Australia Day has become controversial because of the date but there is another hidden side to the public holiday that is far from being a source of national pride.
Sydney criminal lawyer Avinash Singh said Australia Day is ‘well known for being the day when the most assaults occur’, with family gatherings being a particularly high-risk environment for alcohol-fuelled violence.
Following each Australia Day, the courts ‘are overflowing with assault cases between family members where one or both parties were heavily intoxicated’, Mr Singh told Daily Mail Australia on Thursday.
Australia Day only ranks behind New Year’s Eve for assaults in NSW, but nationwide, it ranks first, with domestic violence also spiking, according to government data.
Ms Singh said the New Year’s Eve assault figures were pumped up in NSW by the Sydney Harbour fireworks and other events.
‘There is generally a massive influx of visitors for New Year’s Eve in NSW which skews the figures, making NYE the leading public holiday for assault,’ Mr Singh said.
‘However, when you look at Australia as a whole, Australia Day has the highest number of assaults.’
Over the past 10 years, NSW has registered an 89 per cent increase in non-domestic violence assault cases on January 26 compared to an average 24-hour period.
A brawl involving a mob of teenagers broke out in Manly last Australia Day
The result is little better for domestic violence where reported cases have increased by 62 per cent each Australia Day.
Mr Singh, who works for Astor Legal, said the majority of assaults on public holidays are alcohol-related.
‘Anyone celebrating Australia Day should try to moderate their alcohol consumption – particularly if they are going to be around acrimonious friends or family members,’ Mr Singh said.
‘Alcohol has some relevance to a percentage of assaults throughout the year – both domestic violence and non-domestic violence.
‘However, it is far more pronounced on public holidays such as Christmas, Easter and even Anzac Day.’
Mr Singh said public intoxication was a huge problem on Australia Day with police stepping up their presence at well-known Sydney beaches such as Cronulla, Balmoral, Coogee and Bondi.
Crowded environments and emotional stress are other factors that make the day more violent.
In Perth last year Australia Day celebrations turned ugly when dozens of people became involved in a violent brawl that was captured on video.
Sydney lawyer Avinash Singh said following each Australia Day the courts are overflowing with assault cases between family members
A large group of revellers had gathered at Swan River to ‘raft up’ by anchoring their boats together when an argument broke out among a group of young men.
More than 20 boats were parked at a sandbank at Rocky Bay near Mosman Park to enjoy the warm temperatures when the fight erupted.
In Sydney, there was a chaotic incident involving as many as 50 teenagers at Manly Wharf, which ended in multiple arrests.
Pepper spray was reportedly deployed by officers as they tried to contain the situation at one of Australia’s most iconic beaches.
Nine reporter Madison Scott described it as an ‘intense, chaotic afternoon’.
‘There was a lot of pushing and shoving between authorities and some of those individuals in that group,’ she said.
‘Eventually two young teens were arrested, one of them pinned down on the concrete before being taken away by police.’
