24 Sep 2008

High alcohol violence rate reported in Queenstown

8:09 pm on 24 September 2008

A police report shows that alcohol related violence in Queenstown is some of the worst in the country.

Data compiled by the police shows a person in Queenstown has a one in 84 chance of being the victim of a violent crime, compared with one in 196 for the rest of New Zealand.

Queenstown Lakes District Council member John Mann says the town's entire tourism reputation is at stake.

He says an entire shift in attitude towards liquor licensing may be needed.

Mr Mann says the active promotion of Queenstown as a party destination needs to stop and the whole community - not just the police and bar owners - must tackle the problem.