The latest one-punch assault in Civic has prompted Canberra's chief victim support worker to call for drastic measures to curb drunken violence in the city's centre before a young man dies in the street.
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Victims of Crime Commissioner John Hinchey is agitating for greater powers for police to issue move-on notices to violent revellers, and a public list or ranking so the capital's most notorious venues could be named and shamed.
He would also like to see those venues that had a high number of violent incidents or alcohol-related assaults subject to tougher restrictions and penalties to encourage them to clean up their act.
But the owner of Academy nightclub where the attack took place said such measures were too harsh on licensed venues who tried to deter troublesome patrons.
Mr Hinchey condemned the latest attack after he watched disturbing CCTV footage which shows a young man being punched to the ground outside Academy nightclub in Civic.
He said the ongoing assaults in the city's most popular nightspot were out of control and would soon result in the death of a young man.
''In recent times, the severity, frequency and viciousness of assaults in the city area should be of major concern to all of us,'' he said.
''These assaults result in very serious, lifelong injuries that affect people's employment prospects, cognitive ability and social and emotional wellness.
''Unless we begin to do something more drastic I feel afraid of what we're going to see.''
Police called for witnesses to the latest incident, which took place on Bunda Street in the early hours of Sunday morning, when they released the footage on Tuesday.
It is the second one punch attack to take place outside the Academy nightclub this year.
A man was left with a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain after a man levelled him with one forceful punch on Bunda Street on April 21.
Academy owner Frank Condi deplored the violence and said attackers needed to be made aware of the consequences of their actions.
''That kid could be dead. This stuff is scary, it's frightening.''
Mr Condi said the assault took place after the club's security staff had denied the man entry as he was intoxicated.
He had reviewed footage of the assault with nightclub staff to discuss how they dealt with the incident and whether there was anything they could have done differently.
That review process for violent assaults had been put in place after the April incident.
Mr Condi said both he and police were satisfied staff had done all they could.
Mr Hinchey proposed that ACT venues known for alcohol-related assaults and violence be identified, using a public method similar to the NSW Violent Venues list, and subject to special conditions.
''We also need to increase the power for police to issue move-on notices so they can act to pre-empt violence,'' Mr Hinchey said.
''We've seen we can't rely on nightclubs or their bouncers to intervene in situations where it's likely violence will occur.''
However, Mr Condi believed a list which "named and shamed" licensed premises because of violent incidents or alcohol-related assaults would be ''a bit harsh to the venue''.
He said staff made an effort to deter drunk and violent patrons, such as the offender in the weekend attack, so they didn't enter the nightclub in the first place.
''This is a man who tried to get into the venue, he had nothing to do with us and he had nothing to do with the venue.''
The ACT Government said it would consider further crackdowns on the trading hours of pubs and clubs, outlet density and licence fees, after a report released in May revealed a rise in the number of assaults in Canberra's licensed premises.
The review of ACT liquor laws found a peak in the number of assaults in the city's CBD between midnight and 6am, and that authorities faced ''acute problems'' between 3am and 6am.
The new laws, which were introduced in 2010, had also failed to stop a culture of 'preloading' of alcohol by young people before they left home.
Anyone with information about the most recent attack should contact Crime Stoppers, 1800 333 000 or www.act.crimestoppers.com.au. Information can be provided anonymously.
