Start of Kings Cross ID scanners

The NSW Government has nominated 6 December as the intended date for the introduction of linked ID scanners in high-risk licensed premises at Kings Cross, Minister for Hospitality, George Souris, said.

Mr Souris said this starting date was contingent on police completing a probity check on the scanner provider and operator.

He said the licensees of 35 high-risk premises have been notified they must implement the ID scanners as part of the Government's response to alcohol-related issues in Kings Cross.

“Licensees have been informed in writing of the intended start date for the ID scanners, subject to the satisfaction of all probity requirements in relation to the system and its operator,” Mr Souris said.

“The use of ID scanners, which will be linked to a central ID scanning system, will support the use of banning orders on troublemakers at high-risk Kings Cross venues to help keep the venues and precinct safe.

“To be effective, these banning orders need to be supported by practical measures so that those who are the subject to a banning order can be identified and stopped at the door before they can enter these licensed venues.

“Without the introduction of ID scanners it would be difficult to identify these troublemakers and the benefit of the banning order provisions to the community would be significantly diminished.”

Mr Souris said “high-risk licensed venues” are defined as those venues that trade after midnight and have a capacity of more than 120 patrons.

High-risk venues will be required to operate ID scanners from 7pm on Fridays continuously through to 7am on Mondays; on public holidays and the preceding evening.

“For each high risk venue in the Kings Cross precinct, photo identification of all patrons must be scanned and a patron must be refused entry if her or she does not produce a photo ID at the proscribed times.

“Failure to operate an ID scanner, as required to admit patrons could result in the venue incurring a strike on each day of such failure under the Three Strikes disciplinary scheme.”

Mr Souris said a person who produces false identification could face a maximum court penalty of $5,500 or a $550 penalty notice.

Mr Souris said the introduction of ID scanners was part of a suite of measures contained in the Liquor Amendment (Kings Cross Plan of Management) Act 2013, which:

• Requires the introduction of ID scanners in high-risk venues;
• Enhances banning orders in the Kings Cross precinct;
• Allows for irresponsible bar staff to have their Responsible Service of Alcohol cards revoked or cancelled;
• Requires approved managers to be present in high risk licensed venues to assist in supervising and managing the conduct of the business;
• Requires hours of operation signs to be displayed by licensed venues.

Mr Souris said venue owners and staff must undertake a prescribed privacy course which will lead to the addition of a new competency.

“Penalties of up to $5,500 for licensees and $2,200 for staff are applicable where a person operates an ID scanner in a Kings Cross high risk venue without having completed privacy training.

“Maximum penalties of $11,000 and/or imprisonment of up to 12 months apply to licensees breaching licence conditions relating to these new requirements. Further, any breaches relating to the Kings Cross special conditions will be an offence captured by the Three Strikes disciplinary scheme.

“Significant privacy safeguards have been built into the scheme to ensure that privacy requirements are met.”

In addition to this tough new measure, the NSW Government has introduced numerous other measures to ameliorate alcohol-related violence, including the Three Strikes scheme, recruiting an additional 420 police officers, giving police additional ‘move on’ powers, introducing a new offence of intoxicated and disorderly and trialling sobering up centres.

The NSW Government continues to target alcohol-related violence and anti-social behaviour in NSW generally and in Kings Cross specifically…and statistics suggest it’s having an impact.

According to the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, since the NSW Government’s first phase of measures came into effect in December 2012 until 30 June, 2013, there has been a 25.5 per cent reduction in violent incidents in licensed premises in Kings Cross.

“We expect that these added measures will make Kings Cross even safer for the public,” Mr Souris said.

N.B : The 35 venues which have been identified as high-risk are:

• Bada Bing Night Spot
• Beach Haus
• Barrio Chino
• Candy's Nightclub
• Club 21
• Crane Bar
• Restaurant Pty Ltd
• Dancers Cabaret
• Disco Nightclub Pty Ltd
• DreamGirls
• First Empire Hotel
• Hampton Court Hotel
• Hugo's Lounge
• Iguana Bar & Restaurant
• le panic,
• Mansions Hotel
• Moulin Rouge
• O Nightclub
• O'Malleys Hotel
• Piccadilly Hotel
• Sapphire Lounge
• Showgirls
• Sugar Mill Hotel
• Suite 17
• The Backroom
• The Bank Hotel Sydney
• The Bourbon
• The Crest Hotel
• The Kings Cross Hotel
• The Lincoln Bar
• The Palladium Restaurant
• The Village Potts Point Pty Ltd
• The World Bar, the Trademark Hotel
• The Tunnel Nightclub and the Vegas Hotel.

Source: Minister for Tourism, Major Events, Hospitality and Racing, 19 November 2013