No worries about cup day behaviour
Thu 05 November 2009
Jessica Taylor, Journalism major
Although alcohol consumption is increasing yearly authorities on the Sunshine Coast feel confident that they are handling alcohol related behaviour effectively.
Alcohol is a booming industry and as of June 30, 2007 the annual apparent consumption of alcohol for people 15 years and over was a national average of 9.88 litres per person. Alcohol is served in large quantities through licensed venues hosting events such as the Melbourne Cup. On Melbourne Cup each year many licensed venues will ask for an extension of their liquor license to start serving alcohol before 10am. On a normal day many people may turn their noses up at such behaviour, however on cup day it is embraced by many starting the day early with a champagne breakfast.
Recent statistics have shown that in one week in 2008, 59 per cent of the total population drank alcohol and from that, 21 per cent drank at a high or a high risk level. When looking at such statistics Sunshine Coast resident Chris Camilleri worries that alcohol may affect people’s behaviour negatively on the day of the Melbourne Cup. “I’m looking forward to the cup but I hope there aren’t idiots who completely right themselves off and take things too far,” he says. 
In Queensland there is no public holiday for Melbourne Cup so employees who attend an event at a pub, restaurant, race course or private event have to take the day off work. Sergeant Steve McDonald believes , because not as many people are able to celebrate the day due to work priorities, those who attend functions are not there to act inappropriately. He says that people just want to enjoy the day for what it is, “A race that stops the nation.” He says that some people start their cup day early with a champagne breakfast and with the race later starting at around 3pm people don’t tend to go out afterwards as it is a long day.
The Pub Mooloolaba manager Mr Luke Stewart, says that Melbourne Cup is one of the pub’s busiest days of the year. Mr Stewart finds inappropriate alcohol induced behaviour comes as a case by case bases and it is up to staff behind the bar to abide by alcohol serving laws to make sure that people aren’t being served when they have already had enough to drink. It is then up to security to review the general behaviour of guests and to make sure that the area is safe. Mr Stewart says the pub, “will put security on on the Tuesday which we wouldn’t usually do”. He says this will ensure a safer environment if the crowd gets too rowdy.
Other measures in place that will help protect guests at functions and the general public from drunk and disorderly behaviour include the Collaborative Approach to Liquor Management also known as, CALM Mooloolaba Liquor Accord. CALM has been operating since December 20 2007.The group includes a representative from police, The Sunshine Coast Regional Council, Queensland Health Queensland Transport and the liquor licensing division. Sergeant McDonald says that CALM is in place to “reduce alcohol related incidents in Mooloolaba”. The accord works with popular venues that serve alcohol on Mooloolaba and extracts as an extra precaution in place to help ensure the safety of guests at venues on the day.
Police are out in force to ensure that cup day is just as safe as any other. Though the day is not a public holiday where everyone is available to celebrate, Sergeant McDonald says there are safety steps in place such as random breath tests set up near venues that have functions on. Just as The Pub Mooloolaba put on extra security, police at Mooloolaba police beat will increase staff numbers in case they are needed at local events. Police have the authority to give on the spot fines for public nuisance. Not only do these fines take a load off the courts, they mean that police can deal with the problem straight away. The fines may cost offenders $150.
On November 4 2008, Queensland police service was happy with the behaviour of punters at the Eagle Farm racecourse Cup day event. Of the 18, 000 guests that attended the event there were only two arrests. The total of people asked to leave the event due to drunk and associated behaviour was 18.
Image(s) designed by Jessica Taylor