Review of Newcastle lockout laws

Newcastle’s lockout laws are now being reviewed by the NSW Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority (ILGA)

The ILGA announced the review into “special conditions” that have applied to 15 hotels and bars in Newcastle’s CBD since 2008.

Barrister Jonathan Horton QC, who assisted with the Callinan review of the Sydney Entertainment Precinct lockouts has been called in to do the review.

ILGA chair Philip Crawford said the review aims to give the local community, businesses, police and other groups the opportunity to have their say on the issue.

As a result, Mr Horton will be consulting all the stakeholders in the Newcastle community rather than just conducting the review in isolation. He will be meeting with local police, liquor accords, venues, community groups, Newcastle City Coucil and Hunter New England Health.

Mr Crawford said the review follows a request from the Australian Hotels Association on behalf of 15 venues to consider revoking or changing some of the conditions.

“This is timely considering the conditions have been in place for nine years and Newcastle’s CBD has changed considerably in this time,” Mr Crawford told The Shout.

:”This review will be guided by evidence and community feedback. We encourage everyone with a view to express it in writing.”

Mr Horton will be looking at the conditions commonly known as the “Newcastle Solution”. It was a model imposed to target alcohol-related issues including violence and disturbance.

The conditions cover 1am and 1.30am lockouts and 3am and 3.30am closing times.

They also cover drinks restrictions after 10pm including bans on shots and doubles. The limit of four drinks per customer is also one of the conditions.

The 15 venues affected by the conditions are the Cambridge Hotel, Crown & Anchor Hotel, Customs House, Ducks Nuts, Fanny’s of Newcastle, Hotel CBD, King St Hotel, Lucky Country Hotel, MJ Finnegans, Queen Wharf Brewery, Grand Hotel, Great Northern Hotel and The Dockyard.

by Leon Gettler, November 24^th 2017