiet a bit from it just now.

http://www.peele.net/lib/sociocul.html#vi

How Chinese children are introduced to drinking:
While drinking was socially sanctioned, becoming drunk was not. The individual who lost control of himself under the influence of liquor was ridiculed and, if he persisted in his defection, ostracized

How Italian youth, as distinct from American youth, are taught to drink:
"Italians, like Jews, are a group whose members tend to drink and to have low rates of alcohol problems. The attitudes and behaviors of Italians in the United States are a reflection of those in Italy, where children are introduced to alcohol as part of their regular family life and learn to drink moderate amounts while still young. In both countries, alcohol is commonly drunk with meals and is considered a natural and normal food.
People are not pressured to drink, and abstention does not offend others; drinking reflects sociability and social cohesion rather than a means to achieve them

Yeah, the Italian thing is very true.  My grandfather was raised in Italy, and was drinking home made wine from the age of 7.  It is simply apart of the culture. 

Most people who I know drink just to get smashed, not because they actually enjoy alcohol.  Quite sad actually.