Vic: Promoters of Mayhem kickboxing sending wrong message - govt

AAP General News (Australia)
04-14-2009
Vic: Promoters of Mayhem kickboxing sending wrong message - govt

By Jeff Turnbull

MELBOURNE, April 14 AAP - It's not the kickboxing on Mothers Day at a notorious hotel
the government doesn't like, it's the way it's being promoted.

That was the message on Tuesday from Consumer Affairs Minister Tony Robinson who said
the QBH nightclub promoter's spin on the event - Mothers Day Mayhem - sent mixed messages
to the public.

He said he had spoken with QBH licensee Bruce Mathieson who had agreed that the promotion
of the event was inconsistent with the undertakings he had given following a wild brawl
outside the club last month.

"He acknowledged that QBH has become a beacon for anti-social activity and agreed to
tighter conditions," Mr Robinson told reporters.

"However, the (kickboxing) event being promoted undermines the commitment he had given.

"There is nothing inherently wrong with kickboxing per se but to be promoted in that
way, called "Mayhem", when the licensee has acknowledged that there are problems around
that venue is inappropriate."

He said the government did not want to tell licensees what they could and could not
do inside their premises.

"But the owner has acknowledged that (QBH) does act as a beacon for anti-social activities
and, having put that on the record, to be allowed for an activity with Mayhem in the title
sends out mixed messages - it doesn't add up," Mr Robinson said.

He said the government wants to encourage promoters to act more responsibly.

"If we continue to see promoters bowling up ideas and thinking someone else can bear
the responsibility then the government will be forced to take more drastic action," he
said.

"'Mayhem' reflects the lack of commonsense - I have asked them to reconsider the way
that event is being promoted."

Mr Robinson also said that more high quality cameras are being set up around the CBD
nightclub precinct to try and cut down on violence.

He said the high quality footage obtained by police following the brawl outside the
QBH last month allowed them to make four arrests.

"They greatly assist police in the work they do in investigating assaults," he said.

Ten people were injured in a mass brawl involving up to 30 people at the venue last Friday.

A succession of violent incidents have occurred at the club, which police described
as Melbourne's "worst", with two men - 22 year-old Shannon McCormack and 24 year-old Matt
McEvoy - killed in fights there in the past two years.

AAP jxt/gfr/maur

KEYWORD: QBH

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