It pays to be united

New changes to the NSW liquor laws will increase the risk of violence towards community rangers by forcing them to take alcohol away from people who are drunk in public, said the United Services Union.
The new legislation makes it the duty of community rangers rather than police to seize someone’s alcohol if they are drinking in an alcohol-free zone.

This law carelessly encourages alcohol-related violence towards community rangers instead of making efforts to reduce the number of assaults on rangers who are just doing their job.

Issuing parking fines was one thing but asking rangers to seize alcohol from the public was a step too far.

This is a law that does nothing but make it more difficult for rangers to go to work every day.

They are already faced with verbal abuse and assaults on a weekly basis and asking them to deal with public drunkenness in the same capacity as a police officer is abusing their role as an officer of the community.

The USU is concerned that the new 2am lockout will increase the amount of people drinking in the street and in alcohol-free zones as well.

Rangers have already noticed an increase in abuse since smoking was banned in pubs and clubs, with more people on the street drinking increasing the risk that rangers will be abused.

The government says they are committed to lowering alcohol-related violence in our community, but what about the violence directed towards community rangers who are just doing their job.

The USU is currently conducting a survey of they kinds of assaults community rangers endure and is calling for community rangers to be covered by the Crimes (Sentencing Procedures) Act.