By Ian Neubauer
WA Police became a source of derision this week after it aired a proposal to limit shouts — the tradition of buying a round of drinks for a group of mates — as a means to combat alcohol abuse.
The proposal has been described as unworkable, reactionary and un-Australian by WA Premier, Alan Carpenter.
“People go for drinks in hotels, taverns or clubs in groups of four, five or six and they buy a drink for everybody at the same time. It’s the great Australian tradition of the shout,” he said.
“I don’t think it will work. There’s always a balance that you have to reach and restricting the number of drinks that people can be in a hotel… would be over-complicating matters,” he said.
AHA Western Australian CEO Bradley Woods was less diplomatic.
“West Australian Police seems to be out of control with the hare brained schemes it comes up with,” he said, adding that police should focus on traditional policing methods to combat alcohol-related violence, such as becoming more visible on the streets.
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