A PROPOSAL to ban grog being consumed at the Anzac Day dawn service on Monument Hill has come under renewed fire from two Albury councillors including past-president of the RSL sub-branch, Graham Docksey.
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A bid by Cr Docksey and Cr Alice Glachan to have the 12-hour alcohol ban on Monument Hill excluded from the city's list of booze-free zones failed, but not before some heated debate on the merits of the move.
Cr Docksey said the veteran community remained strongly opposed to the move and would be making their feelings known during the 30-day public exhibition period.
“They are amazed a simple, knee-jerk reaction can come into a council motion like this,” he said.
“The community hasn't been consulted, the RSL certainly hasn't been consulted.
“Then we end up with an enforcement issue and police have got better things to do with their time on Anzac Day morning.
“This is a distraction.”
Cr Glachan said the proposed ban would prevent the Anzac Day tradition of “rum toddies” and booze exclusion zones had successfully been introduced in known trouble spots such as Noreuil Park on Australia Day.
“It is a long-serving tradition and I think because it hasn't caused any problems to date that we should allow the practice (to continue),” she said.
“There has not been a problem with Monument Hill on Anzac Day in relation to that service and ceremony.”
Cr Darren Cameron said a “rum toddy” was consumed as part of a gunfire breakfast which traditionally occurred in Albury after the dawn service.
“If it is the practice of some people to drink on Monument Hill during the Anzac Day ceremony it is something that shouldn't be encouraged and there is no element of tradition to support that,” he said.
“We should canvas all options and get as much public comment as we can.”
Deputy mayor Amanda Cohn said the same objections had been raised previously by Cr Docksey and Cr Glachan.
“I'm getting pretty tired of having to discuss everything twice because people didn't get their way the first time,” she said.
Cr King didn't participate in the debate.