Timed dry zones across city parklands to be trialed over summer are unlikely to be effective in stopping public drinking or curbing harmful behaviour, homelessness groups say.

However, they support the flexible three-month trial period, starting Monday, to assess the impact and potential problems of the scheme.

The executive director of peak housing body Shelter SA, Dr Alice Clark, said the organisation had been in constant discussion with the Adelaide City Council and Liquor Licensing Commissioner about the issue.

“Shelter SA is of the view that on its own, a dry zone won’t be effective in addressing the issues that are happening in the parklands,” Clark said.

“Clearly people who are drinking to excess are not safe and are quite vulnerable, they need to be supported quite appropriately.”

She said that the temporary bans on possession and consumption of alcohol in all city parklands between 8pm and 11am contained an “element of discrimination” against indigenous people.

“It does make me think that when other groups of people gather and drink and go a bit overboard, we don’t suggest that places such as Adelaide Oval become a dry zone.”

However, she commended Commissioner Dini Soulio for his balanced recommendations and was happy for the short-term trial period.

“I’m really pleased for the reason that it’s a trial. It’s short term so we will quickly be able to evaluate if it’s working and what issues it causes if any.

“Of course while we want the residents to feel safe and enjoy where they live; we also want people who use the parklands to feel safe and enjoy where they spend time.”

On ABC radio this morning Soulio said the hours of 8pm to 11am had been strategically chosen for the well-being of residents nearby and the people who are drinking in the parklands.

“(It’s) a time where people need some respite in the area from some of the anti-social behaviour … and also giving people that are in the parklands a break from that drinking so that service providers can engage with them in the morning,” Soulio said.

“We can address some of the causes of the drinking, to see what some of the issues are that are going on from the health and welfare point of view.”

Soulio received an application from the Adelaide City Council in October to form recommendations regarding dry zones in the city’s parklands for longer periods and over a six-month trial. Since then he has worked with stakeholders and the community to consider an appropriate management plan to tackle alcohol-fuelled violence in these public spaces.

He said the outcome was a “realistic attempt” to tackle a long-running issue and that fines for offenders were just one option available to South Australia Police in the enforcement of the dry zones.

SAPOL will have a high presence in the south parklands and can issue fines of $160 for possession or consumption of alcohol in a restricted area.

A SAPOL spokeswoman said police would always have the discretion to caution, fine or arrest offenders.

“Police will not tolerate alcohol-related violence and drunken behaviour,” she said.

“The issue of ingrained alcohol abuse and homelessness is not an issue that SAPOL can remedy on its own.”

Hutt Street Centre chief executive Ian Cox also told radio this morning that the approach would not help the most vulnerable people.

The dry zones will not impact on events such as the Adelaide Fringe Festival and Garden of Unearthly Delights that have their own licences for alcohol sales and consumption.