Students crowd a Dunedin party. (File photo) Photo: RNZ
The father of Sophia Crestani is calling for the alcohol industry to help eliminate glass and rubbish on the streets in North Dunedin.
The coroner found his daughter's death at an overcrowded flat party in 2019 was a tragic, but likely preventable accident.
Now, Bede Crestani wants glass and rubbish cleaned up to make the area safer for students and the community.
He said broken glass from alcoholic bottles littered the streets, which was not only dangerous for students, but also other members of the community.
"We've been annoyed at the broken glass in the street for five years. If you walk down the south end of Castle Street, the university own it by the campus, and it's just tidy, clean, well maintained.
"You start to go on to the northern part of Castle Street towards the Botanic Gardens and there's glass and rubbish in the streets.
"It's a symptom of a bigger problem where the excessive use and the lack of responsibility by these students is showing that there's there's a much more unsafe environment."
Crestani felt Dunedin was being looked over, when compared with other major centres like Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington.
Bede Crestani. Photo: ODT / Gregor Richardson
''So what we want to do is limit the the excessive behaviour and clean up the streets and then it will be a safe environment.
''I mean, my question is, do parents, would they allow this to happen in their streets and their suburbs in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch and Dunedin? They wouldn't, they would be disgusted. Why do they let it happen in Dunedin?"
Crestani believed getting rid of the glass shards was a good place to start.
"There's a real good opportunity for the alcohol industry to make a really positive environment, in North Dunedin is our target, by seeing the harm that it's causing and putting in means to start to limit that.
"It could be just limiting the use of glass, you know a lot more aluminium cans or other products."
Ideas to minimise harm good - Alcohol Healthwatch
"I think the idea to minimise alcohol harm is commendable, in particular the idea to look at how they might limit glass is a really innovative idea for their community," Alcohol Healthwatch executive director Andrew Galloway said.
"I think it would not only reduce injuries from cuts, but also litter nuisance, which we know is an issue for communities.
"I know that cycling advocates have also previously talked about broken glass, so I think there's a couple of potential outcomes from their endeavour.
"I think we need to acknowledge that the alcohol industry cannot be part of decision making around what the most effective levers are to reduce alcohol harm.
"Like all businesses, the alcohol industry's focus will ultimately be on targets or profit before health and that's understandable, but it's important for communities and governments and councils to make decisions around protections from alcohol without industry influence.
"In this situation, though, I think there is a really good potential role for alcohol manufacturers and retailers to note the concern of Dunedin and the community, and the nuisance that broken glass causes to the community, and consider whether they can respond by way of supplying or promoting more non-glass alternatives.
"And perhaps there is a potential for a glass refund scheme for products that aren't easily available in non-glass vessels."
Consultation to changes on Dunedin LAP
Dunedin City Council announced in October it wanted to make a number of changes to its Local Alcohol Policy, aimed at reducing harm to 18- to 24-year-olds.
They included reducing off-licence trading by an hour from 10pm to 9pm, standardising on-licence opening times, and reducing early-morning trading hours for entertainment venues.
Other changes included introducing a one-way door system in Dunedin from 2.30am and some changes to special licences.
The council said the proposed changes to the Local Alcohol Policy were designed to balance legislative requirements with Dunedin's buzzing nightlife.
Consultation on the proposal closes on 14 November.
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