by REBECCA WOOLLEY
Police may need police greater powers to target teenagers drinking in parks.
LAWS allowing police to deal with underage drinkers need to be beefed up to deal with the binge drinking on the northern beaches, says Pittwater MP Rob Stokes.
He said new figures released by the Treasury showed only three infringement notices were issued to teenage drinkers in Pittwater during 2007-08, five in 2008-09 and none so far this financial year.
“The law is a farce,” he said. “To issue an infringement the police have to catch the same offender committing the same offence four times. These figures clearly demonstrate just how exhausted policing resources in Pittwater are.”
Mr Stokes declined to say how the laws could be improved to give the police greater powers to target teenagers drinking in parks, streets and alcohol-free zones.
Last year the State Government removed police and council rangers’ powers to issue $22 on-the-spot fine for people caught boozing in alcohol-free zones and directed them to tip away alcohol.
Opposition leader Barry O’Farrell recently said it “made no sense” to water down the legislation but Local Government Minister Barbara Perry’s department said instead $2500 fines were issued to people refusing to comply. The changes were aimed at removing alcohol from the area as quickly as possible.
Yesterday Police Minister Michael Daley warned parents they would be held responsible if their children held parties which got out of control this summer.
He said parents could register their child’s party with local police by visiting www. mynite.com.au
To ensure your child’s party does not get out of control, a handy check list has been developed and is available from www. community.nsw.gov.au.
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