Anticipation is building ahead of the release of the independent review into NSW’s liquor laws, expected by the end of the week.
The government was handed the review today (Tuesday) by retired judge Hon Ian Callinan QC and it is expected to be released publicly by Friday.
The review has been an exhaustive process with more than 1,800 submissions lodged and three round tables held where participants were asked their opinion on the state’s lock-out laws, which stipulate a 1.30am lock out and no alcohol served after 3am in the Sydney CBD entertainment and Kings Cross precincts.
The review will also consider the state-wide ban on take-away alcohol sales after 10pm, the freeze on new liquor licences in the precincts and periodic liquor licence fee laws, an annual scheme where the fee is based on a venue’s opening hours and risk levels.
The laws, which were introduced by then NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell in February 2014 after a string of one-punch assaults, continue to be a hugely emotive issue in NSW. There was a street protest against them in February when about 8000 marched through Sydney.
While police and medics have pointed to a significant drop in alcohol-fuelled violence since their introduction, businesses and patrons have complained the constraints they bring have killed Sydney’s nightlife and led to venues closing down, especially around the Cross.
There is a large cross-section of people and interest groups who have strong views on the legislation, including CBD and Kings Cross residents, who appear to be enjoying a quieter life and higher property values; live music venues; radio stations who say they have lost sponsors and local councils, who often straddle both camps.
Premier Mike Baird has been a staunch defender of the laws as they currently stand but the youth wing of his party, the Young Liberals, does not share his enthusiasm, claiming the restrictions have had a “deleterious effect” on Sydney’s night-time economy and culture.
Other supporters of the laws include The Last Drinks Coalition, made up of doctors, nurses, paramedics and police officers, which has suggested the measures be extended to all NSW venues to combat alcohol-fuelled violence.
The Coalition’s submission to the review said:
“Prior to the introduction of the modest alcohol laws in Sydney, emergency service workers were at breaking point, having to deal with constant and extreme levels of alcohol-fuelled violence.
“The measures have been proven to work in the greater Sydney CBD, so it is important other communities can now benefit from the decrease in alcohol-fuelled violence.”
Meanwhile, businesses in the area have come out and attacked the restrictions.
CEO of Merivale Hotel Group Justin Hemmes said in his submission that rules should be based on venue size, not incident numbers. His Ivy Club in Sydney recorded the highest number of violent incidents (23) in NSW in 2015.
Hemmes also complained that the laws have stopped stars like Madonna, the late singer Prince and Drake from getting into some Merivale venues, saying: “Sydney’s reputation as an international dining and hospitality destination is being impacted by reports from tourists and celebrities of our ‘nanny state’ laws.”
You can read the background paper informing the review here.
Issues examined by the review include the impact of the laws on public safety, alcohol-related violence and anti-social behaviour; their impact on venue owners, operators and patrons of licensed venues and on related businesses, such as food, and the positive and negative community impacts.
It will include an analysis of data – both statistical and from interviews and focus groups – on alcohol-related violence and anti-social behaviour, including data from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and look at whether the laws have shifted drunk patrons and trouble to other suburbs, such as Newtown.
The Liquor and Gaming NSW is providing technical and secretariat support to the review, whic must occur within two years of the laws being introduced.
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