Hospitals CEO wants lock-out laws rolled out across the state
Thomas Kelly was king-hit and killed in July 2012. (AAP) AAP
The head of one of Sydney’s major hospitals wants lock-out laws rolled out to other parts of Sydney - if not right across NSW.
CEO Toby Hall, the head of St Vincent’s Health, said the laws had caused a 50 percent drop in alcohol-related trauma admissions to hospital.
The injuries that do present to hospital are also less severe.
“St Vincent’s Hospital in Darlinghurst was at the epicentre of inner city Sydney’s epidemic of alcohol-related violence until the introduction of the lockout laws in February 2014,” Mr Hall wrote in the Daily Telegraph today.
“One year later, all the feedback tells us that the frequency and severity of alcohol-related presentations and admissions to the hospital have plummeted.
“If the evidence is there, shouldn’t we extend the same benefit to other NSW communities experiencing similar problems?”
He said that on New Year’s Eve not a single patient was admitted to intensive care at St Vincent’s Hospital in Darlinghurst with alcohol-related injuries.
The lockout laws were partially relaxed on New Year’s Eve, with lockouts pushed back to 3am for most city bars.
Mr Hall also made calls for the introduction of other measures including licensing, promotion, advertising and sale of alcohol, noting the role alcohol played in child abuse, domestic violence and homelessness.
“Something’s clearly gone wrong in our society’s relationship with alcohol,” he said.
“We can’t stand on the sidelines and watch this take place without asking our politicians for change.”
NSW goes to the polls on March 28.
The major parties are expected to outline their plans to reduce alcohol-related harm and violence at a forum hosted by the NSW ACT Alcohol Policy Alliance.
The new lock-out laws came into effect in February last year to address alcohol-fuelled violence after the one punch deaths of Thomas Kelly and Daniel Christie.
They require licensed venues in central Sydney and Kings Cross to lock out patrons from 1.30am and stop serving alcohol at 3am.
Share a tip-off, video or photo with us
