Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan has defended the decision to decriminalize public drunkenness on Melbourne Cup day, despite concerns from police officers. Starting from November 7, being intoxicated in public will no longer be considered a crime, and police will have no powers to arrest individuals. Instead, the approach will be focused on addressing it as a health issue, with Co-health, a leading community health organization, providing street-based outreach teams and mobile vans across metro Melbourne.
Premier Allan has stated that the new approach is common sense, arguing that criminalizing public drunkenness has disproportionately affected Indigenous Victorians, leading to their incarceration. She believes that ending this practice will avoid these unjust consequences.
While the government and health organizations support this new approach, opposition police spokesman Brad Battin and Police Association Secretary Wayne Gatt have expressed concerns. They worry that vulnerable people will be left in dangerous situations due to the lack of police powers. Battin referred to the move as an “absolute disgrace,” emphasizing the potential risks it poses.
The opposition has introduced a bill to delay the implementation until late November, when a new sobering-up facility in Collingwood is expected to be completed. Opposition Leader John Pessutto explained that they support the change in principle but feel that more time is needed for the proper implementation of the health response.
Deputy Premier Ben Carroll expressed confidence in the government’s investments and assured that the police are ready for the change. Premier Allan confirmed the availability of another facility in Collingwood until the new sobering-up center is ready, but she believes that the majority of intoxicated individuals will not require it. She explained that Aboriginal-run health providers will offer additional support to Indigenous Victorians.
Co-health, which previously conducted a successful sobering service trial in the City of Yarra, will now expand its services to metropolitan Melbourne. Christopher Turner, CoHealth’s Deputy Chief Executive, highlighted the benefits of a health-based response to public intoxication, emphasizing that it keeps people safe and creates a safer environment for vulnerable members of the community. The organization’s sobering service will not only respond to immediate health and safety needs but also connect individuals to alcohol and drug treatment and specialist services if necessary.
The decision to decriminalize public drunkenness in Victoria came after an inquest into the death of Tanya Day, a Yorta Yorta woman who died in police custody after being arrested for public drunkenness. The coroner determined that her death was preventable, leading to the commitment to a health-led model by the Victorian Labor government in 2019. The government allocated $88.3 million over three years in the 2023-24 state budget for the statewide implementation of the health-based response.