Home Australia Lawyer warns of Australia Day’s hidden shame and it’s not to do with the date

Lawyer warns of Australia Day’s hidden shame and it’s not to do with the date

0 comments
While millions of people will happily celebrate Australia Day without incident, the holiday also poses a high risk of alcohol-fueled violence.

Australia Day has become controversial due to the date, but there is another hidden side to the holiday that is far from being a source of national pride.

Sydney criminal lawyer Avinash Singh said Australia Day is “well known to be the day when the highest number of assaults occur”, with family gatherings a particularly high-risk environment for violence fueled by the alcohol.

After every Australia Day, the courts “are packed with cases of assault between family members where one or both parties were highly intoxicated”, Singh told Daily Mail Australia on Thursday.

Australia Day ranks behind only New Year’s Eve for assaults in New South Wales, but nationally it ranks first, with domestic violence also increasing, according to government data.

Ms Singh said New Year’s Eve assault numbers increased in New South Wales with the Sydney Harbor fireworks and other events.

“Overall, there is a massive influx of visitors for New Year’s Eve in New South Wales, which skews the numbers, making New York the top holiday for assaults,” Mr Singh said.

“However, if we look at Australia as a whole, Australia Day has the highest number of assaults.”

Over the past 10 years, New South Wales has recorded an 89 per cent increase in non-domestic violence assault cases on January 26 compared to an average 24-hour period.

While millions of people will happily celebrate Australia Day without incident, the holiday also poses a high risk of alcohol-fueled violence.

The outcome is not much better in the case of domestic violence, where reported cases have increased by 62 per cent each Australia Day.

Mr. Singh, who works for Astor Legalstated that most attacks on holidays are related to alcohol.

“Anyone celebrating Australia Day should try to moderate their alcohol consumption, especially if they are going to be around angry friends or family,” Singh said.

‘Alcohol has a certain relevance in a percentage of attacks throughout the year, both in domestic violence and in non-domestic violence.

“However, it is much more pronounced on holidays such as Christmas, Easter and even Anzac Day.”

Singh said public intoxication was a big problem on Australia Day and police stepped up their presence at well-known Sydney beaches such as Cronulla, Balmoral, Coogee and Bondi.

Crowded environments and emotional stress are other factors that make the day more violent.

Last year in Perth, Australia Day celebrations turned ugly when dozens of people became involved in a violent brawl that was captured on video.

A fight involving a mob of teenagers broke out in Sydney's northern beach suburb of Manly last Australia Day.

A fight involving a mob of teenagers broke out in Sydney’s northern beach suburb of Manly last Australia Day.

Sydney lawyer Avinash Singh said after every Australia Day the courts are packed with family assault cases.

Sydney lawyer Avinash Singh said after every Australia Day the courts are packed with family assault cases.

A large group of revelers had gathered on the Swan River to “raft” by anchoring their boats together when an argument broke out between a group of young people.

More than 20 boats were parked on a sandbank in Rocky Bay, near Mosman Park, enjoying the warm temperatures when the fight broke out.

In Sydney, there was a chaotic incident involving around 50 teenagers at Manly Wharf, which ended with multiple arrests.

Officers reportedly used pepper spray while trying to contain the situation on one of Australia’s most iconic beaches.

Nine reporter Madison Scott described it as an “intense, chaotic afternoon”.

“There was a lot of pushing and shoving between authorities and some of those individuals in that group,” he said.

“Two young teenagers were eventually arrested, one of them pinned to the cement before being taken away by police.”

You may also like