2014’s controversial lockout laws, one of Barry O’Farrell‘s final moves before his most expensive hangover ever, have been given a boost of support from Sydney doctors at St Vincent’s hospital, according to the ABC.
According to doctors at St Vincent’s hospital, the hospital has seen a notable drop in alcohol-related admissions and injuries relating to extreme drug use, with the last 12 months reportedly being one of their best periods ever. St Vincent’s hospital, located in Darlinghurst, lies within the lockout laws’ restrictive zone in Sydney, whereby bars and clubs lockout punters from 1:30 am, and last drinks are served at 3am.
Neurosurgen at St Vincent’s, Mark Winder, told the ABC that there has been a noticeable improvement in head injuries from alcohol and drug-related causes. Winder said that while the hospital was accustomed to treating “3 or 4” drug or alcohol-related injuries per week, the numbers have ebbed, saying: “We’d be lucky to see even one major injury within the week coming in, based on the lockout rule.”
Furthering this, Toby Hall, an executive at St Vincent’s has stated, “It’s absolutely clear from what we are seeing since the lockout was put
in place, there’s been a significant reduction in the level of severe
trauma and particularly a reduction in the number of people visiting
very early in the morning through to mid-morning, through trauma-based
instances.”
The reports coming from St Vincent’s today are, of course, fantastic news – any notable lessening of dickhead behaviour, coward punches or otherwise, is a hell of a win. The laws, however, remain controversial in Sydney, as the NSW government have opted for a blanket approach to the unfortunate situation of jerks being jerks: punishing the well-behaved majority to compensate for the scummy minority.
At this stage it remains unclear what the overall results and trends from the lockout laws’ implementation are, and whether other hospitals have experienced similar success to St Vincent’s. Toby Hall has encouraged the state government to think wisely about any developments with the law, saying it would be “very, very naive” to relax the law in any form.
Punters and licensed venues have reacted to the law in a few ways. We previously reported that late night drinking traffic, to compensate for the laws, have flowed to the Star Casino (excluded from the lockout zone); a flurry of illegal warehouse parties have also sprung up in Sydney, acting as a massive “up yours” to the laws that many young people in Sydney refuse to be down with.
The lockout laws might change – relax or widen, who knows – or maybe they’ll stay put. But one thing that has not and will not change: Barry O’Farrell being the worst.
Via ABC.
Lead image by Lisa Maree Williams via Getty.
