Damon Locantro has made a name for himself on the Sunshine Coast defending people charged with breaking the law. His practice, Locantro Lawyers, specialises in criminal defence but also offers services to those facing action by a government department. Damon has 15 years experience in criminal law and was formerly a NSW prosecutor and member of the NSW Police Service. I'm glad we don't have entertainment for schoolies
| Damon Locantro
I have travelled a lot over the last two weeks, and I must say that it is great to be able to come back to the Sunshine Coast.
In my opinion, we live in the best part of the world. There has been a recent focus on violence that has caused us all concern, but I still don’t think we are as bad as some places.
On Saturday morning I went to the Southport Watchhouse. I was told that I would have to wait until they had released the schoolies and the toolies. The term toolies was new one for me.
I sat up the road and read the paper, watching no less than 10 young people being released.
The paper was full of reference to toolies, whom I later discovered were the older men that crashed the party.
We are lucky that we don’t have such a focus on the end-of-year celebration. I was initially concerned about our council not providing entertainment for schoolies but now believe it was the correct decision.
The schoolies that come here will hopefully continue to come here to escape the type of experience you get on the Gold Coast.
An interesting article in the Gold Coast Bulletin claimed that the crime rate had dropped 3% but that murders, rapes and kidnapping had increased. They have their problems, that’s for sure.
My experience in LA was a lot worse. There were three police busts on the side of the road between the airport and my mate’s place. I realised how I take our security here for granted.
On the way home from a night out I had a chat to one of the LAPD officers in a 7-11. He said he had cause to draw his weapon “not that much” – being once or twice a shift.
It is a gun culture, something to generate real fear. In Hollywood there are sirens and helicopters all the time.
There is no way that I would walk the streets on my own – gangsters smell fear and to them I must have stunk. We are nowhere near that bad.
Every area has their problems and in an ideal world there would be no crime on the Sunshine Coast but, put into perspective, we are pretty lucky, in my opinion.
I would be interested to hear how other people think we compare. Do you feel safe on the Sunshine Coast?
Have your say
Not Registered? Quick registration and comment.
Already Registered? Login and comment.
The path to economic recovery must be forged on the ... >>
Mark My Words : Carers for elderly need more support
Police Patrol : Last alcoholic drink was 10 hours prior?
Paul Munnings : It's elementary, pick Watson
Ashley Robinson : Stay clear of Roy
Through My Eyes : Crack open a beer
More RSS feeds
Install the news toolbar
Set up an email news alert 
Recent Comments
I think in fact you've embarrassed yourself yet again.
Best you learn the words to, “I’m a lumber jack and I’m OK……..”
Andrew Muldoon
Buddina
For some time now, I’ve been reading your input thru Law & Order, and have to say that the content reminds me a little of Danny Craig (Boston Legal). I see your background is from the NSW Police Force, and yet you attempt to compare the Sunshine Coast with LA.
Compare Sydney with LA and you may come a little closer. I don’t know about your travelling, however, this last 6 months I have been to Cebu, Narita, Sendai, Manila, Anchorage, Atlanta, Dayton, Wichita, LA, San Francisco, Dallas, Cairns, Sydney, Melbourne, and they’re just the ones I can think of as I write this.
I’ve spent time in each of these places and walked around of a night/day and I have to tell you, that the only place that I was concerned was Cairns, that is, until I went into Caloundra the other night to grab a Pizza and was confronted by a few bloody idiots.
They were young, but had attitude. Fortunately nothing happened, just a few words exchanged, and as I’m known to say, “I would like to have had a battle of wits with them, but they were fighting unarmed”.
I’m a little confused as to how you’re in step with Mr. Hulett on this one. Why wouldn’t we have something for the kids to do, otherwise they are just like the bunch I ran into, nothing to do, nowhere to go, and heaps of time to do it.
Witness instead the regular TV demonstrations of excess alcohol; the need to train volunteers how to recognise drug overdose; the 'don't forget the condoms' advice; the violence from the immature 'toolies' and all the other negatives that fill the screen from 'schoolies' and those non-schoolie episodes of alcohol and drug based violence. And did I mention the unbelievable stupidity of those parents who supply underage kids with alcohol.
Schoolies here has been a quieter time but only because of the much smaller numbers.
The vast majority of 'schoolies' on the Gold Coast are good kids - build up the numbers and the dregs that brings is the problem. We must keep our schoolie numbers small or smaller!
BUT then again, my main issue is that Mooloolaba is not designed for late night disturbance - schoolies or not. The Sunshine Coast needs a suitable place for late night entertainment - Mooloolaba is not that place.
When I came into Council in 2004, I immediately set about cutting down the numbers of underage kids (often as young as 13) who filled the footpaths of Mooloolaba at 1.00am. Now there are hardly any!
My next target was the hoons and we knocked their numbers from over 100 to the hard core 20 or so.
More recently, I have been hammering away at the 'walking drunks' who stagger home at 2am or later waking everybody up and leaving a mess.
'Schoolies' were just the most recent wave to be dealt with.
How come none of the armchair or journalistic 'experts' have seen the trend?
Let me be clear - while it has been my clear focus, nothing would have been achieved without the superb efforts of the police, Street Angels and those few business people who have stuck by the program. I give them the credit.
Mooloolaba is winning back its family safe destination tag! And we won't stop.
Vote me out by all means but that still gives me time to continue to clean the place up!
You may gain enlightenment NasaPJN if you click here ( http://www.thedaily.com.au/news/2007/nov... ) and read the story and my comments (especially the one dated 17 November, 2007 at 3:57 p.m.
I think that's all I need say... lol
Jeff W.