Queensland scraps lockout laws
The big news out of Queensland, and perhaps a sign that there’s an election coming soon, is that the Queensland government has officially scrapped plans for its controversial 1am lockout, due to come into effect this month.
State cabinet met to discuss the polarising issue in January andPremier Annastacia Palaszczuk subsequently confirmed that the last drinks at 2am and 3am in party precincts rules would remain in force.
The Premier said the government was responding to expert advice regarding the earlier last-drinks hours.
However, there will be some costs.
First, all venues in 3am Safe Night Precincts will have to install ID scanners by 1 July 2017. This will be required for them to continue trading past midnight.
Secondly, the government has reduced the the number of times in a year that premises can apply for permits to extend trade to 5am.
It’s now gone from 12 to 6.
Also, permits will only be granted for special events and not more than once a month.
The government has adopted this strategy supposedly in response to licensees in Fortitude Valley “gaming the system” where they co-ordinated applications so as to ensure that there was always venues trading until 5am.
All up, the existing times for last drinks – introduced on 1 July 2016 – will remain.
To recap, premises in any of the State's 15 “3am Safe Night Precincts” will need to remember that last service of liquor is at 3am. For premises outside of “3am Safe night Precincts”, last service of liquor will be at 2am.
Lawyers point out that these times refer to the maximum trading hours for which a licensee may apply. They stress that these are not blanket approvals to trade until 2am (or 3am in a 3am Safe Night Precinct).
And all licensees will have to cease trade at the time specified on their licence.
by Leon Gettler, February 8th 2017
