POLICE will adopt a watch-and-wait approach to a second liquor outlet proposed in Pier Street as Altona patrols are stepped up during summer.
Hobsons Bay inspector Bill Mathers said that although crime-reduction strategies were in place, increased reporting of incidents probably led people to think more crimes were happening.
“We’ve had a number of incidents down here. They vary from young people causing trouble to assault. Just having a police presence has diverted things.
“We are aware that Pier Street and Altona beach attract a lot of visitors in the summer period.”
Inspector Mathers said police could not object to a second bottle shop proposed for Pier Street because so far Altona’s amenity had not been affected by alcohol-fuelled problems.
“We’ll probably wait and see if it has any impact,” he said.
“I know in the past we’ve had concerns about density of liquor-licensed outlets and, to be honest, it’s hard for us to object to any in this area because our problems about entertainment venues and public drunkenness aren’t great in terms of other areas.
“If you compare us to night-time precincts such as Geelong and Chapel Street, we don’t have those same concerns. To look at evidence in terms of public drunkenness, our figures are quite low.
“Under liquor licensing regulations, police can only object on whether it has an impact on the local amenity of the community.”
