By Clyde Mooney
In a move intended to reduce the number of incidents and poor publicity surrounding violent behaviour in and around licensed venues, the Australian Hotels Association (AHA) NSW has urged drunken long weekend revellers to stay at home.
As the country gears up for the grand finals of the AFL and NRL, a long weekend is expected to attract large numbers of patrons to licensed venues across the state.
The AHA is assuring the public that hoteliers across the state will be utilising additional staff and security over the holiday weekend to keep out troublemakers.
“Venues diligently uphold RSA and practise responsible management, and yet too often incidents occur involving people that have arrived from somewhere without these safeguards, and don't even get into our hotels" AHA Director of Policing and Regulations, John Green, told TheShout.
“There are around 2.5 million visits to licensed venues each weekend and the overwhelming majority of people will leave again safely, having had a good time. We are asking the ones who think they can get smashed or fight to stay away.
“Let’s all make sure that the headlines are about who wins the flag on Saturday, and who wins the cross-Tasman battle on Sunday,” said Green.