A NSW Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority report has shown Wagga has above average rates of alcohol-related violence and other offending, despite improvements over the past three years.
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The Wagga local government area recorded a rate of 249.9 alcohol-related domestic violence assaults per 100,000 people in the 12 months to March.
This figure was down from 337 incidents per 100,000 people in the 12 months to March 2019.
Wagga's rate was higher than the inner regional NSW average of 169.1 and the average for all of NSW at 115.2 incidents per 100,000 people.
Wagga Calvary Drug and Alcohol Treatment Centre manager Brendan McCorry said the rate of violent incidents in the city was a concern.
"It's good that it's going down but it is still high in comparison to other areas," he said.
The city's rate of alcohol-related offensive conduct was above the regional NSW average but has also been in decline since 2018.
Wagga's rate of alcohol-attributable hospitalisations and deaths - at 19.3 per 100,000 people - was lower than the inner regional NSW average of 23.3 but higher than the state average of 18.1.
Wagga Liquor Accord executive David Barnhill said the city's licence holders had made progress in reducing offences and most of the incidents took place outside the control of licensed venues.
"Overall we have had a pretty great decline over the past five years in any alcohol-related crime associated with venues," he said.
Mr Barnhill said a lot of alcohol-related domestic assaults involved pre-packaged drinks sold for consumption at home.
"These figures are not just attributable to venues; this is not all hotel-related," he said.
"I think all the venues have lifted their game over the past five to 10 years and there are other attributable factors."
The Daily Advertiser contacted Riverina Police District's licensing officers for comment but did not receive a response before publication.
The Liquor Authority recorded its offence data before coronavirus restrictions that led many Wagga venues to close until they were allowed to host larger numbers of patrons.
Mr McCorry said there had been indications that pre-packaged alcohol consumption had increased during the period when many people were forced to stay at home.
"Since the pandemic has started there has been an increased in the amount of alcohol sold and we are seeing increased reports of people seeking help for drinking," he said.
The Liquor Authority recorded 73 authorised liquor licences in Wagga as of August 2020, including 20 licences to sell packaged liquor.
Most of the licensed venues were located in the central Wagga, including Baylis and Fitzmaurice streets, which had a rate of licences per resident more than four times the NSW average.
Mr Barnhill said that figure was not surprising as Wagga was a "cosmopolitan" city and a regional service centre, which also had a variety of licensed cafes.
Mr McCorry said concentrations of licensed venues in a small area led to "an increased risk of people getting involved in alcohol-related assaults or crimes, either as the perpetrator or the victim".
Mr McCorry said Wagga could continue to reduce alcohol incidents by "offering support, policing and educating people about the choices that they make about how much and how they are drinking".