UNDERAGE parties have plagued the Gladstone region over the school holidays with alcohol-fuelled teenagers taking to the streets for a “night out”.
Gladstone Police Acting Senior Sergeant Jane Healy said there were always issues over the school break.
“The worries are the impromptu parties that start small and get out of hand and over the school holidays there are always problems,” Sgt Healy said.
Sgt Healy said many teenagers didn’t realise the repercussions of a drunken night out.
“A lot of people don’t understand the level of responsibility on parents and carers (to maintain a party),” she said.
“There are offences for supplying a child with alcohol and fines for underage alcohol possession.
“Other then the legal ramifications children can often not understand the impact underage drinking can have.
"A child’s brain is not developed to handle alcohol and they generally react quicker to the substance than adults – the long-term affects are the main concern.”
Sgt Healy said parents could curb the underage partying problem by keeping the lines of communication open with their kids.
“Parents place a lot of trust on their kids and often the more restrictions you place on children the more they want to rebel,” she said.
“The best thing they can do is know where their kids are going and who they are going with and be open and honest about the fears they have concerning their kids.”
Gladstone Blue and White Taxis general manager Alan Roe said kids were usually well behaved when using the taxi service.
“When most cabs go to pick up kids from a party the police are usually already there and help kids into the taxis and help them find a way home,” Mr Roe said.
“If there are brawls whilst our cabbies are dispersed they will radio in and we simply won’t pick them up.
“They are usually not much trouble and there are a lot of good kids in Gladstone but as usual it is half-a-dozen bad ones that ruin it for the rest.”
To keep your party safe head to www.police.qld.gov.au and register your event.