Adelaide parklands timed dry zone replaces 24-hour ban proposal

Plans to introduce a blanket ban on alcohol in Adelaide's south parklands have been watered down amid concerns the problem of violence and drunken behaviour would be moved to other parts of the city.

Adelaide City Council has now proposed to introduce time-based dry zones in all parklands around the CBD.

A six-month trial banning alcohol between 8.00pm and 1.00pm (CST) has replaced an application for a 24-hour dry zone.

Council Chief Executive Peter Smith said the initial plan was scrapped to allow people to socialise in the south parklands while still addressing anti-social behaviour in the area.

"The important thing is we get the application in quickly," Mr Smith said.

"It's a really pressing situation for the residents of South Terrace who've been putting up with disturbance for a long time."

Mr Smith said a timed dry zone would ensure consistency across all parklands to reduce the risk of displacement.

He said the plan was to bring down the levels of intoxication through shortened drinking times while maximising the chance to divert people to appropriate services.

"I think people realise the residents of South Terrace need a solution and our previous application looked like it wasn't going to succeed due to concerns about displacement, this application addresses that major concern," Mr Smith said.

"We've got to balance that with people's right to enjoy the parklands and have a drink after a game of footy or a barbecue or a picnic."

Dry zone will not solve problems of violence

However, the State Opposition said plans to impose a dry zone on the city's parklands would not solve problems of violence in the area.

Liberal MP Rob Lucas said he preferred the original all-day proposal.

"If you're allowed to drink between 1:00pm and 8:00pm and you're walking from your place of work back to your car park in that particular area, you're going to potentially confront exactly the same sorts of problems that you're confronting at the moment," Mr Lucas said.

A resident who lives across from Adelaide's South Parklands says problems with violence and alcoholism in the area were escalating.

The Adelaide City Council proposed a dry zone between 8:00 pm and 1:00pm for all City parklands to curb anti-social behaviour.

Resident Diana Jaquillard said while she supported the move, she believed a 24-hour dry zone was a better option.

"We would like [a 24-hour dry zone] because [if] all the parklands are a dry zone then it will fragment it into much smaller groups which won't cause so much danger to the public," she said.

Mr Smith said the amended proposal had the support of the Senior Officers Group made up of representatives from the council, SA Police, Aboriginal Services, SA Health, Housing SA and Consumer and Business Affairs.

The application will be sent to the Liquor Commissioner who will also consider a report from the Group before making recommendations to Consumer and Business Services Minister Gail Gago, who will take the matter to Cabinet in the coming days.

Mr Smith said there would be five days of community consultation on the timed dry zone and he would be meeting with residents to put the proposal directly to them.