“Tonight I witnessed a violent assault by three intoxicated young people on two young staff at an Oxford St food venue.

Another person said the offenders had been causing trouble along the street earlier after drinking at a well known venue catering primarily to backpackers.

Further up the street, after noticing a high number of drunk, aggressive young people, I asked a bouncer at one of the gay clubs what was going on.

He told me “Tuesday night is always feral” because the bar in question has ‘happy hour’ that night. A quick web search confirms the bar provides ‘power hours’ three nights a week, where patrons drink as much as they can for one hour for free.

After all the ridiculousness of last year with 2am lock-outs at various venues, I find it extraordinary that the council and state permit a venue to operate this kind of irresponsible policy.

Sydney nightlife should be about fun, not violence and blood-covered faces. ‘Happy hours’ and freebies are not part of responsible fun. They have only one outcome: they motivate people to drink as much as possible in a short period of time, and, as a result, engender massive intoxication and its consequent potential for violence.

As the state election approaches, I ask the Premier and Opposition leader, local member (and Sydney city councillors) to state their policy positions with regard to bars that encourage rapid intoxication through techniques like this.”

Report the facts as you saw them and heard them to the Police and to the Department of Communities’ Office of Liquor Gaming and Racing.
Free drinks for an hour/all you can drink promotions are NOT responsible service of alcohol and the venue – particularly if they have been responsible for the service of the perpetrators of the assault you witnessed – should be held to account. Certainly the ‘power hours’ should be brought to an end. I’m pretty sure the other venue operators who operate in a more responsible fashion, and have the police on their backs all the time would welcome this attention being visited on the venue that you can identity.

In relation to Ron’s letter, I support extending the NSW Anti-Discrimination Act to cover discrimination by private schools and religious schools receiving public funding in the areas of employment and education, on the grounds of gender, relationship status, transgender status and homosexuality. It’s time for reform and all like-minded candidates elected at the 26 March 2011 NSW election should lobby other MPs for change.

Regards
Sacha Blumen
Labor candidate for Sydney

Let’s not forget that Bartels’ Liberal party is preferencing Fred Nile and his right wing Christian extremist party. This preference deal by Bartels’ Liberals has completely gone under the radar yet it represents a clear threat to many of the freedoms we’ve won over the last decade.

The voters of Sydney must not forget Clover Moore’s record when they go to vote this Saturday, and that record is a good one.

On gay issues Clover has been the best political friend the gay community has ever had in this country. Clover has made a big positive difference to Sydney. Not everyone might agree with all she has done but she has tried to revive Sydney through bike lanes, park regeneration, small pubs and promotes sustainable living.

Clover should be returned in order to maintain the independent voice that is able to raise and push the issues that the big parties just ignore.

Adrian Bartels will have to tow the party line and often that line will be what Fred Nile and the National Party want and it won’t be conducive to the diversity of the inner city.