The $10 million Drink Safe project branded a failure by Queensland's auditor-general Andrew Greaves THE $10 million Drink Safe initiative designed to improve safety around pubs and clubs has been branded a failure by Queensland's Auditor General. A trial of Drink Safe Precincts in Fortitude Valley, Surfers Paradise and Townsville began in late 2010 in a bid to address alcohol-related violence. But a report tabled in State Parliament yesterday found the ongoing trial was "not well planned, implemented or evaluated" and had failed to achieve its goals. "There has been no demonstrated improvement to public amenity in any of the three DSPs," wrote Auditor-General Andrew Greaves. In Fortitude Valley, assaults actually increased in the first 18 months of the trial and ambulance callouts rose. Surfers Paradise fared better, but Mr Greaves noted there had been a noticeable drop in patronage in the precinct due to a lengthy council redevelopment and the closure of three venues. Another issue raised was the "unintended consequence" of policing for the precincts, which Mr Greaves said had affected police responses outside of the precincts. Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie said the "damning report" was an indictment on the previous government which had rushed into setting up the precincts in 2010. "The whole thing was basically messed up from the start," Mr Bleijie said. It was ill-conceived, it was a rushed policy (because of) the political circumstances at the time. A committee chaired by Member for Brisbane Central Robert Cavallucci was now evaluating the precincts, he said. "We're really going to let the industry lead the drive for this, if they want Drink Safe Precincts to continue," he said. Mr Greaves was equally as scathing of the management of the State's gambling and casino community benefit funds, labelling their administration "ineffective and inefficient." He found some grant applicants had been funded twice out of different funds for the same project, resulting in more than $500,000 in duplicate payments in the past two years. "The distribution of about $50 million annually of gambling and casino community benefit funds undoubtedly has a positive impact on community benefits and social capital," Mr Greaves said in his report. These positive impacts however are being diluted by the ineffective and inefficient administration of these grants programs.