By Triana O'Keefe, editor – Australian Hotelier
New detailed analysis of police data has revealed a decrease in not only alcohol-related offences, but in other crime in and around the Sydney area of Kings Cross.
In the 12 months since the introduction of the lockout laws, crime rates have fallen dramatically with police claiming they now have extra resources to tackle other areas such as drug, property and vice-related crime.
The data shows a 20.8 per cent reduction in sexual assaults, 43 per cent reduction in assaults causing grievous bodily harm, 50.3 per cent reduction in assaults causing actual bodily harm, and a 57.1 per cent reduction in robbery.
Liquor and Policing director of the Australian Hotels Association (AHA) NSW John Green has suggested the decrease in crime rates could be linked to the 84 per cent reduction in foot traffic since 2012.
“It’s unsurprising that when you reduce foot traffic to an area by up to 84 per cent that all crime categories would go down,” he said.