Queensland's lockout laws wound back, compulsory ID scanners to be introduced to Safe Night Precincts

Updated

The Queensland Government has abandoned one of its signature policies and will not enforce a 1:00am nightclub lockout that was due to start next week.

Instead, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk today announced that the use of ID scanners in safe night precincts including Fortitude Valley will be enforced from July 1.

Venues in the state's 15 safe night precincts are permitted to serve alcohol until 3:00am, an hour later than other venues, under the first stage of the Government's liquor rules which came into effect last year.

The Government will now require venues in the precincts to scan ID cards of all patrons in order to trade past midnight.

The number of one-off permits granted to clubs to serve alcohol past 3:00am will also be reduced from 12 to six, with tighter criteria around when the clubs are allowed to use them.

The permits will now only be granted for special events, and ordinarily at most once per month.

'We need licensed venues to step up'

The lockout laws were the second round of liquor laws due to come into effect to combat alcohol-fuelled violence in Queensland.

They were to follow rules that came into effect in July last year, which also banned rapid consumption drinks like shooters, shots, and drinks containing more than 45ml of spirits.

Cabinet today considered a report into the effectiveness of the measures already in place.

It found no noticeable drop in assaults or hospital presentations as a result of the rules, and that "there has not been a single weekend night where all venues in the Fortitude Valley have ceased the service of alcohol at 3:00am".

Attorney-General Yvette D'Ath said the new laws had been "gamed" by some venues, meaning the laws' impact could not be accurately judged.

"[The permits] have been used by some venues to ensure they had continuous trade … to the point that they were openly advertising that they were continuing to trade until 5:00am and thumbing their nose at these laws," Mrs D'Ath said.

"We are continuing to see a decline in alcohol-fuelled violence, but not the rapid decrease that we hoped to see as a consequence of the 3:00am and 2:00am liquor hours.

"We know from all the evidence, both nationally and internationally, that reducing the hours of service and alcohol is the most important initiative that achieves the best results."

Mrs D'Ath said the laws would be assessed again in early 2018.

"We want to ensure that we can assess it properly and determine whether it is achieving the results we want, but we need the licensed venues to step up and work with us," she said.

Facial surgeon turned minister 'happy' to ditch lockouts

Development Minister Anthony Lynham — who was a passionate advocate of lockout laws — said the measures already introduced were more important.

"I'm happy that we are sticking with our firm policy that the 3:00am last drinks stays … lockouts are a supplementary part of this," Mr Lynham said.

"My political work will be done when I can stand proud to show that we have a one-third reduction in the number of kids turning up to our emergency departments on a Friday and Saturday night.

"That's why I'm here, and that's one reason why I'm standing up strong today."

Topics: law-crime-and-justice, laws, brisbane-4000

First posted