Glassing and assault incidents plummeting

By Clyde Mooney 

The latest figures from BOCSAR demonstrate that counter-violence measures by pub operators are having a dramatic impact on assaults on licensed premises, despite what mainstream media coverage would have the public believe.

The Bureau of Crime Statistics & Research (BOCSAR) has released figures (pictured) for the year ending March 2013 that clearly show a consistent and significant reduction in assaults on licensed premises and 'glassings'. [continued below]

Speaking to TheShout, CEO of the Australian Hotels Association (AHA) NSW, Paul Nicolaou, said the self-imposed measures by hoteliers have been the key.  

"The figures speak for themselves: assaults at NSW licensed premises down 32 per cent over the past 5 years and glassings in Sydney down 43 per cent over the past 5 years.

"This proves what we have been saying for some time now – that hoteliers have been working hard on proactive measures that are actually reaping results," Nicolaou said. [continued below]

"What the so-called experts that heralded the Newcastle destruction won't tell you is, that assault rates went back up in 2011 and they had two of the four NSW venues on the top violent venues tier then."

"It was only when the premises implemented their own additional measures that assaults dropped to where they are now; namely the voluntary introduction by hoteliers of multi-venue scanning and barring targeting the people doing the wrong thing," the AHA boss said.

"The reality is, assaults on licensed premises are at their lowest levels in more than a decade – there's no safer place to be than your local and that is borne out by these figures."