The lockout laws, which were introduced to curb alcohol-related violence, have been slowly relaxed since their introduction in 2014. The NSW government announced last week that the four-year freeze on new liquor licences will not apply to new live music and arts venues in Sydney’s CBD and Kings Cross. But the DJ duo, who will give evidence to the NSW parliamentary inquiry into live music on Monday, say the strict laws have closed live entertainment venues and made it harder for musicians to earn a living. “It’s very sad to see Sydney in such a crisis,” Mr Turner said. “On our travels around Australia and the world, one of the first questions people ask us is, 'What the hell is going on in Sydney?'.'' Figures from Liquor & Gaming NSW show 418 licensed premises had closed in the Sydney CBD and Kings Cross since 2014, while 242 small bar and on premises licenses were granted. John Graham, a Labor member of the parliamentary inquiry, said there had been a net loss of 176 venues since the introduction of lockout laws.

Mr Graham said the state government had completed just five of 25 recommendations from its night time economy taskforce. “They were all due to be completed now,” he said. "We also know the timing on the contemporary music plan ('second half of 2018') and the night time economy master plan (end of 2018) – both should have been delivered last year.” The NSW government will spend about $1 million on contemporary music in 2017-18 - less than the Victorian government’s four-year, $22 million package for the music industry. Mr Graham said the inquiry, chaired by Paul Green from the Christian Democratic Party, had been told there was a pressing need to clear the regulatory hurdles that prevent venues from staying open and musicians from working. City of Sydney councillor Jess Scully said employment in live music had gone down, while there were more jobs in gambling.

“They’ve made the easiest, most viable option for venue owners [is] just to chuck some pokies in there,” she said. “That has a damaging social effect that goes well beyond the impact on the creative economy.” But the problems afflicting the city's night life exist beyond the area where lockout laws apply. Loading Darcy Byrne, the mayor of the Inner West council, said live music venues were also closing in Sydney's inner west at an accelerating rate. “In practice, the deadly troika of councils, the liquor regulator and the licensing police are combining to form a tacit fun police force which is killing our live music scene," Cr Byrne said.