Grand final day is that one day Australian Rules fans come together to celebrate that final day of what has normally been a gruelling, emotion-laden season.
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It should be a day for fun, friendship and having a safe, enjoyable time with friends and possibly family.
Unfortunately, some people will always take things too far.
They’ll celebrate a too vigorously and often drink way too much alcohol.
For many, having one or three drinks too many isn’t a problem.
But for a minority, getting drunk means overstepping the boundaries of what most would consider acceptable behaviour.
It comes as no great surprise that AFL grand final day in Australia is often the busiest day for our hard-working and dedicated emergency service workers – paramedics, police officers and the doctors and nurses in accident and emergency departments across the country.
Ridiculously, it simply should be this way.
Every year, Tasmania Police call on the public to do the right thing on grand final day.
That is, if they’re planning on having a few drinks, to consider other people and each other’s safety and well-being.
That means antisocial, drunk and unruly behaviour that just ruins the occasion for everyone else.
Drink driving is another major cause for concern, which is why police will again be out in force on the streets around our city making sure we do the right thing.
Unfortunately, alcohol-fuelled violence is not a declining occurrence.
In fact, as the consumption of alcohol decreases in Australia, the number of presentations to emergency departments caused by high levels of intoxication, the number of late-night assaults, and domestic violence involving alcohol rises.
It’s a national disgrace that the alcohol culture has become so ingrained in our society.
Earlier this year, Queensland Police Commissioner Ian Stewart made the controversial claim that Australia's nightlife precincts are considered to be among the most violent in the world.
He isn’t alone in that summation.
So today as you venture out to share a drink or two with friends while watching the AFL grand final, consider the repercussions of your actions, and take time out to consider the safety of other people around you.
