Several drunk men being aided by police. Source: news.com.au
MELBOURNE and Geelong revellers are the most drunk in the country, and punters in the regional Victorian city are most likely to become involved in an aggressive confrontation, a study has found.
The report, Patron Offending and Intoxication in Night-Time Entertainment Districts, found that across Australia after 1am, almost a third of patrons had a blood alcohol reading of above 0.10, with the highest averages in Geelong and Perth.
While Geelong drinkers were most drunk at 1am, by 4am Melbourne and Perth showed the highest levels of intoxication.
The project involved a research team – led by Associate Professor Peter Miller from Deakin University – interviewing almost 7000 patrons between November 2011 to June 2012, and conducted almost 900 hours of observation of patrons in pubs and clubs.
“General levels of intoxication are moderate across the evening, however there is a consistent trend across the cities of escalating intoxication throughout the night and larger cities show high to very high levels of intoxication after 1am,” Prof Miller said.
“The use of energy drinks and illicit drugs were both significantly associated with increased experience of aggression and injury, however pre-drinking before going out remained the strongest predictor of harm and intoxication.”
Entertainment precincts surveyed included King St and Prahran in Melbourne, Geelong, Northbridge in Perth, Kings Cross and Darling Harbour in Sydney and Wollongong in regional NSW.
Geelong drinkers were the most likely to say they were involved in any form of verbal, physical or sexual aggression in or around licensed venues in the previous three months – almost one in four (22 per cent) compared with one in six (17 per cent) nationally.
Larger cities show high to very high levels of intoxication after 1am
While Geelong drinkers were most drunk at 1am, by 4am Melbourne and Perth showed the highest levels of intoxication.
Two-thirds of the overall sample reported drinking alcohol before “going out” with younger people significantly more likely to report pre-drinking, as were those in Geelong and Perth, where four in five of those surveyed had been drinking before going out, with a nation high average of six pre-going out drinks.
Those who reported drinking before entering a licensed venue were also more likely to engage in heavier drinking and risky behaviour.
Most pre-drinking occurred in private homes, with the cost of drinks at venues the main motivation.
More than one in seven participants reported also drinking energy drinks and alcohol, with more than one in four younger drinkers doing so.
Those who mixed energy drinks and alcohol said they did so because they liked the taste (32 per cent) and because it provided energy to stay awake and party longer (24 per cent).
These people were also more likely to have experienced aggression and injury in the previous three months and were also more likely to admit to drink-driving (23 per cent) and committing property crimes while intoxicated in the past three months.
About one in six of those surveyed reported using other drugs on the night they were interviewed by half of those reported prior consumption of meth/amphetamine, cocaine, opiates, cannabis and benzodiazepines did not test positive when drug swabbed.
In 2004/05 the cost of alcohol to the community was estimated at $15.6 billion, including crime, violence, medical costs, loss of productivity and premature deaths.
Alcohol consumption has been shown to increase the likelihood and extent of aggressive and violent behaviours and to reduce an individual’s ability to resolve conflict peacefully.
