Sensible Drinking Laws !

They were contentious at the time, but the "Lockout "laws that were implemented to curb street aggression around nightclubs have proved their worth.  The people who man the emergency department at St Vincents hospital, where the carnage is usually delivered by ambulance - report an eighty percent drop in the type of injuries they had been treating before those laws came into force.

For much of the twentieth century Sydney had that infamous "Six O'Clock Swill " that saw huge crowds gulping down as much beer as they could manage before the draconian closing of pub doors as the clock struck six in the late afternoon.   It was a sight that repulsed overseas visitors and calls for more civilized drinking hours were repulsed by both the churches and the temperance movement - despite tourist friendly Tasmania having 10 am opening until closing at 10 in the evening as it's regime for many decades.

Eventually, sanity won and six o'clock closing was abolished, but even the more liberal trading hours came under pressure for extension.  Very quickly, late licenses to trade until midnight became available to cater for special events - and then these became so common that midnight became the de facto closing time.  The fact that Sydney was a popular R & R venue during the Vietnam war increased the pressure for longer drinking hours.

At the same time, public taste for nightlife was fast changing.   The pubs and clubs began to develop into nightclubs and patrons demanded entertainment.  Cabaret acts entered the scene and popular bands drew a following - and closing hours virtually disappeared.

A new phenomenon began to appear.  Sudden, unprovoked violence, often inflicted on a complete stranger.  Friday and Saturday nights became notorious for a steady flow of casualties needing treatment at hospital emergency rooms - and some of these injuries were becoming fatal.  There were many enquiries and psychologists delving into the reason this was happening.

Despite howls of protest from the liquor industry, the government instituted a novel approach to curbing this violence.  Venues were forced to implement a 1-30 am lockdown.   Patrons could continue to drink at whatever venue they favoured, but once they left they could not be readmitted - nor could they enter any other bar or nightclub, and a final closure saw the end of alcohol being served everywhere at 3 am.   Once out the door, they had no other option than to go home !

The reasons that this has been so successful is not entirely clear, but some people think that the cause is certainly associated with the previous tendency to wander aimlessly from venue to venue being curbed.  Bouncers vetted those seeking entry for dress standards and state of sobriety and this caused delays - with many people "off their face " milling about at entrances - with consequent opportunities for aggression.

Whatever the reason - it has worked and the statistics from hospital emergency departments prove the case.   This "Lockout "law only applied to the prime entertainment district of Sydney's Kings Cross and a few selected other venues notorious for their incidence of violence.   There are now calls for it to be implemented on an entire state basis - and it is hard to find a compelling reason to oppose such a move.

It just depends if the politicians have the courage to withstand pressure from the powerful liquor industry - and the electoral cycle is in the right phase of timing for this move !