Sydney’s lockout laws might be pushed back
New South Wales Deputy Premier Tony Grant has flagged extending lockout times from 1.30am to 3am.
This is despite Premier Mike Baird giving the impression that he refuses to budge on the issue and is sticking to former Premier Barry O’Farrell’s laws which ban venues from letting in new patrons after 1.30pm.
Grant says keeping venues open for revellers until 3am does not cause problems.
His views come at a time when the evidence is showing weekday crime between 1.30am and 3am has not been reduced as a result of the lockout laws but violence has reduced after 3am.
“Every bit of evidence I’ve seen or heard about, even in my previous experience with liquor accord arrangements, it’s not the lockouts that have the greatest impact, it’s the last drinks,” Mr Grant told the Daily Telegraph.
While a number of businesses in Kings Cross and the CBD have closed since the laws came into effect, Mr Baird, who is currently in the Northern Territory campaigning for sick indigenous children, has dismissed the criticisms as “hysterical.”
There has been a petition that calling for Mr Baird to resign, saying he is “out of touch” and has “no understanding of his own city”.
Mr Grant said he would support any changes if High Court judge Ian Callinan, who is conducting a two-year review into the lockout laws, called for any overhaul of the lockout laws. The review is expected to be handed in down during August.
“If Callinan recommends pushing the lockouts back, I think it’s something we absolutely should do. If you’re trying to control the quantity of alcohol people consume ... last drinks is most effective,” Mr Grant said.
“Every bit of evidence I’ve seen or heard about, even in my previous experience with liquor accord arrangements, it’s not the lockouts that have the greatest impact, it’s the last drinks.”
by Leon Gettler, 26th July 2016
