End of an era: a turning point for Sydney’s nightlife
Alicia Hutapea
The lockout laws which impacted Sydney’s night life for more than a decade have come to an end.
Over half of Sydney's music venues went out of business following the restrictions being put in place in 2014, particularly in areas such as Kings Cross, Oxford Street and Sydney’s CBD. As a result, the Minns Labor Government including Music and the Night-time Economy Minister John Graham, have completely repealed the 3.30am "last drinks" rule. Previously, this mandated use of public cups and the requirement for RSA marshals after midnight for certain venues.
The lifting of the restrictions comes exactly 12 years after the lockout laws were announced in response to an increase in assaults at night across these areas, including the one-punch deaths of young men Thomas Kelly and Daniel Christie.
However, The Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research has confirmed downward trends in alcohol-related violence in the Sydney CBD and Kings Cross over the past five years following earlier changes to lockout laws. These included an extension of last drinks from 3am to 3.30am and the repeal of the 1.30am lockout.
Under these changes, the following special licence conditions have been removed from the Liquor Regulation 2018:
· liquor sales cessation period (3.30am last drinks)
· glasses prohibited during general late trading period
· certain drinks and other types of liquor sales prohibited during general late trading period
· restriction on the promotion of rapid consumption drinks
· requirements for RSA marshals during supervised trading periods
· preventing entry for people who have been drinking in alcohol-free zones or alcohol-prohibited areas.
Part 7 of the Liquor Regulation 2018 (Division 1) in particular, sets out most of the special licence conditions and the types of licensed venues they apply to.
Ultimately, we will have to see if Sydney is truly a 24-hour city, and whether the repeals can maintain a continuing downward trend of crime.