Peter Miller writes in The Conversation (10.4.15) that early pub closing times have worked in King’s Cross, Sydney:
‘Just 12 months after they were introduced, early closing times for pubs and clubs in central Sydney have caused a massive decline in crime throughout the previously violence-ridden Sydney suburb of Kings Cross. NSW Police data reported in Sydney’s Daily Telegraph last week illustrates the impact of trading hours restrictions in King Cross after 12 months. It shows:
- sexual assaults in the area are down by 20.8%
- assaults causing grievous bodily harm are down by 43%
- assaults causing actual bodily harm have declined by 50.3%
- robberies have fallen by a huge 57.1%
- car theft is down by 44.6%, and
- stealing from motor vehicles is down by 47.5%.
‘Probably the most important gain – and one that’s not mentioned above – is the one highlighted by Kings Cross local area commander Superintendent Mick Fitzgerald:
‘The man hours saved and the way we are able to reallocate our resources has been phenomenal.’