The launch of a new resource by ICLEI Oceania aims to provide councils with greater confidence and clarity when addressing alcohol related harms in their municipality.
The Alcohol-related Harms Data Inventory Toolkit was launched in November by Sydney Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, at a meeting of the Council of Capital City Lord Mayors.
“This toolkit is the first of its kind in Australia, focused directly on the contribution that Local Governments can make to reducing the negative impacts of alcohol on local communities,” said ICLEI Oceania CEO, Steve Gawler.
“Day in and day out we are seeing the impacts alcohol is having on the streets of our cities and towns across Australia. The human cost is tragic, the financial costs alarming and the cleanup costs are downright disgusting.
“Twenty-five councils, representing a sizeable portion of Australia’s population, have come together through our Cities for Safe and Healthy Communities program to improve their ability to plan effective action, set controls on the number of liquor licences, and have a greater say in how outlets are managed.
“Creating safe, healthy and vibrant local areas with a strong night time economy is an important plank in sustainable development for cities, regional centres and towns across Australia.”
Director of the Cities for Safe and Healthy Communities program and author of the toolkit Mark Boyd said the resource will provide councils with a stronger say when working to reduce the impacts of alcohol on local communities.
“In recent months, the recommendations of Local Governments in both Victoria and New South Wales have been overlooked when they have tried to better manage the location,
size and operating hours of
alcohol outlets,” Mark Boyd said. “This toolkit will provide participating councils with greater confidence in using data from police, health and other sources to proactively manage antisocial behaviour and alcohol related violence – both on the street and in the home.”
The toolkit includes a set of core indicators that focus on the contribution Local Governments can make and includes a new way of measuring the diversity of businesses in the night time economy.
ICLEI Oceania’s Cities for Safe and Healthy Communities initiative builds on groundbreaking programs being run with councils in other critical areas of sustainability, including water management and climate change.
The program was initiated with the support of the National Local Government Drug and Alcohol Advisory Committee and the Council of Capital City Lord Mayors.
