Premier Roger Cook backs tougher liquor restrictions in Broome as business owners cower from youth crime wave

Premier Roger Cook is backing tougher liquor restrictions for Broome amid a youth crime wave that’s prompted some business owners to arm themselves. The tourist hotspot is being reviewed, along with Derby, for expanded alcohol limits, with Director of Liquor Licensing Lanie Chopping expected to make an announcement as soon as this week. Under Kimberley-wide takeaway limits that have been in place for about two years in a bid to curb “sly grogging” - the practice of transporting large amounts of booze to “dry” communities or those with restrictions in place - wine casks bigger than one litre or beer in glass bottles larger than 400ml cannot be bought. Derby has additional rules including no takeaway liquor before midday. Tougher restrictions that were slapped on Carnarvon six months ago - including no takeaway alcohol at all on Sunday and Monday - have substantially dented the Gascoyne town’s youth crime problem, showing they should be replicated in other parts of the State, Mr Cook said on Monday. “I think liquor restrictions are an important part of any sort of moderation of social behaviour in any community setting,” the Premier told reporters. “And your remote communities and regional communities, that has an even larger role to play. “So if people are concerned about the level of antisocial behaviour in Broome, and they think that it’s alcohol-linked, well obviously that then leads you to the conclusion that you should place further restrictions on the sale of alcohol.” His comments came after an investigation by The West Australian published on Monday detailed shocking accounts from Broome locals about the crime wave. Mitre 10 owner Mick Chapman revealed his staff were terrorised twice in one week - including by a 10-year-old boy armed with a knife - while the number of gun safes purchased had been “shocking”. Yuen Wing General Store employee Abby Chan told The West that pepper spray was kept behind the counter in case of a physical attack on staff, while a group of young boys had recently sprayed a “chemical” at her colleagues. Another general store worker who did not want to be identified said one young criminal even hurled a snake behind the counter. Crime in the town has spiked 178.7 per cent since the 2014-15 financial year.