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From the Cottesloe/Mosman Post - February 11, 2006
The tightest drinking rules in Australia will apply to 40,000 rugby fans expected at Subiaco Oval on Friday night for the launch of the new rugby competition.
Trains will be met, bags searched and street drinkers busted and issued with on-the-spot fines.
The new drinking regime for the oval includes doubling the number of security staff - each block will have a controller, and they will patrol up to 200m from the oval.
Police will have a zero tolerance approach to street drinking.
Shane Walsh, from the WA Football Commission, said police would be at both train stations and anybody with a drink would have it confiscated and be fined.
"Bars will open only one hour before the game and close 20 minutes into the second half," he said. "There will be a big push to stop alcohol being taken into the oval.
"Anybody causing trouble or who is alcohol-affected will be evicted from the ground and fined $100 to $500 depending on their behaviour.
"If a club member, they will be suspended for several games.
"All travellers - whether it's dad having a quick beer on the way to the ground or younger people, they will all be treated the same."
Police, Subiaco council, the WA Football Commission, and caterers for the oval have put their cases to acting director of liquor licensing Peter Minchin.
He is due to announce his ruling next week.
But it was decided that this first game of the season on Friday would be a trial for the new regime.
The aim is to set the expectations of fans for the whole season, rather than change them in the first two weeks.
Mr Minchin was told that Subiaco would have the tightest rules in Australia and his decision should be closely watched by stadium operators around the country - including cricket and racing organisers.
For the first time fans will be able to buy mid-strength spirits - rum or bourbon and cola.
Until now, drinks have been limited to mid-strength beer or wine.
The change is being made because a major rugby sponsor is a liquor company - but police and Subiaco council were concerned about full-strength spirits being sold.
Drinking in stadiums is a tricky issue.
Rugby is a comparatively short game - two halves of 45 minutes each, with a 10-minute half-time.
The new competition happens on Friday nights across summer in warm weather - when people tend to drink more.
The logistics of serving drinks to about 30% of the crowd in only 10 minutes are formidable.
The number of bars, staff and equipment limit what can be done - so does the cost of setting all that up for just 10 minutes.
Similarly, operators baulk at asking manufacturers to provide a special mid-strength drink; but if the liquor licence demands mid-strength spirits, then that strengthens the argument.
Some observers say there is a trend for fans to drink at hotels and bars before going to the ground and to top up