In Britain, the Asbo is wielded to curtail the antics of hooligans. In Australia they have a different, though not necessarily more humane, means of control: the music of Barry Manilow.
For the next six months the ears of the youth of Rockdale, a suburb south of Sydney, will be subjected to the sounds of the singer's back catalogue after the local council resolved to get tough on antisocial behaviour. Councillors hope piping Manilow hits such as Mandy and Copacabana through a loudspeaker into a car park troublespot will kill the atmosphere and force the youths to move on.
In keeping with a great Australian suburban tradition, every Saturday night up to 100 car-fancying youths, or "hoons", take their souped-up vehicles to the parking lot at Cook Park Reserve at Brighton-le-Sands. There, they rev their engines, compare fittings, and play their own "doof doof" music, very loudly. According to Bill Saravinovski, a councillor, their behaviour is antisocial and disturbs the peace.
"There are restaurants nearby and people can't park in the car park because they're intimidated by these hoons," he told Australia's Daily Telegraph. "So we're giving the music a go to see if it has any success."
The idea has been tested elsewhere in Australia. Bing Crosby was used to drive teenage loiterers out of an Australian shopping centre several years ago.
"Based on reports ... daggy [uncool] music is one way to make the hoons leave an area because they can't stand the music," Mr Saravinovski said. "We're hoping it works. These people don't show any respect for the law.