AHA sceptical new liquor laws will work

HOTELIERS say they remain sceptical of some of the NSW government's tough new measures against drug and alcohol-fuelled violence.

The new measures aimed at curbing street violence, particularly in Sydney's entertainment precincts, were introduced and debated in the NSW parliament on Thursday.

A mandatory eight-year minimum jail sentence for fatal one-punch assaults in which drugs or alcohol are involved was among tougher sentencing laws passed in the lower house on Thursday.

Other proposed reforms include 1.30am lockouts, 3am last drinks in Sydney's CBD entertainment precinct, the ability to impose tougher licence conditions on dangerous venues as well as restrictions on alcohol shots after midnight.

But the Australian Hotels Association (AHA) says some of the measures will unfairly harm businesses where violence is not a problem.

"We all agree on one thing - no one wants to see violence on our streets, we all want safer streets, better venues and smarter drinkers," AHA NSW Director of Policing John Green said in a statement.

"Our concern is that good businesses with no links to violence will be unfairly captured by some of these measures.

"Hotel staff are on the front line and there is a real concern that at 1.31am they will bear the brunt of frustration when people can't get in to venues."

The AHA said the NSW government's proposed education campaign needed to include clear information about the lock-out, so staff doing their job weren't targeted.

"We remain sceptical about the success in a city such as Sydney.

"The freeze on new liquor licences should be across the board in the Sydney precinct."

Source:  The Australian - 30 January 2014