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Early lockout laws to take effect across Queensland

Thursday, 30 Jun 2016 15:17:36 | Nick Wiggins

Barman pouring shots on a bar. (iStockPhoto/Bogdanhoda)

Last drinks will be called earlier in Queensland's pubs and clubs as new lockout laws take effect on Friday night.

From July 1, people will no longer be allowed to buy alcohol after 2:00am across Queensland, while last drinks will be at 3:00am in the state's 15 safe night precincts.

Patrons will be given 30 minutes to finish drinks they have already bought.

Pubs and clubs will not have to close at those times but will have to serve non-alcoholic drinks.

After midnight, bars will not be allowed to sell shots, bombs, or some pre-mixed drinks that have more than 5 per cent alcohol.

What's banned after midnight:

  • Shooters, shots, bombs, test tubes, jelly shots
  • Drinks containing more than 45ml of spirits or liqueur
  • Pre-mixed alcoholic drinks containing more than 5 per cent alcohol and/or containing more than two standard drinks

What's not banned after midnight:

  • Beers
  • Wines
  • Cocktails, if they are listed on a cocktails menu, with a set price.
  • Spirits or liqueurs, served with or without a mixer and under 45ml of alcohol (such as gin and tonic, rum and cola, neat whisky)
(Source: Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation Queensland)

The second stage of the laws, which includes a 1:00am lockout, comes into effect in February.

Entertainment industry lobby group Our Nightlife Queensland said it would have been prepared to accept last drinks at 3:00am, but spokesman Nick Braban described a 1:00am lockout as "draconian".

"What we worry about is we're just pushing these violent individuals who are problems in the community to a different time and place, we're not actually changing behaviour, we're simply putting people out of work, and putting business," he said.

A rally against the changes in Brisbane last weekend attracted a few hundred protesters, including hospitality workers as well as Greens, LNP, and Liberal Democrat candidates in the federal election.

Mr Braban said Our Nightlife would continue to lobby the State Government in the hope of stopping the 1:00am lockout.

"Parliament is a minority at the moment, so if we can get a reasonable outcome via other avenues we'll do that as well," he said.

However, the Palaszczuk Government may be leaving the door open to not moving ahead with lockouts.

Police Minister Bill Byrne was asked if it was possible the State Government would not bring in the lockout in February if the earlier measures successfully reduced violence.

"Let's just wait and see what happens," Mr Byrne said.

"I've got an open mind to all sorts of propositions from time to time, but right now we want to see the measures that we've fought very hard for, that we've taken through parliamentary debate, and that we've had a full engagement with the community on.

"I want to see those measures brought in and see the results we expect."

Changes will reduce weekend hospital emergencies: Lynham

As a maxillofacial surgeon, Anthony Lynham was a prominent campaigner against alcohol-fuelled violence.

Now Queensland Mines Minister, Dr Lynham believes reducing hours will actually increase business.

"We'll see safer districts for people to go out and enjoy themselves, because districts are safer more people will enter those districts at night," he said earlier this week.

"We will see a 30 per cent reduction of our young kids going into emergency departments on Friday and Saturday nights."

Protesters hold banners opposing lockout laws at a Brisbane rally Photo: Protesters voiced opposition to the new laws in Brisbane last Sunday. (ABC News: Nick Wiggins)

Dr Lynham points to the New South Wales city of Newcastle as a success story, but was more reticent to talk about Sydney where its lockout proved controversial.

"Every centre goes through a transition period, Sydney is going through a brief transition period and there'll be a brighter future for Sydney," he said.

He said unlike Sydney, where lockout laws only apply to Kings Cross in the inner city, Queensland's laws will be enforced statewide.

"In Queensland, the transition will be very brief indeed because it is statewide ... we will see very little affect in jobs — in fact, we'll see probably a rapid increase in jobs," Dr Lynham said.

Music venues 'no different to casinos'

Casinos will be exempt from the Queensland lockout laws and the midnight ban on shots.

Dr Lynham said this is because they have better security and their primary purpose is not serving alcohol.

Queensland safe night precincts

  • Airlie Beach
  • Brisbane CBD
  • Broadbeach CBD
  • Bundaberg CBD
  • Cairns CBD
  • Fortitude Valley
  • Gladstone CBD
  • Inner-west Brisbane (including Caxton Street)
  • Ipswich CBD
  • Mackay CBD
  • Rockhampton CBD
  • Sunshine Coast (Caloundra, Maroochydore and Mooloolaba)
  • Surfers Paradise CBD
  • Toowoomba CBD
  • Townsville CBD

"Casinos are there for being casinos and gambling, they're not there to serve drunks at three o'clock in the morning," he said.

Mr Braban said by that logic music venues should likewise be exempt.

"Selling booze is part of what they do, it's not the primary purpose," Mr Braban said.

"Their arguments are backwards and they're not really doing anything about the underlying problem of violence in the community."

Mr Braban said he is also concerned about a lack of communication on which drinks are banned after midnight.

"There's going to be a bumpy start ... they announced the change in the regulation with about three weeks' notice," he said.

Opposition employment spokesman Jarrod Bleijie said there was no evidence the Government's approach would work.

"There's a better way to tackle alcohol-fuelled violence — it's not punishing the majority of citizens for the sins of a few, it's making sure those who muck up suffer the consequences and have the harshest penalties and punishments applicable," he said.

Mr Bleijie called for the Government to implement measures such as ID scanners.

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