Lockout laws pressure on Mike Baird after greyhounds backflip
Following his humiliating decision to reverse his government’s contentious greyhound racing ban, the heat is on New South Wales Mike Baird to back down on the state’s lockout laws.
Days after thousands marched in Sydney protesting against the laws, questions are being raised whether the lockout laws are next to go.
Mr Baird however hosed down any of that sort of speculation and indicated he was taking his time evaluating the laws.
Mr Baird said his government was now looking at the Independent Liquor Law Review, published last month and led by former High Court judge the Honourable Ian Callinan which had recommended a two-year trial in which the 1.30am lockout and 3am last drinks measures be relaxed for live entertainment venues.
Under the lockout regime, bars, pubs and venues in Sydney’s Central Business District Entertainment Precinct — from Surry Hills to The Rocks to Kings’ Cross — have to enforce 1.30am lockouts and last drinks at 3am. The laws also prohibit bottle shops from selling alcohol after 10pm.
In his report, Callinan had made the point that the law had “come at a cost ... to employment, live entertainment and the vibrancy of the precincts.”
“We've had Ian Callinan look at it, he's made some recommendations and there is two sides of the debate, we've listened comprehensively to those now in the next few weeks. Cabinet and the government and our party rooms will consider that,' the Premier told radio presenter Alan Jones on Wednesday.
“Obviously ... there are two sides of the debate.
“Over the next few weeks cabinet and the government and the party room will consider (the recommendations).”
Up until now, Mr Baird has championed the laws which were introduced after a one-punch killing in 2012 where the assailant had pre-drinks in western Sydney’s Quakers Hill.
Mr Baird denied that that Sydney was losing tourists to Melbourne because of the law. He claimed that was “a spin Melbourne has put on it”.
by Leon Gettler, October 13th 2016
