Vic: Enjoy, but act responsibly, New Year revellers urged

AAP General News (Australia)
12-30-1999
Vic: Enjoy, but act responsibly, New Year revellers urged

MELBOURNE, Dec 30 AAP - Behave sensibly, police today urged the 300,000 people expected
to descend on Melbourne's city centre tomorrow night for New Year's Eve celebrations.

They warned that every police car was a potential booze bus and that drunken louts
would see in the New Year in custody.

"This New Year's Eve is a special one and we are urging revellers to act responsibly",
Assistant Commissioner of General Policing Peter Nancarrow said.

Revellers at Melbourne's Millennium Eve, being staged by the City of Melbourne as a
"safe and enjoyable" way to see in the New Year, will be treated to such spectacles as
fire sculpture barges floating down the Yarra River, a massed African drumming ensemble,
roving performers and world music.

But the spectacular, being staged in the Alexandra Gardens, beside the Yarra, will
also be "alcohol and angst-free".

"We've taken every conceivable measure to ensure the event will be safe", said executive
producer Darien Sticklen (Sticklen).

Record numbers of police will patrol the city to ensure the celebrations do not get out of hand.

Police Superintendent Tony Warren, of the Melbourne City police district, said drunkenness
belonged to the past.

"Immature drunken behaviour is for the 20th century and won't be tolerated in the 21st
century in the city of Melbourne," he said.

"And drunken louts will see in the New Year from the basement of the Melbourne Custody Centre."

Police said people should "be mindful that every police car is a potential booze bus".

They should make the most of the free public transport that would be on offer from
6am on New Year's Eve to 6pm on New Year's Day.

Those who are driving to the city are encouraged to arrive by 8pm to avoid being caught
out by road closures.

AAP kw/er/cjh

KEYWORD: EVE VIC

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