659% rise in the rate per population, that is. the report's here:

http://www.police.vic.gov.au/content.asp?Document_ID=782

(for reference, most of the other rises are about 50% at most.)

more cops on the street = more busting.

Same bullshit stats skewing as the road toll.

Road toll can only increase with population. How many more people are moving to Melbourne every year?..how many more thousand new drivers get their license every year?..a lot more than the number of oldies giving up theirs.

Accidents happen. You can't not have accidents. It a fact of life.

fact number 2. Australian mass media is largely responsible for breeding uneducated, racist fuck-wits who breed uneducated, racist fuck-wits. Uneducated racist fuck-wits like to fight.

Fact number 3. The area that has all of the violence in Melbourne is run by organised crime. It also happens to be mainly frequented by uneducated, racist fuck-wits from every race.

Fact number 4. The police put out blanket laws affecting everyone so that they can't be accused of discriminating against organised crime.

Except the road toll has consistently fallen for the last 30 odd years

Could be because the radial transport networks brings people into the city from the suburbs where there's nothing to do, and then leaves them there after 3am with no way to get home

659% rise in the rate per population, that is. the report's here:

Could be a factor of two things. There may be more 'behaviour in public' incidents or the police may be cracking down on it a lot more and therefore arresting/fining more people and therefore the stats are being collected. I suspect alot of it is the latter because they've been having those 'blitzes' on the city recently and slapping those 24 hour bans on people.

And don't pollies just love simple aggregates.

what are the 24 hour bans about clarebear? how do you get them? how are they enforced?

I don't know much about it I just remember something about the cops slapping 24 hour bans on people who they find being drunk and disorderly and issuing fines. There's an article from today's Age about a blitz they're having in Fitzroy over the next couple of weeks.

Blitz on vandals in inner north

...brings people into the city from the suburbs where there's nothing to do...

Tell ya what, I'd rather chance my luck in the city on a weekend night than at the 'Entertainment hub' of Ringwood.

I blame sports. I generally do.

There's an article from today's Age about a blitz they're having in Fitzroy over the next couple of weeks.

I saw no cops on Johnston/Brunswick St last night, and I was there til 3.30am
I did see a lot of slightly rowdy but well-behaved drunks, though.

I don't think alcohol has much to do with many fights. Can't throw a punch when you're sozzled.
The most violent incidents I've seen happen during the day and have involved (sober) morons with aggressive tendencies. Nowt to do with booze.

But, yes. Thankyou Herald Scum et al for the media beatup.

I don't think alcohol has much to do with many fights.

I'm - sorta, in the current context - inclined to agree here.

I'd be interested to see some ''research and data'' on the number of crystal meth-related assaults...

Andyr the police commissioner has publicly stated in the past that they're trying to adopt the no-tolerance policy which was used to clean up Manhatten.

Basic theory is that if everyone is arrested at least once, 99% of people won't commit another crime. (Scare theory).

So, because Victoria is the only state in Australia where being drunk in public is a crime, they can basically arrest everyone at least once for being drunk in public.

Works to some extent; after being arrested for being drunk in public, I haven't been back to the cbd for a gig since. That was two years ago.

There has been an increase in the amount of violence on the street, but part of this is people not being able to get taxis, or public transport to leave the city.

Also Ice does contribute to violence, has to be mentioned there's a lot more of this around. Only problem with it really is that people OD on it, because it has a long half life and takes a few hours to reach its peak. Most people have too much thinking they haven't had enough yet. Drug education could help avoid much of the violence caused by ice.

In general there has been an increase in random violent attacks on strangers. It's pretty fucked up. A mate of mine has permanent brain damage after he intervened when some guy bashed a chick across the head for no reason. My friend got a bottle smashed over his head, and two years later has never fully recovered. It was a new years about four years ago, apparently about 20 people were randomly attacked for no reason that night in the city.

well, maybe have been to a couple of gigs, but mostly will try and avoid the cbd as much as possible.

Also my mates who own Kim Chi on brunswick street said they're not enjoying the area any more and want to leave. Too much violence and threatening behaviour on brunswick street now.

