Government has to bring free enterprise into line again.

[a_unique_person]

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/06/22/1056220478767.html



Water guidelines for licensed venues
June 23 2003
By Larissa Dubecki





The owners of licensed venues will be encouraged to provide free or inexpensive water to patrons under new State Government guidelines.

Health Minister Bronwyn Pike said she would consider introducing legislation if the guidelines - to be developed in conjunction with industry - were not followed.

Ms Pike said she was concerned about reports that some nightclubs were selling bottled water at exorbitant prices and discouraging patrons from refilling them by running only hot water in the bathrooms.

Some licensed premises in Melbourne charge $4 for a 300-millilitre bottle of water - making alcohol the cheaper option - and in some nightclub bathrooms the taps are designed so a bottle cannot fit underneath.

Nightclubber Bronwyn, 29, said she had witnessed other young people overheating and dehydrating after dancing for hours with no ready supply of drinking water.

Ms Pike said it was an important public health issue. "We also know unfortunately that some people are taking drugs in nightclubs and the mixture of dehydration and drug-taking can have potentially fatal consequences."

Ms Pike said the code of conduct would ensure water was provided free of charge or at a reasonable price - about $2 or less a bottle.

"Profits need to be set aside. We have the health of patrons to consider," she said.

[corplinx]

You poor australians always needed mommy government to help you out. I thought you aussies were supposed to be tougher stock. This sort of article gives me a different impression.

[Agammamon]

At least they're not talking about closing the venue down and taking everything the owners have if the cops find one guy using drugs.

[The Fool]

Originally posted by corplinx
You poor australians always needed mommy government to help you out. I thought you aussies were supposed to be tougher stock. This sort of article gives me a different impression.
How tough do you have to be to do nothing about people dying or suffering serious injury? Have you ever seen the consequences of serious dehydration?

[corplinx]

Originally posted by The Fool

How tough do you have to be to do nothing about people dying or suffering serious injury? Have you ever seen the consequences of serious dehydration?

Please tell me this is all a put-on?

I never imagine the people that toughed out a prison colony would have whining sissies for descendents.

[corplinx]

Drinks are where dance clubs make their money. Occasionally you have some whacko who isn't drinking alcohol. Solution? Charge just as much for water.

A. its none of the government's business how much you a private citizen charge for drinks at the business you own

B. going to a club is voluntary

If a government building had no water fountains and was charging 5 bucks for water, then there would be a concern. Add australia to the list of emerging nanny states.

[John Harrison]

Nightclubber Bronwyn, 29, said she had witnessed other young people overheating and dehydrating after dancing for hours with no ready supply of drinking water.

Ms Pike said it was an important public health issue. "We also know unfortunately that some people are taking drugs in nightclubs and the mixture of dehydration and drug-taking can have potentially fatal consequences."


Possible solutions that the patrons are free to choose:

1. Don't go to that club
2. Buy the water
3. Don't take drugs that may kill you
4. Don't dance for hours
5. Any combination of numbers 3 and 4

Then again, maybe this is a case when Darwin should be allowed to step in and thin the herd a bit.

[Tormac]

I will give the australians a pass on this one, (I'm assuming that you down in Oz still drink pints. I got in sooo much trouble in Ireland on a few friday nights because it is easy for an American to forget he's pounding pints, not 12 onces). :)

[a_unique_person]

Originally posted by John Harrison


Possible solutions that the patrons are free to choose:

1. Don't go to that club
2. Buy the water
3. Don't take drugs that may kill you
4. Don't dance for hours
5. Any combination of numbers 3 and 4

Then again, maybe this is a case when Darwin should be allowed to step in and thin the herd a bit.

1. All the clubs do it.
2. The water costs even more than the beer.
3. They take them.
4. There is nothing wrong with dancing.

What is wrong with having some consideration for people? Is the world supposed to be that ruthless?

