NSW Lockout Laws to Be 'Relaxed' by Baird Government

NSW venue lockout and bottle shop closing times are set to be pushed back, with Premier Mike Baird expected to announce new details for statewide lockout laws today. Reported by The Guardian, Baird will today detail a later lockout time from 1.30am to 2am (with the proviso that live entertainment be provided in the venue) and a new closing time for CBD venues from 3am to 3.30am.

Cut-off time for takeaway alcohol, whether purchased across the counter or from a bottle shop, will be pushed back from 10pm to 11pm. The new lockout time of 2am will form part of a two-year trial. Small bar licenses will change too, with the definitive capacity of a small bar being upped from 60 to 100.

The changes come three months after the release of the controversial statutory Liquor Law Review by former High Court Judge Ian Callinan (read our handy breakdown of the review here). Among other things, Callinan suggested an easing of the time the lockout takes effect for live entertainment venues and an extension of the opening hours for bottle shops and home delivery services.

But really, is half an hour enough to change Sydney's shackled nightlife? Nightlife lobbyists Keep Sydney Open took to Twitter to vent their frustration, calling the legislative changes a "joke".

What a joke. A 30 minute relaxation is an insult to businesses and Sydney's global status. Mike Baird is in for a rough ride. https://t.co/EeuklMgxc3

— Keep Sydney Open (@KeepSydneyOpen) December 7, 2016

Via The Guardian. Image: Kimberley Low.