Independent three-year study finds good news for Queensland nightlife

The incidence of alcohol-related violence fell in Queensland's key nightlife areas while business continued to grow after the Queensland Government's Tackling Alcohol Fuelled Violence (TAFV) policy was introduced, independent research has found. A study led by Deakin University in collaboration with The University of Queensland, Curtin University and others published today in a Special Section of the Drug and Alcohol Review , shows significant reductions in alcohol-related harm in the three years following the 2016 introduction of trading hour restrictions, and two years after the introduction of ID scanners - the two main levers expected to have the greatest impact. In 15 key nightlife precincts or Safe Night Precincts (SNPs) - such as Fortitude Valley, the Gold Coast and Cairns - serious assaults reduced between 3am and 6am, with a two-hour reduction in alcohol sales times and when ID scanners were implemented. Lead investigator Professor Peter Miller from Deakin's School of Psychology said the most pronounced effect was in Fortitude Valley, which accounts for a large proportion of the nightlife-related population and harm in Queensland. "The substantial reduction in serious assaults, the most reliable measure of assault, suggests a positive and ongoing impact from the TAFV legislation," Professor Miller said. The study also found significant reductions in ambulance attendances, including a 36 per cent drop between 3am and 6am in Fortitude Valley - smaller changes were seen in Surfers Paradise and some SNPs showed no change.