Police Commissioner Col Blanch says drop in Carnarvon property, violent offending due to liquor restrictions

WA’s top cop says a “halving” of property and violent crimes in Carnarvon is a direct result of the Gascoyne town being used as a test case for tough liquor restrictions. Last week, WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch praised the “significant response” that had been witnessed in Carnarvon since new booze bans were introduced in May, even tougher than those implemented in Alice Springs. “We have seen, not only a halving of property crime like burglaries and theft of cars, but also a halving of violent offences like domestic violence and assaults in the street,” Mr Blanch said. “I think that comes directly down to the reduction in the liquor availability, particularly on Sundays and Mondays, for takeaway liquor, no glass in the street. “I think the community has responded exceptionally well, they support the restrictions and I do thank the State Government and Director of Liquor Licensing for introducing those restrictions.” Mr Blanch said police were in “ongoing discussions” with the director of liquor licensing about rolling out restrictions more broadly. “There were some certain metrics used for Carnarvon as to why they were implemented there and our current work is to identify which towns would meet those same metrics,” he said. Packaged liquor sales in Carnarvon are banned on Sunday and Monday and only allowed between midday and 7pm on other days. Each customer is only allowed only one carton or 11.25 litres of beer with an alcohol content up to 6 per cent, two bottles or a 1.5-litre cask of wine or 1 litre of spirits. The wine must be priced at least $15 per bottle or cask. For beer, cider or pre-mix spirits with an alcohol content higher than 6 per cent, the limit is 3.75 litres. And where a product is available in cans, it should not be sold in glass containers. Like several other towns further north, Carnarvon has rolled out a banned drinkers register. Last month, Shire of Carnarvon president Eddie Smith said the Carnarvon Community Patrol program launched in February was also helping to “quieten things down” and get kids off the street. He said for the first time in 18 months he had not seen glass shattered along the streets of Carnarvon. Carnarvon Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Paul Dixon, who also owns a security business, had noticed a marked reduction in police call-outs to retailers to “almost nil”. He attributed that to a “three-pronged attack” — the liquor restrictions, community patrol and extra police presence in town. As of last month, 11 people had been added to Carnarvon’s banned drinkers register.