Overview
The NSW Parliament overnight passed the suite of legislation targeting alcohol-related violence in Sydney. It comes a little over a week after the amendments were first proposed, making the organised opposition from the bars and music industries and other lovers of the nightlife seem too little, too late.
The mandatory jail sentences for one-punch offenders who are drunk or on drugs come into effect tonight. The attendant liquor licensing changes will apply from late April, impacting bars and venues that fall within the 'CBD Precinct', a designated zone that stretches east from Darling Harbour to Kings Cross and south from The Rocks to Darlinghurst. Exempting small bars with a maximum capacity of fewer than 60 people, venues in this area will be required to impose lockouts from 1.30am and to stop serving alcohol at 3am.
The Government and Opposition voted together to pass the laws last night. The Greens were against what they believe is a "knee-jerk" reaction to Sydney's violence problem, with Greens MP John Kaye telling the ABC, "We don't believe there's evidence to justify what they're doing ... We don't believe we can justify imposing on responsible late night venue goers measures that are probably going to fail.”
Last week we spoke to several of our favourite small bars to hear how they would be affected under the new system. Alcohol delivery service Jimmy Brings were also protesting the proposed laws, along with the Sydney Late Night Culture Alliance — a banding together of key stakeholders in Sydney's music world, including MusicNSW, FBi radio, SLAM, Goodgod Small Club, Oxford Art Factory, TheMusic.com.au and inthemix — through their 'Keep Sydney Open' campaign.
The next steps for these campaigns now the laws have been passed are unclear. Premier Barry O'Farrell has implied there may be room for change in the future. "It may be possible that from time to time this legislation needs to be tweaked," he said in parliament. "We will tweak it. We will make changes that are designed to make it more effective, that are designed to improve its operation.".
Update (February 5) via SMH: New lockouts and last drinks will now come into affect on February 24, Premier O'Farrell announced today.
By Rima Sabina Aouf and Lucy McNabb.