Second Sydney lockouts protest hits Newtown

Almost two years on from the NSW state Government’s decision to set in place lockout laws for clubs and venues, Sydney’s residents are still fighting against them.

The second Reclaim The Streets rally in three months saw hundreds of protesters march down Newtown’s King Streetfrom 2pm on Saturday. Attendees were calling for a more supportive state Government.

Protesters held up signs with slogans like “Unlock Sydney” and “NSW: Nanny State”, while DJs and local bands decorated the street.

The controversial 1:30am lockout laws were set into place in February last year following two alcohol-fuelleddeaths and several acts of violence in the Kings Cross area. Since then, as many as 17 venues across Sydney have blamed those laws for their closures. Those venues include: Hugo’s Lounge, Trademark Hotel, The Backroom, Soho, Flinder’s Bar, Q Bar and most recently Jimmy Liks.

Reclaim The Streets spokesperson James Loch told TMN the group chose Newtown for the rally because many of the issues facing Oxford Street, like the lockouts and clearways, are also about to affect King Street.

“The Westconnex Tollway will spew thousands of extra cars into Newtown everyday so a clearway along King Street will be required to deal with the extra traffic. Clearways deprive local businesses of stop-and-go customers which make up a significant proportion of sales,” said Loch.

“When there is less diversity in the economy, you end up with fewer eyes in the street, the capacity to self regulate is diminished and altercations begin,” he added. “We’ve seen this happen on Oxford street, we don’t want it to happen in Newtown. The lockout laws are already affecting the Newtown nightlife. Local pubs have instituted a voluntary lockout in order to dissuade people locked out of the city.”

Loch told TMN the group doesn’t have any immediate plans for another demonstraton: “It was absolutely beautiful to see the community come out to Reclaim The Streets and make a point about shitty government policy,” he said. “We’re all very tired at the moment. It takes quite a lot to Reclaim The Streets. We’ll see how we feel in a couple of months.”

Reclaim The Streets organiser Chris Lego told Fairfax the city’s residents are being punished for the “brutal stupidity of one or two people.”

“If the government shuts down our dance floors, we’ll dance on the streets,” said Lego. We don’t believe we should be collectively punished for the brutal stupidity of one or two people. There’s been an over-policing of fun, spontaneity and creativity in Sydney. It’s not good enough.”

In Melbourne in 2010 – where alockout was introduced but short-lived (just three months) – a protest and a rise in violent crime resulted in the axing of the lockout.

Earlier this month at Sydney’s annual Electronic Music Conference (EMC) a panel was hosted titled ‘Lockoutsand the Future of Australian Nightlife’. Panellist Tyson Koh (Rage, Keep Sydney Open) said our venues, businesses, lobby groups and industry associations need to collude to create change.

“The music scene really needs to organise itself and come to the table, to be able to work with the Live Music Office and other bodies as well, to be able to strengthen and unify its response to the lockouts,” Koh said.

Sydney’s music scene has been greatly affected by the lockouts. Live gig promoter Nick Parker told Fairfax on the weekend: “We’re trying to build a music culture – so many DJs and musicians want to be heard but they’re not getting the chance because they’re being shut down by the lockout laws.”

Granted, 16 venues situated inside Sydney’s lockout zone have been made exempt to the lockouts as of last week, but that’s because those venues host gambling machines. The exemptions all involve a ban on alcohol sales after 1.30am, but punters can gamble right through the night.

At the EMC panel this month Live Music Office Policy Director John Wardle said small businesses need to articulate that live music across the country offersa great economic, social and cultural contribution to the community.

“At the moment it feels like a defensive conversation, which no one in this room is going to win,” said Wardle. “[…] Certainly the position we’re in at the moment is looking for a variety of ways to out music, whether it’s live or recorded or whatever, front and centre in the various portfolios of government.”

The Bureau of Crime Statistics and Researchreleased data in April, which showed a 40% fall in alcohol-fuelled violence in the city since the lockout started in February 2014.

The laws are due for review in February 2016.

Image: The first Reclaim The Streets protest in Kings Cross
Credit:Joachim Pforr