Ban on new pubs planned in push to end family violence in ‘alcohol harm zones’

Mildura and the Latrobe Valley are two suggested locations for the harm zones, after researchers from the Alcohol and Drug Coalition did modelling on factors such as alcohol-related family violence assaults and hospitalisations.

Plans for new bottle shops or pubs could be knocked back in family-violence hot spots if a coalition of Victoria’s health and community groups get their way on proposed “alcohol harm zones”.

In Victoria, alcohol contributes to 65,000 family violence incidents each year, which is more than half of all family violence call outs attended by police.

The zones would give the regulator the power to reject or restrict new liquor licence applications.

More details to come