As businesses begin celebrations ahead of the Christmas break and families and friends are planning to gather for a few drinks, police are asking members of the community to look after themselves and their mates.
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Police are expecting the next two weeks to be a busy period as festivities continue, people head out on the town or to a backyard barbecue for a few drinks with friends or travel across the state for events.
After a challenging 18-months, Ballarat Highway Patrol's Senior Sergeant Stuart Gale said police wanted everybody to have a good time but that planning was key to getting home safely.
"We want people to plan their time out and that includes how to get home safely, without drinking and driving or putting anyone's life in jeopardy," he said.
If planning to enjoy a few drinks, he said it was important to know the limit, monitor how many drinks you consume each hour and to plan how to get home - whether by public transport, by taxi or Uber or by nominating a designated driver.
Police will be out in force during the next few weeks - including on the streets and in licensed venues and testing for drink and drug driving.
Senior Sergeant Gale said police had seen an increase in drink driving during the past few weeks, with some people returning high readings.
He said it was never okay to drink and drive - even if it is "just around the corner".
"It's alarming that people are going out and deciding to risk themselves and others whilst driving," he said. "We are concerned that this is a trend that needs to be addressed."
Booze buses are scheduled to operate across Ballarat, with extra resources also coming up from Melbourne to assist local police.
We want the community to know that we won't tolerate drink or drug driving and we will be out in force. We will have all available units on the road at the peak times for drinking and driving and enforcing the rules.
- Senior Sergeant Stuart Gale
"We want the community to know that we won't tolerate drink or drug driving and we will be out in force," he said.
"We will have all available units on the road at the peak times for drinking and driving and enforcing the rules."
While staff at licensed premises are required to serve alcohol responsibly, Senior Sergeant Gale called on the community to proactively look after family and friends, including in other settings such as gatherings at homes.
"It's everyone's responsibility if they do see someone planning to drive who has had too much to drink to take appropriate action and make sure that person gets home safely, by either removing their keys or calling them a taxi."
He also urged people not to get in a car with someone who may be over the legal limit of 0.05.
Next week, hundreds of Ballarat tradies are expected to lay down their tools and head out on the town to celebrate the year and Christmas break.
Acting Sergeant Matthew Rhodes said police wanted people to have fun, but while being responsible and respectful to others.
"We understand people have been locked down for a bit and want to go out, but between patrons, publicans and owners, everyone has a responsibility to look after each other.
"Take it easy and enjoy yourself but don't drink to excess because one person's actions might affect a lot of people."
We understand people have been locked down for a bit and want to go out, but between patrons, publicans and owners, everyone has a responsibility to look after each other.
- Acting Sergeant Matthew Rhodes
Police will run 'Operation Tradie' next Wednesday and Thursday, with extra staff rostered on to police the streets in the central business district.
"We will attend pubs and clubs to reinforce the responsibility of everyone and keeping the good order of things," Acting Sergeant Rhodes said.
He said anybody who needed assistance was welcome to approach police, including if they felt uncomfortable in their surroundings.
"We are not just there to be enforcers," he said. "We are there if anybody needs help with anything."
While there are many factors that can influence how alcohol affects individuals, Senior Sergeant Gale said fatigue was a major contributing factor.
"Most people at these tradie nights will have just finished an eight-hour day. Alcohol certainly has a bigger effect when someone is fatigued," he said, adding that people should ensure they eat "a proper meal" if planning on consuming a few drinks.
Responsible service at venues
Red Lion Hotel publican and president of the Victorian branch of the Australian Hotels Association, Dave Canny, acknowledged there may be "more enthusiasm" to celebrate the end of this year.
"But just because it's a break-up celebration it doesn't give people the right to misbehave. It's not a ticket to open slather."
Mr Canny asked employers not to kick off their celebrations with drinks at workplaces before "sending them out onto the streets later in the day".
"They have a responsibility to be responsible too. We don't want large, intoxicated groups coming from work break-ups and then the problem becomes ours as operators."
He said venues would be serving alcohol responsibly and the behaviour of consumers would be "monitored closely".
"Everyone has the right to go out and enjoy themselves so certain groups don't have the right to go out and ruin it for others," he said.
Mr Canny said many non-alcoholic drinks, including alcohol free beer, would be available at venues across the city, including at his own pub, and encouraged those who don't want to drink, or designated drivers, to try them.
"The market has grown over the last couple of years and the range is greater than ever before," he said.
He also asked people to respect the positions of hospitality staff, who would be under-staffed and therefore under pressure.
"They will be doing their best but everyone needs to understand that they can't cater to the same capacity of previous years because we just can't staff it."
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