Sunday, November 27, 2005
Schoolies enter second week
aap - 27nov05
QUEENSLAND police arrested 89 people last night as thousands of New South Wales school leavers flooded the Gold Coast for their first night of schoolies celebrations.
Of the 89 people arrested, only 17 were schoolies, who were mostly from NSW, police said today.
A total of 95 charges, mostly related to public nuisance and public intoxication, arose from the arrests.
Police estimated between 8,000 to 10,000 people converged on Surfers Paradise for the annual event last night, but said significantly more schoolies aged 18 and over accessed the nightclubs.
Police also issued 206 liquor fines last night – 99 of those to schoolies.
Gold Coast District Officer Superintendent Brett Pointing described last night's celebrations as "relatively unproblematic" and praised schoolies' overall behaviour.
"We urge schoolies to enjoy their time on the Gold Coast, party safe, party with your mates not strangers and go home with fond memories of Schoolies 2005," Supt Pointing said.
Queensland Premier Peter Beattie today said he was also pleased with the schoolies festivities.
Mr Beattie said while he has yet to see a final police report on Queensland school leavers' behaviour, this year's event seemed no more violent than previous ones.
"Look, no event like this is perfect and of course there were problems here and there but generally, overall it went well," Mr Beattie said on ABC radio.
"Overall the police are generally happy, the organisers are."
NSW schoolies are set to party on the Gold Coast all of this week.
Their Queensland counterparts finished a week of celebrations yesterday.
Police have attributed most of the arrests during the celebrations to older revellers.
QUEENSLAND police arrested 89 people last night as thousands of New South Wales school leavers flooded the Gold Coast for their first night of schoolies celebrations.
Of the 89 people arrested, only 17 were schoolies, who were mostly from NSW, police said today.
A total of 95 charges, mostly related to public nuisance and public intoxication, arose from the arrests.
Police estimated between 8,000 to 10,000 people converged on Surfers Paradise for the annual event last night, but said significantly more schoolies aged 18 and over accessed the nightclubs.
Police also issued 206 liquor fines last night – 99 of those to schoolies.
Gold Coast District Officer Superintendent Brett Pointing described last night's celebrations as "relatively unproblematic" and praised schoolies' overall behaviour.
"We urge schoolies to enjoy their time on the Gold Coast, party safe, party with your mates not strangers and go home with fond memories of Schoolies 2005," Supt Pointing said.
Queensland Premier Peter Beattie today said he was also pleased with the schoolies festivities.
Mr Beattie said while he has yet to see a final police report on Queensland school leavers' behaviour, this year's event seemed no more violent than previous ones.
"Look, no event like this is perfect and of course there were problems here and there but generally, overall it went well," Mr Beattie said on ABC radio.
"Overall the police are generally happy, the organisers are."
NSW schoolies are set to party on the Gold Coast all of this week.
Their Queensland counterparts finished a week of celebrations yesterday.
Police have attributed most of the arrests during the celebrations to older revellers.
