Queensland venues to dodge 1am lockout

According to the Brisbane Courier Mail, the Queensland Government will delay drop the contentious statewide 1am lockout due to be introduced on February 1.

Speculation has been growing, as reported by the TMN last week, that the Government is increasingly uneasy about going into an election year with this issue. The state’s venue associations have carried out a high-profile campaign against the lockout laws in recent months.

Last week, the Government signalled that a favourable interim report due out late January will give it the government the excuse that they need. The report examines the first phase of the lockouts introduced mid-2016.

The Courier Mail reports that the Cabinet will meet today to discuss the issue. It’s sources say that it will delay or abandon Phase 2 in return for clubs installing new scanning and ID systems which would allow venues to pinpoint troublemakers and ban them from precincts.

This deal was offered by venues to the Government in secret talks last month.

The systems can cost up to $10,000 for each venue but is considered to be beneficial for venues given the losses they face under a 1am close-off.

The Courier Mail also believes that Cabinet will act on the recommendation of the interim report and will tighten up special permits. These allowed venues to stay open to 3am for a total of 12 times in a calendar year.

The exceptions were designed to be used for special days such as New Year’s Day or major sporting events. But venues have been using their allocations up within six months, staying open later on alternate weekends in the first six months on the assumption that Phase 2 would not be introduced.

It is also expected that Brisbane City Council’s first meeting on February 7 will see it again call for the Government to drop the lockout laws.

The motion will be put forward by Economic Development Chairman Krista Adams, who has previously spoken out on the devastating effects that the lockouts have on Queensland’s tourism and night-time economy, as well as its image around the world.