The Victorian government has defended its plan to decriminalise public drunkenness on Melbourne Cup Day despite concerns from police officers.
Victoria’s Police Union has raised concerns officers are not prepared for public drunkenness to be decriminalised next week.
Police in the state will be stripped of their powers to arrest anybody that’s drunk and intoxicated unless they have committed a crime.
It has also been revealed Melbourne’s first sobering up centre in Collingwood will not be ready by the time the new laws come into effect.
Victoria’s Police Association has slammed the decision, saying the government is acting recklessly by not having proper plans in place.
Victoria Deputy Premier Ben Carroll has insisted the government is “confident” in the law changes.
The Victorian government has rejected calls to delay the introduction of public drunkenness reforms, set to take effect on Melbourne Cup Day – one of the booziest days of the year.
Victoria Police are set to be stripped of powers to arrest people for being drunk in public on November 7, due to the state government’s long-planned decriminalising reforms.
The state government has faced calls to delay the reform’s implementation, following reports that the new Collingwood-based sobering up centre – a key part of the new health-led approach – will not be ready in time for the change.
However on Monday Deputy Premier Ben Carroll said the government were committed to pushing ahead with the reforms, despite the delayed opening of the Co-health operated sobering up facility.
“We are very confident of the investments we’ve made. We’ve seen significant funds go into alcohol and other drug treatment,” Mr Carroll said.
“We have co-health, we have Victoria Police – some 85 per cent… of Victoria Police members have done all of the online training in his area. The Chief Commissioner himself has said Victoria Police are ready.
“So we’re very confident that November 7 will pass through like any other day.”
On Sunday, the Victorian opposition accused the Labor government of rushing the implementation of the reforms and called for the change to be “delayed until there is an adequate health response in place”.
“The government has rushed through these laws and failed to prepare their health response as we approach the starting date,” shadow police minister Brad Battin said in a statement.
“We have already said that Melbourne Cup Day is not the right time to introduce these new laws and it’s now clear that they need to be delayed until there is an adequate health response in place.
“To do otherwise would be to put individuals and the community at risk.”
(Sky News)