It's kinda funny. After work I was walking up the road to get picked up by my gf at the time. Some Ice head was intimidating people as he walked down the street and focused in on e this one drunk guy. I intervened and got them walking in different directions. So the guy follows me. Anyway I tried to talk my way out of it but as I went to get in my gf's car he swung. After a brawl I pinned him to the ground while my gf called the cops. They knew him, his ice habit and his addiction but told me he would be hard to prosecute because he was undergoing treatment for it. When my ribs hurt a bit the next day I reconsidered and went back to the cop shop. They tried to talk me out of it again. I persisted and six months later a court date was set and he was convicted. Cops in Sydney don't care about violent ice addicts?!?

''and his addiction'' should have read ''and his previous violent and criminal history''.

hey rat, how bad is the sevice there? you can be the only person at the bar and still wait until the 3 bar staff finish a conversation until you get served. this makes me feel violent, so maybe the issue is bad service equals drunken violence. maybe im a fuckwit. probably both.

There were a few instances like this but I think we got in early and got in the bar staff being the real cool band they had in that night. I kept eyeing the same guy and he got on with it. They did however have 4 people working and the bar was always a shit fight to get a drink for everyone is seemed.

Then there was the point where a friend bought 3 pints of fat yak and walked away with a $36 fee.

Aint like sitting in front of you guys reading the tv.

I was impressed when the John Curtain charged me $7:80 for a pint of Coopers.. was expecting a much bigger ass raping.

*MissAustralia2003 said 21 seconds ago:
geez controversy. shall i write a paper on typologies and intentions relating to beer barns versus music venues? *

Yes

King_Rat said 16 minutes ago:

I was at the builders arms the other night and I have never been surrounded by so many fucking idiots.

What were you expecting? The days when the Builders Arms was a decent band venue, with an inviting front bar and delicious food, are long gone.

I had a dream last night I was playing cricket and bowling really well, fast paced off cutters that were getting frequent edges to the slips and ones that would straighten and bowl the batsman between the inside edge of his bat and his pad.

my office is above the workers club.

you see the staff every day yet there are a few that a too cool to acknowledge you when you say hi on the way in or out...

What were you expecting? The days when the Builders Arms was a decent band venue, with an inviting front bar and delicious food, are long gone.

You have years on me Frankie, it was the second time I had been there.

who wants to go get pissed then go bottle some bogans for making the city all violent and drunk. send 'em back to franga i say

Fuck off We're FULL

back in the 1970s and 1980s, plenty of bands played and became very big through playing gigs at the suburban beer barns.

Fuck off Fitzroy is Full!

true - and people went to them from all over the place to see that band.

back in the 1970s and 1980s, plenty of bands played and became very big through playing gigs at the suburban beer barns.

Sure. I think the statement that having live music on at ANY venue reduces the focus on drinking for its own sake, and thereby minimises violence, is absolutely valid. As a teenager, I'd go and see bands in beer barns in Melbourne's outer suburbs, and the atmosphere never struck me as particularly violent. Remove live entertainment and the fuckheads take over.

acoustic covers duos to the rescue!

They should start playing Enya or Rainforest envionment soundtracks on loud speakers throughout the entire CBC, that'd soothe everyone the fuck down

king_rat - i think it's been written before - i'll track it down but am out each night this week (either boozing or miffing).

happycow - what is that cult 1960s tv show 'the prisoner' where the island had loudspeakers? they should pipe out heavy metal. i think ages ago hillsonghoods posted a study which showed heavy metalheads were the most gentle non-aggressive people

Yeah I probably wont read it. I can't imagine. But go for it.

what is that cult 1960s tv show 'the prisoner' where the island had loudspeakers? they should pipe out heavy metal. i think ages ago hillsonghoods posted a study which showed heavy metalheads were the most gentle non-aggressive people

While we're at it, we should implement giant floating security bubbles that are deployed to suck up people whenever they get a bit argy.

why are there so many police in the city today? I swear I've seen 10 cars already. Is it something to do with the Myer v David Jones war? probably.

Maybe there's gonna be some more gangland sht going down today..