Page 4794 - Week 16 - Monday, 25 November 1991
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Mr Stefaniak proposed back in 1989 was very different from the Bill proposed today. That legislation included all sorts of other areas, including school ovals.
Referring back to interchanges and in particular the Woden interchange, I am aware that for some time Marist College has sent brothers down to that interchange to monitor the students travelling through the interchange on their way home from school. That should not have to happen. Those boys should be able to travel through the interchange without any problems or harassment. I was advised only this morning that that is still occurring and that it happens each afternoon.
I have not even discussed the problems of the elderly, not only at interchanges but also at shopping centres. It has been brought to my attention on several occasions that elderly women, in particular, go into their local shopping centre and are being knocked over or their shopping is being knocked over as they come out of a shop. That is an area that needs to be addressed, and I think this Bill goes some way towards doing that. Other States have dry areas. South Australia, as Mr Humphries stated, is one such State. It is unfortunate, but it is necessary for the ACT also to have them now.
MS MAHER (12.28): I also will be supporting this legislation, which will restrict the consumption of alcohol in certain places. As have many other members, I have been approached by many constituents, including shopkeepers, about people, especially young people, consuming alcohol and behaving in an inappropriate manner.
Mr Connolly raised a couple of points with regard to the committee report on the public behaviour inquiry. He said that the committee believed that this sort of legislation was unnecessary, and he referred to page 27. The committee actually said that, from the conclusions, it did not recommend such a change because of the difficulties inherent in defining and setting the limits of non- drinking areas. The committee said that they had difficulty in defining those areas, not that the legislation was not necessary. The committee had a lot of discussion in this area and recognised that alcohol and drinking in public places was a major problem. We could only go on the evidence presented to the committee, and in some cases it was very difficult to make recommendations with regard to this legislation.
Mr Connolly also referred to foot patrols by police. With the Government cutting back in this area, the situation of foot patrols is not going to improve; it is going to get worse. This legislation is therefore all the more appropriate in protecting people. People should be free to move around this city safely, especially the elderly and young people. Often you hear from elderly people about how they are afraid to come out. Also parents will not let their children catch buses; they drive them around because of the situation in bus centres and around shopping areas.
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