Sunny min 7° - max 21°'No violence’ claims rank: cabbies
12:00a.m. 17th May 2008
A Sunshine Coast cabbie has a suggestion for Magistrate Bernadette Callaghan: hop in a police car on a weekend night before suggesting violent assaults aren't prevalent in Mooloolaba.
Terry Lawlor has been driving the streets of the Sunshine Coast for the past 15 years and was outraged at Ms Callaghan’s comments in the Maroochydore Magistrates court this week that she did not see a lot of violent offences before her court.
“Magistrate Callaghan, just because they don’t cross your path in your court please don’t think that the violence is not out there,” Mr Lawlor said.
“In the last few months many of our cabs have gone into alarm because of passenger behaviour, a driver bashed, windows broken by a brick, panels kicked, fares not paid, and I think the worst and most dangerous of all, objects thrown at moving vehicles.”
Mr Lawlor believes a “short stay in the lock-up, community service, curfew and most definitely a no-alcohol clause” might be the best way to turn around the disturbing behaviour.
When giving bail to a teen accused of luring a man into a car park and bashing him with a fire extinguisher, Ms Callaghan refused a no-alcohol clause because she said that would “set him up for failure”.
Mr Lawlor said a lenient attitude encouraged the disrespect towards authority which he witnessed on a regular basis.
“Police respond, but not many are caught; if they do front court, probably yours, they seem to be let loose laughing at authority,” he said.
He said young people needed to be taught a lesson.
“You won’t spoil someone’s future if you teach a kid not to get drunk,” he said.
“Now they go to court and they walk out giving you a finger.”
Mr Lawlor said the incidents of violence on the Coast had worsened over the past five years and he couldn’t understand how Ms Callaghan could not recognise that.
“Every night we see people sitting in the gutter with blood dripping from their nose – these are the things she doesn’t see.
“Why doesn’t she put her backside in a police vehicle between 2am and 3am on a weekend so she can know what police and taxi drivers go through.”
Sunshine Coast police superintendent Ben Hanbidge said wherever there was an entertainment precinct with a number of licensed venues in a small area, police “anticipate there will be incidents and assaults occurring”.
But he said initiatives introduced on the Sunshine Coast in the past 12 months were working, with a significant reduction in the number of serious assaults and sexual assaults occurring in Mooloolaba.
There had also been significant increases in the number of arrests for public order offences and drug offences, Supt Hanbidge said.
“(This) increased enforcement, combined with the work done through he Mooloolaba Liquor Accord, has resulted in a safer environment for people to enjoy facilities at Mooloolaba.”
He made no apologies for the strong enforcement action, which he promised would continue, including the use of drug-detection dogs and the doubling of the number of police operating out of the Mooloolaba beat.
“We’re always keen to work with taxi drivers in Mooloolaba and regularly respond to incidents brought to our attention by cabbies who perform a fairly difficult task on Friday and Saturday nights.”
> Opinion: Magistrate's comments on Mooloolaba violence were fair.
Coast cabbies regularly witness violent incidents in Mooloolaba, says one driver. Photo: Michaela O’Neill/mo171271b
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Recent Comments
No violence? You lead a very protected life, Ms Callaghan, and obviously don't go to Mooloolaba at night or talk to the police.
Maybe you should go out at night like the cabbie suggests, and have a look at the real world for a change. But no, that may influence your lenient thinking.
Let's face it, many of the courts' judiciary wouldn't (and clearly don't) have a clue what is happening in the real world around them!
After all they're certainly raking the cash in with the cover charges, pokies and high profit margins on each of the thousands of drinks they're serving.
The levy could go towards extra cops on the beat or large courtesy buses with the security on board to quickly shift the crowd off of our streets and on their way home. (There 's not enough cabs at closing time anyway)
These establishments are charging up people full of booze, making a huge profit doing so, tossing the problem out into the streets in a mass exodus then wiping their hands of it and closing their doors and turning their back on it to go and count the till and load up for tomorrow night.
Doesn't sound like a responsible sustainable attitude for any business that rate paying voters would consider good for OUR society.
Most of the trouble occurs firstly because some fools can't hold their alcohol. Secondly because large crowds are left milling around due to insufficient clearance by public transport.
Yes Ms Callaghan try waking up really early one morning and while you're up smell the roses. You could even try putting yourself in Mr. Lawlors shoes for a night.
BTW. It's not just in Mooloolaba, you can find issues outside of any latenight venue, anywhere on the coast on any weekend anywhere in Australia.
We as a society created this culture yet the pollies watch on wringing their hands.
So Howzaboutit Big BOB ?
He and people like him should be put in the back of a paddy wagon, van or truck and taken away so a the huge majority of people having a good time are safe. Give the Police and security staff more power to remove these people.
"Why doesn’t she put her backside in a police vehicle between 2am and 3am on a weekend so she can know what police and taxi drivers go through.”
I say.....
Why don't you put your backside on the Bench five days a week, maybe nine hours a day (bugger all break) dealing with much more than your petty issues, credible though they may be.
Oh.....I know the answer.......you have no idea what goes on in Courts, I reckon.
I agree with Eugene, big time.
These pubs fill these buggers to the brim, even though the law says they must not serve an intoxicated person.
But, fill them up they do.....
....and then, they expect Cabbies to deal with their by-product to get them home.
The Pub has the money, but the Cabbie has the problem, as they throw them out the door.
Nah, wrong!
By "Sanitised environment" I am saying that they travel in the company of Senior Police in uniform and not dressed in the attire of holiday makers. Therefore they are VERY recognisable by the undesirable hoodlum element who do not misbehave the same as they do when the Minister and Magistrate don't make their inspection tour.
Let's face facts, the hoodlums only need to get a whiff of the Minister and the Magistrate being out and the mobile phone companies jump for joy as the calls and SMS go overboard with warnings.
I would dearly like the Police Minister and our Magistrate to tour these trouble spots in a Taxi and get a different perspective. No I am NOT a Taxi owner or driver. I am a realise who knows full well that when the 'CATS ARE OUT THE MICE BEHAVE'
Let's have the "Cats" go undercover and unannounced around the trouble spots so they get a more realistic perspective.
After all don't these idiots that cause trouble have a good excuse? I was drunk! I have a mental condition, I was under the influence of drugs. etc, etc,etc.
I am NOT a cab driver and would not have that job for any amount of money.
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