Former High Court judge Ian Callinan QC has been appointed to oversee a review into Sydney's lockout laws.

"The Callinan Review will provide an independent, open and transparent assessment of the state's liquor laws, focusing on the facts, to advise the New South Wales Government on the future of these laws," NSW Police Minister Troy Grant said.

"I encourage everyone to have their say. Your say will be taken on board and Mr Callinan's job will be to compile all that and make the appropriate recommendations to Government."

The Minister also announced a roundtable aimed at ensuring the Government is striking the right balance between protecting Sydneysiders from alcohol-fuelled violence and maintaining the night-time economy.

The question of whether the laws have killed Sydney's nightlife has dominated social media over the past week.

Loading

It started when Australian entrepreneur Matt Barrie wrote an online essay attacking the laws, which attracted more than 200,000 views in under 24 hours.

In the essay, Mr Barrie spoke of politicians on a "moralistic crusade" turning Sydney into an "international joke".

NSW Premier Mike Baird responded with a Facebook post in which he staunchly defended the laws, arguing they have driven down assaults by 42 per cent.

In his post, Mr Baird acknowledged the impending review, but said it would take a lot to convince him the laws should be wound back.

Despite that, his deputy, Mr Grant, insisted the review does not have a foregone conclusion.

"This will be a genuine review, there is no pre-determined outcome here," Mr Grant said.

Mr Callian, who helped set up the Fitzgerald Inquiry into police corruption in Queensland, will report back to the NSW Government in August.

He will be assisted by Senior Counsel Jonathan Horton, as well as Destination NSW, NSW Police and NSW Health, Liquor and Gaming.

The lockout laws were introduced in 2014 in response to a spate of fatal one-punch attacks.

They affect venues in Kings Cross, Darling Harbour, The Rocks and parts of the CBD, and mean no shots after 10:00pm, no new customers after 1:30am and no alcohol served after 3:00am.