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Parklands dry zone will move problems elsewhere, Adelaide homeless agency says

A dry zone trial for Adelaide's parklands will move vulnerable people elsewhere and do little to help their problems, according to a nearby agency for homeless people.

The city's east, west and south parklands are to become dry zones from 8:00pm to 11:00am in a three-month trial that begins on Monday.

It was introduced in response to ongoing antisocial behaviour in the city's parklands, including drinking and violent activity.

But Hutt Street Centre chief executive Ian Cox said the bans would simply move people elsewhere and fail to give them the resources and support they needed.

"I think that fining disadvantaged South Australians with addiction issues and those other complex issues such as mental health issues doesn't really support people to overcome those issues," he said.

SA liquor and gambling commissioner Dini Soulio told 891 ABC Adelaide that the trial was not about imposing fines on vulnerable people.

He said fines for drinking in dry zones were already in place and it would be up to police whether a fine was issued or other measures were taken.

"There are sobering up facilities available, accommodation options available, and the police and service providers would be looking at those options as well," Mr Soulio said.

Trial focussed on giving 'people a break'

Mr Soulio said the trial was not focussed on the hours in which people were most likely to drink, but rather on giving people a break from drinking so that "service providers could try and engage with them in the morning".

"Issues that are arising are health and welfare issues rather than policing issues," he said.

A resident who lived across the road from a problem area in the parklands welcomed the trial but said he was disappointed that it took so long for something to happen.

He and other residents in the area frequently heard "screaming in the dark" and would call police in the middle of the night.

"To their credit, the police always responded quickly, but it must have been a terribly difficult job for them to try and get a balance," the resident said.

"Some of these young policemen must have been confronted with some terrible things."

He said he understood and respected that the people occupying the parklands at night were "vulnerable".

"But you've got to live here," the resident said.

"You've got to live on the site and see some of the things that go on and have to call the police in the middle of the night, to see what happens."

Mr Soulio said the dry zone would not affect festivals and other licensed events that are held in the parklands.