Alcohol law changes delayed

A legal cloud over the State Government's new alcohol laws, which include 3am lockouts, has failed to clear after the Upper House chose not to vote on changes to the law tonight. The changes, introduced by Family First, would have corrected the legislation so that Supreme Court action by two Hindley St nightclubs would have been quashed.

The nightclubs are claiming clauses of the code of conduct are "beyond the power'' of the Liquor Commissioner.

The Opposition delayed the vote on the changes because it wanted more time to consider them.

Attorney General John Rau said it was irresponsible not to proceed with haste considering the pending legal action.

"If they don't pass this Bill and the court strikes out the code we will have no code at all ... to stop alcohol-fuelled violence," he said.

"I have been told they (the nightclubs) have an arguable case.

"It's just irresponsible when the Parliament knows there is a legal challenge and Parliament can fix it up. It can be done in five minutes by the Legislative Council."

Opposition spokesman Rob Lucas said the Liberals would not attempt to block the Government's late-night code but were yet to consider the Family First amendments.

"We have to take them to party room to decide whether we will support them," he said.

"Clearly what the Government is trying to do is jam it through."

Mr Lucas said if the changes were going to impact on an impeding court case they would need to be carefully considered and the party would take advice on that impact.

Source: The Telegraph, 17 October 2013