2am last drinks, lockout laws for Queensland

Brisbane-skyline

The Queensland Labor government will introduce legislation proposing a cut off of 2am for last drinks for bars across Queensland this week.

The 2am last drinks rule will apply statewide. Venues in what is described as Safe Night zones — in entertainment precincts like Fortitude Valley, Brisbane city and the Gold Coast — will be able to apply for exceptions to serve drinks until 3am. Venues in those areas however will see a 1am lockout imposed.

Venues that have gaming or other forms of entertainment will be able to continue trading to their usual closing times provided they don’t serve alcohol.

Our Nightlife Queensland, a group which has been advocating against the imposition of lockout laws, has come out strongly against the proposed legislation.

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“What’s being put forward by the Government will kill our entertainment precincts as it has done in Sydney, because young people will fail to see the value in coming,” said Our Nightlife Queensland’s secretary, Nick Braban. “It simply won’t be worth their time or money. We hope that the Government has a plan for the displacement of people partying in the suburbs, however, we are certain they do not.”

“This response again refuses to take into account all available evidence in Queensland. It again refers to places like Newcastle, forgetting we already show reductions greater than anything seen in NSW, and have lower assault rates by a country mile.”

“Assaults in the Brisbane area are already 63% lower than Newcastle, is government really expecting us to continue to accept the failed experiments of NSW as a good way forward for Queensland?”

The ABC Online reported that Queensland’s attorney general, Yvette D’Ath, said that the laws could come into effect from July 2016, and would save the lives of Queenslanders.

“Personal safety must be paramount – this Government made a commitment at the last election to the people of Queensland to keep their loved ones safe when they went out at night, and this comprehensive package is designed to do just that,” she is reported as saying.

“One in six Queenslanders has been the victim of alcohol-fuelled violence and two-thirds of Queenslanders consider the city or centre of their town unsafe on a Saturday night.”

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