Queensland Government Persists With Lockouts Despite Proof Of Failure

The Queensland Government are refusing to back down from lobby groups rallying against lockout laws across the state and will push ahead with the controversial legislation in the wake of the laws proving to be a failure in New South Wales. 

As the Courier Mail reports, following rallies across the state over the weekend protesting the lockouts, Queensland Health Minister Cameron Dick believes introducing the laws is "the right thing to do."

"...We make no apologies for lockouts and reducing the period within which alcohol can be served in Queensland," Dick said. 

"Personally, I've had enough of police becoming punching bags for drunken louts."

"As Health Minister, I know the No.1 substance that causes the highest number of presentations in emergency departments is alcohol."

Dick's comments come in the wake of figures coming out of Sydney, where it has been found that the number of alcohol-related assaults in areas outside of the lockout zone have risen, including Pyrmont and The Star Casino. 

According to SMH, the number of alcohol-fuelled violence incidents in Pyrmont has risen by 46 percent, while the number of incidents in lockout areas such as Potts Point and Darlinghurst have decreased by 42.6 and 36.3 percent, respectively. 

The figures support the argument that the lockout laws don't deter the violence, but simply move it somewhere else.

As radio jock Alan Jones said during his morning show last week, "All it does it force drunks out onto the street and into the suburbs."

"It doesn't stop the violence, it just moves it."

In contrast however, Chief Executive of St Vincent's Health Australia, Toby Hall believes the results show that the lockout laws need to expand further.

"Enough is enough. We need to maintain these laws, we need to keep them in place," Hall said.