SW council targets binge drinking

Bunbury City Council's proposed health policy aims to protect the community from binge drinkers, not turn the city into a "nanny state".

That's the view of Mayor Gary Brennan ahead of a debate over the five-year Bunbury Community Safety and Crime Prevention Plan at the council's meeting tonight.

While most of the plan is similar to one adopted in 2008, the council has proposed to create a new alcohol management policy to force staff to factor in the reduction of alcohol-related risks in event planning, council leases, liquor applications, local laws and town planning reviews.

Mr Brennan told the _Bunbury Herald _it was clear alcohol abuse was a "far greater concern" to community safety than other drugs.

But he said the intention of the plan was to educate the community on the risks of alcohol rather than introduce stringent rules to curb drinking.

"I advocate the responsible use of alcohol and also providing a nice environment for people to enjoy," Mr Brennan said.

"People do like to have a glass of wine with a meal but that is quite a separate thing from binge drinkers.

"It is the binge drinkers that cause the problems."

The plan has clearly made tackling alcohol abuse the priority rather than the emerging problem of the illicit drug crystal methamphetamine, also known as ice.

The plan claims Bunbury residents drink more and are hospitalised for alcohol-related incidents at a rate higher than the national average.

Data from the Alcohol and Drug Information Service, a confidential phone service that provides advice and counselling, shows more Greater Bunbury residents are making calls for assistance.

According to data released this year, calls regarding cannabis and methampethamine use have increased by 100 per cent from 2008/2009 to 2012/13.

However, the report claimed this increase could be attributed to a greater awareness of the service rather than growing drug use.