Anti-alcohol argument slurred

COUNCILLORS have expressed concern that liquor outlets have reached saturation point in central Dandenong – yet approved an 11th outlet in its CBD last week.
At a council meeting last week, councillor Matthew Kirwan failed to get a councillor to second his bid to reject an application by Aldi Supermarkets for a liquor outlet in Dandenong Plaza.
He said adding an 11th outlet in a 500-metre radius would have an “adverse cumulative impact”.
The site was within 120 metres of three social welfare centres, 300 metres from the council’s youth services office and close to two primary schools and a high school, Cr Kirwan said.
“Our own health and wellbeing plan identifies alcohol abuse as a key area (of concern) in Dandenong.
“Alcohol is worse in Dandenong than hard drugs in terms of the number of people affected.”
Cr John Kelly said he didn’t disagree there were too many outlets in Dandenong.
“The fact is, I don’t know if one more will make a big difference.”
Cr O’Reilly said he shared Cr Kirwan’s concerns about the impact of alcohol abuse.
“What he didn’t provide is a causal link between the number of liquor outlets with the damage that alcohol can do – and that’s what we really need.”
– Cam Lucadou-Wells