The " alcohol " question.

Alcohol has been a problem in Australia dating back to the early days of the colony and the " Rum Rebellion ". For decades we had a wowser view on the demon drink with strict laws closing the pubs at six o'clock each evening - Monday to Saturday - and no trading on Sunday.
This led to a peculiarly Australian tradition known as " the six o'clock swill ". Immediately shops and offices closed huge numbers of people rushed to the nearest pub and downed schooners of beer as quickly as humanly possible. As six o'clock neared they purchased as many glasses as they could hold - and when the pub doors closed stood on the footpath and drank their way to oblivion.
The situation changed when the era of clubs opened. Being a member of a club brought into force new interpretations of the licensing laws with the result that drinking was possible during extended hours, seven days a week. The one abnormality was a restriction that prevented patrons purchasing take home alcohol on a Sunday. It was permissible to stand at the bar in a club and drink any amount of alcohol, but to be sensible and drink moderately - and elect to take some home for further consumption - was against the law. As a result, the carnage of the roads reached horror levels.
Sanity eventually prevailed - and the six o'clock law was repealed and the pubs were permitted to trade until ten o'clock in the evening. The churches and the wowser element predicted rape and assault on the streets but the new laws emerged without incident. In fact the style of drinking in Australia changed. Where previously drinking in hotels had been an all male affair the more leisurely evening hours saw mixed couples enjoying each others company - and have a moderate amount of alcohol in tasteful surroundings and beer gardens.
This relaxed atmosphere introduced the need for entertainment and led to the emergence of bands which attracted individual followings. The pubs and clubs sought and received late licenses to cater for this growing phenomenon - and now we have the situation of many such venues trading on a twenty-four hour,seven days a week basis.
This comes at a price. The consumption of alcohol has ballooned - and with it the incidence of anti-social behaviour. The streets of Australian cities are not safe places to be late at night. Groups of intoxicated young people roam at will, assaulting others and damaging property. The incidence of unprovoked knife attacks has soared and it is a rare week when death does not occur somewhere in out cities because of rage invoked by alcohol.
Questions are now being asked. Is twenty-four hour liquor trading necessary ? Would we be a better society if we reduced the hours that liquor was available ? Should the price of liquor be raised to reduce it's availability ? What sort of society do we want our laws to create ?
The chances are that nothing will change because liquor is an emotive issue and if changes are made that change will involve politicians - and politicians always test the wind of public opinion before they move. The vast majority of people are aware of the danger alcohol brings to our streets late at night - but we are a nation that prides ourselves on our civil liberties and we bristle whenever there is a move to restrict them in any way.
Trying to change liquor laws now seems to be like shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted. Unrestricted liquor is a fact of life - and it seems we will just have to learn to live with the consequences.