The St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney's CBD has dealt with fewer alcohol-related injuries since lockout laws were introduced, medical professionals say.
The drop in assaults has been great, St Vincent’s Hospital's Emergency Department director, Professor Gordian Fulde says.
"We are very, very happy to see there has been an absolute spectacular decrease in the really violent [assaults]," he says.
Doctor Timothy Steele, head of neurosurgery at the hospital, says there have been no potentially-fatal single punches since the laws were introduced in February.
“We are very pleased with the result,” Dr Steel says.
The deaths of two young men in Sydney – Thomas Kelly in 2012 and Daniel Christie on New Year’s Eve last year – outraged the nation.
In February Sydney’s lockout and last-drinks laws were introduced.
A popular social media campaign successfully labeled one hit assaults as 'coward punches'.
Anthony Grabs, director of trauma services at St Vincent's Hospital's Trauma Service, says alcohol-fueled violence as a whole had dropped since February.
“Our hospital has experienced significant reductions in some of the injuries that we were seeing,” Dr Grabs says.
'Too early to tell'
When the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research published their latest crime data, researcher Dr Don Weatherburn said more time was needed to see the lockout laws' effects.
Dr Weatherburn pointed to the dropping numbers of non-domestic, violent assaults across Sydney, which made comparisons harder.
“[It's] too early to tell,” Dr Weatherburn said.
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