The Mid North Coast Police District Licensing Police would like to extend an invitation to yourself and any other staff to a Liquor Accord supported – Bottle Shop Retail Theft Information Session.
Time: 10.30am
Date: Thursday 7th March, 2024
Location: Wauchope Country Club, King Street Wauchope
The session will cover Retail theft trends, prevention strategies, police response and an ongoing collaborative approach between the industry and police to minimise these occurrences.
‘Ask for Angela’ could soon be available at more than 100 licenced venues across the Port Macquarie region thanks to a collaboration between the Hastings Liquor Accord Australian Hotels Association and Mid North Coast Police District.
Member for Port Macquarie Leslie Williams said the internationally recognised initiative, encouraged patrons to ask for help if they were getting unwanted attention or felt their safety is at risk.
“It’s a modern approach to a modern issue. By asking for Angela, a patron can subtly alert staff who can intervene by calling police, organising safe transport home or referring the patron to support services,” Mrs Williams said.
“Having the ‘Ask for Angela’ posters and other advertising displayed prominently throughout a venue can help to deter unwanted behaviour and increase awareness that venue staff are available to help when needed.”
Chairperson of the Port Macquarie Liquor Accord Alistair Flower said it was great timing for the initiative to launch in the area.
“Given the increasing popularity of online dating apps, many people are meeting for dates at bars, clubs and pubs having never met, beyond the screens of their phone or computer,” Mr Flower said.
“We don’t want people feeling intimidated when they’re on a first date. ‘Ask for Angela’ is a great example of the valuable work the licensees in the Port Macquarie Liquor Accord do to target alcohol-related violence and anti-social behaviour.”
AHA NSW Director of Liquor and Policing John Green said ‘Ask for Angela’ was a logical extension of what venues do best – looking after their patrons.
“Licensees and their staff are trained to identify patron behaviour – be that aggression, intoxication or annoying behaviour,” Mr Green said.
“This is not about venue staff replacing the role of police or putting themselves at risk, it is about reinforcing the need to be aware of patron behaviour and to provide options when a date or social encounter doesn’t go as planned.”
The initiative has already been launched in Albury, Wagga Wagga, Orange, Bathurst, Byron Bay, Manning, Goulburn, Yass, Southern Highlands and City of Sydney.
Media Contacts: Leslie Williams Office: Terry Sara 0409 834 648
Hastings Liquor Accord: Alistair Flower 0419 977 871
Licensed premises and the Manning-Hastings communities have been congratulated after figures from the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) revealed a significant reduction in assaults.
Australian Hotels Association (AHA) NSW liquor and policing director John Green visited Taree on Tuesday, May 8 to announce that assaults have dropped by 53 per cent since 2009 across the Taree and Port Macquarie areas.
A NEW line of transport has been launched in Port Macquarie which promises to benefit the community with their Uber-like service.
Go Buggy was founded by Simon Robinson, who was a former Uber driver. He said he was looking forward to a strong marriage with Port Macquarie.
“At the moment we have three drivers, with more coming on board,” he said.
We will aim for around 15 drivers by Christmas. There is work in it and we are certainly looking for people.
“People receive the drivers name, registration plate and time of arrival. Every trip is tracked. It’s a very safe system and our drivers go through an intensive screening for the job.”
Coffs Harbour immediately embraced the service and Mr Robinson believes they will have the same success in Port Macquarie.
“We are now the preferred supplier in Coffs and found that local businesses have backed us, so much so that most pubs and clubs don’t use taxis anymore,” he said.
“We officially started four weeks ago, and are slowly rolling out.”
An exciting initiative the service offers is an ordering button, which will be located in licensed premises all over town.
The button allows the venue to book a Go Buggy for a patron, who will be able to track their driver.
“We’re just really looking forward to forming a good marriage with Port Macquarie particularly leading into, and after, the holiday period,” Mr Robinson said.
Go Buggy has been highly endorsed by the Hastings Liquor Accord, especially leading into the holiday period.
“In regional areas where we have venues a fair distance apart, some in remote locations, the more transport in our region the better,” president of the accord, Alistair Flower, said.
“We’ve worked very hard with licensed premises to get courtesy busses and things like that up and operating, and this will add to those services.
“We communicate and do a lot with Port Taxis, who have been great, but now an Uber-style service with 15 cars by Christmas is only (going to be) a great thing for our local area.
“It will allow people to enjoy our licensed premises without worrying about how they’re getting home later.”
A collaborative initiative of the mid north coast liquor accords:
Port Macquarie Liquor Accord
Macleay Valley Liquor Accord
Nambucca Valley Liquor
Hastings Liquor Accord
A series of FREE education for RSA Competency Card Holders is available.
Session 1 10.00am – 12.00pm Session 2 6.00pm – 8.00pm Location: South West Rocks Country Club
2 Sportsmans Way, South West Rocks RSVP:Timtam.2@bigpond.com
A STRONG police presence coupled with a proactive initiative from the Hastings Liquor Accord will ensure a safe, incident-free New Years Eve in Port Macquarie.
At least that is the plan for Port Macquarie licensees and law enforcement.
Over the New Year period, the Hastings Liquor Accord is funding a Nightrider Bus program to assist in the safe transportation out of the Port Macquarie’s central business district.
It is hoped that party revellers can enjoy their night out without the need to consider using their own vehicles.
It promotes the nation-wide ‘Plan B’ campaign to help reduce the number of drink drivers on our roads.
“As licensed premise business owners, we are genuinely concerned about the welfare of our patrons and the community,” said Hastings Liquor Accord president Alistair Flower.
“That also includes what happens to our patrons when they leave one of our establishments.”
“Drink driving is still an issue in society and although the community needs to take some self responsibility around alcohol issues, as an accord we can assist in the promotion and education of the consequences of drink driving, and provide some ideas on alternatives to drink driving.”
Many of the licensed premises in the Hastings area have teamed up with RMS and the Plan B campaign.
“Posters, coasters and staff in branded t-shirts can be seen plastered around many pubs,” Mr Flower said.
Along with the NYE nightrider program, the Liquor Accord has collaborated with Port Taxis to provide media around thinking ahead on a night ahead and use Taxi services.
Additionally many of the clubs and hotels in the Hastings area are outlaying big money on providing courtesy buses for their patrons on New Years Eve.
Sergeant Andrew Kable from Port Macquarie Police said that New Years Eve will be the same as previous years, with a strong presence from police.
“We will have patrols on Town Green and Westport, additional car crews, inclusive of Camden Haven, operational support police, push bike police and the dog squad,” he said.
“Our resources are strong and with 40-odd officers working on the night we want to ensure the safety of everyone so that people can have a good New Years Eve.”
The Hastings Liquor Accord has also produced a television commercial, which you can view here:
