Lockout lobbying
The push to relax New South Wales lockout laws is stepping up with the state’s division of the Australian Hotels Association is seeking to relax the 3am last drinks rule for venues in Kings Cross and central Sydney.
It also wants to abolish the 1.30am lockout stopping new customers from entering a licensed premises after that time, or existing customers from re-entering.
In addition, the hotel lobby is pushing to wipe the statewide ban on takeaway alcohol sales after 10pm
All this comes at a time when the government is looking to slap licence fee hikes of up to $20,000 on Sydney bars inside the lockout zone.
In a sign that the new rules have turned into a nice little earner for the Baird government, some $18 million was generated last year from new annual liquor licence fees imposed on venues.
While that money covers half the $51 million operating cost of the government’s liquor watchdog, the Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing, there are plans to increase the earnings.
This year, the government is looking slapping additional fees on venues based on their "risk". Bars inside, or near, the lockout zone will have pay the most.
Here’s how it works: the new system has a three strikes policy. Any venue which incurs one offence or one strike pays an extra $3000, or $6000 for two strikes, and $9000 for three. And on top of that, venues within the Kings Cross or Sydney CBD will have to pay a location risk loading of $2000. There is also an extra loading for patron capacity, up to $8000 for 301 patrons or more.
In its submission to the submission to the review of the laws by former judge Ian Callinan, which is due to report in August, the AHA uses the inner-west suburb of Newtown as an example of how a 3am "no new patrons" policy can work.
Under the Newtown Liquor Accord, patrons who plan to arrive after 3am have to book ahead. That prevents people being turned away at the door and left frustrated on the street.
The AHA describes it as a "sensible and pragmatic alternative to a lockout".
by Leon Gettler, 19th April 2016