[The Fool]

Originally posted by Tormac
I will give the australians a pass on this one, (I'm assuming that you down in Oz still drink pints. I got in sooo much trouble in Ireland on a few friday nights because it is easy for an American to forget he's pounding pints, not 12 onces). :)

Nobody In Australia drinks pints. In some states the biggest glass of beer is a 10oz, often called a "pot" or a "middie" in some states a 15 oz glass is sold, called a "schooner".

please write this down, there will be a test later in the week.;)

[John Harrison]

Originally posted by a_unique_person


1. All the clubs do it.
2. The water costs even more than the beer.
3. They take them.
4. There is nothing wrong with dancing.

What is wrong with having some consideration for people? Is the world supposed to be that ruthless?

1. So
2. I see that at airports all the time. Again, so?
3. Tough, that's not the club's responsibility.
4. Of course not, but people need to make a judgement call to not dance for hours if they are too cheap to buy the overpriced water.

At what point are people supposed to take responsibility for their own actions? Perhaps these same people that want cheap water should open a new club. It sounds like they would get lots of business.

[JAR]

Originally posted by The Fool

How tough do you have to be to do nothing about people dying or suffering serious injury? Have you ever seen the consequences of serious dehydration?
I've passed out two times from thirst. The first time it happened I redded out, which is where your blood rushes to your head and turns your vision red. The second time I passed out, I blacked out, which is where your blood rushes to your feet and your vision turns black. Both times I passed out, it happened early in the morning when I was camping. These days I drink water much more often. It seems that the taller I grew, the more water I had to drink to not be thirsty.

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Sounds like the first guy who opens a club that offers free water will make a fortune.

[a_unique_person]

Originally posted by The Central Scrutinizer
Sounds like the first guy who opens a club that offers free water will make a fortune.

It hasn't happened yet. They are all happy to charge a fortune for water and stop you filling up bottles in the toilets.

I have no problem with them charging for water. I just don't think they should put their clients health at risk.

[Always Free]

-----and those blasted speed limits on our roads that make us drive slower than we want to.

Oh and I say they are charging us too much for our air. I guess we could choose to stop breathing.:rolleyes:

[Giz]

Originally posted by a_unique_person


1. All the clubs do it.
2. The water costs even more than the beer.
3. They take them.
4. There is nothing wrong with dancing.

What is wrong with having some consideration for people? Is the world supposed to be that ruthless?

What happened to adults taking responsibility for their own actions?

[JAR]

In view of the DUI laws we have in the U.S., I wonder why we still have clubs and bars that sell alcoholic beverages.

[aerocontrols]

Originally posted by corplinx


Please tell me this is all a put-on?

I never imagine the people that toughed out a prison colony would have whining sissies for descendents.

This (http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/06/25/1056449291563.html) is the Aussie you're looking for, corp.

He sparked a major search after going missing in the outback for five days, but the first thing 31-year-old Benjamin O'Connor wanted when he walked up to the roadhouse bar was not food, but a beer.

Northern Territory Police were today still at a loss to explain why O'Connor, carrying a 25cm knife, disappeared about 10km out of Barrow Creek after telling the bus driver that he felt ill.

Police organised 30 people, plus planes, helicopters, motorbikes and volunteers from Northern Territory Emergency Services and Parks & Wildlife, to search for the missing Tasmanian.

But he was eventually spotted wandering around 35km out of Neutral Junction in the Northern Territory and dropped by locals at Wycliffe Well roadhouse.

"He just walked in and looked like he was in a pretty rough way," publican Shane Able said today.


"He didn't bother to order anything to eat, he just asked for a VB, threw it back pretty quick and then started asking people at the bar if he could get a lift to Alice Springs.

MattJ

[corplinx]

Originally posted by a_unique_person


It hasn't happened yet. They are all happy to charge a fortune for water and stop you filling up bottles in the toilets.



Well duh, a club makes its money from selling drinks. Whereas someone drinking hard liqour may have a few shots or a few beers in the few hours they are at the club, typically the water drinker only has one bottle. Ergo, the price might be higher for a bottle of water than for beer. Not to mention, the cost of the beers will sometimes be a draw for the club itself.