By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
PUBLIC convenience is being reduced for Palm Plaza drinkers – who themselves have been viewed as a public inconvenience.
Last week Greater Dandenong Council, after agitation from traders and councillors, locked up the Palm Plaza Meeting Space toilets and removed a bench in the mall to deter a regular group of public drinkers.
Chief executive John Bennie said the council would install ‘No Drinking Alcohol in Public Places’ signage near the toilets and laneways in the area.
“In partnership with Victoria Police, (the) council will continue to monitor all public open space locations within the City of Greater Dandenong to ensure any community safety issues are addressed.”
Inspector Bruce Kitchen of Greater Dandenong police said the bench was thought to be the main attraction for the revellers.
“What’s going to probably happen is it’s only going to disperse the problem.
“So we’ve stepped up patrols. We’ll be targeting people drinking alcohol all over Dandenong, but particularly in that area.”
A trader, who said he has reported the group’s antics to the council and police since early this year, said drinkers seemed to hardly skip a beat.
After their favourite seat was removed, they settled nearby and carried on drinking undettered – even minutes after being spoken to by police.
An unsuspecting cleaner even unlocked the toilets on request from one of the drinkers, the trader said.
“There needs to be more enforcement.
“You see the police talking to them, looking in their bags. Then when the police leave, (the drinkers) just pull a bottle out of their backpack and start drinking again.
“My worry about closing the toilet is they’ll just start using the laneways instead.”
