In a bid to revitalise the city’s nightlife, Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore has called on the NSW Government to “wind back” lockout laws for “well-managed venues”.
The City is urging Liquor and Gaming NSW review current regulations and ease up on live music and performance venues to make them exempted from the current 1.30am lockout.
“We are working with our community of passionate and creative people who run Sydney’s night-time businesses to create an environment where well-managed venues can thrive – but we need the State Government to get on board,” Moore said.
“We all want a civilised, safe late-night economy with different options for people of all ages to go out and enjoy themselves after dark, but the lockouts were a sledgehammer blow when what we needed was a well-researched, evidence-based and flexible response using transport, planning, licensing and police.”
Moore also stated the lockout laws had damaged Sydney’s global reputation, tourism and hospitality industry.
“We knew what the problem was – too many venues in one area, not enough public transport late at night, lifetime liquor licences that reduce accountability of venues, and a planning system that doesn’t recognise when an area has become saturated,” Moore said.
“Well-managed late-trading premises are essential to our city’s cultural life and economic growth, and people need to feel safe. We need to get both right – it’s not a question of one or the other.”
On top of that, City of Sydney has also recommended that well-managed venues benefit from reduced licence fees and an easier application process, while punters are afforded more late-night transport and more.
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