AHA accuse police of withholding figures

Police have been accused of withholding important data about a drop in alcohol-related offences in Kalgoorlie-Boulder as they campaign for liquor restrictions in the Goldfields city.

The Australian Hotels Association says figures provided by the Police Minister to Parliament show a significant decrease in alcohol-related offences around Kalgoorlie-Boulder.

The figures reveal there were 120 alcohol-related offences in Kalgoorlie in 2010/11, compared to 217 the year before.

And, there were 76 alcohol-related offences in Boulder in 2010/11, compared to 134 the previous year.

Earlier this year, police made a submission to the Director of Liquor Licensing requesting the restrictions to help address high rates of alcohol-related crime and health problems in the community.

The AHA's Bradley Woods says the information showing the drop in alcohol-related offending was not included by police in their submission.

"What it shows is very, very different to the submission that went to the Department of Racing, Gaming and Liquor," he said.

"There's some serious questions here that have to be asked of the WA police, as to why the information was withheld and not included in the original submission and really what is the police's true agenda here?"

The proposed restrictions would see the sale of takeaway liquor banned on Sundays, and restricted between the hours of 12pm and 8pm Monday to Saturday.

The restrictions would also ban the sale of alcoholic containers in excess of one litre, with an alcohol content of more than six per cent, as well as the sale of glass beer bottles in excess of 400 millilitres.

WA police declined to comment.

ABC reporter Andrew Thompson has compiled an extended report on the proposed liquor restrictions.

Source: ABC News, 19 September 2012