Queensland Locked Out
Reclaim Your Nightlife – Shut Down the Lock Down
Archive for November, 2009
What can you do?
Nov 26th
I have been getting many emails from hundreds of people in regards to what they can do to help. One question has come up constantly which I feel needs to be addressed is “what can I do?”
There’s a lot you can do which will help our cause. We need to be united in this matter! We admit that there is a problem in our entertainment precincts but the minority that do cause such problems are the ones that need to be punished, not an entire community. So here are a few things that you can do to try and prevent this.
- Sign the petition: The petition is available via the here. Go in there and sign it and stand up for your rights.
- Join the Facebook Page and Invite all your friends to it: The Facebook fan page for Queensland Locked Out is located here. It will enable you to keep up to date with everything that we’re doing in our attempt to fight this. Once you’ve joined the fan page, invite all your friends to the fan page. It is a tedious process to add everyone individually but that little time you have spent in doing so, will be promoting the cause, the movement, the website and the petition. Other forms of facebook promotion such as a change in profile pictures and status updates will also be highly effective in getting the word out. Many of us promote events, here’s your chance to promote your stance so you can attend those events.
- Email Your MPs: You can find your MPs email address by downloading the following PDF and sending them a profanity free email explaining your position against any sort of a lockout. Keep the emails short, to the point explaining why you’re against it and why there are better solutions in resolving the issues.
- Buy a T-shirt and wear it out: From each T-Shirt we make $5 profit which will go directly into organising the protests and preventing an earlier shutdown from going through. We are not pocketing any of this money since prevention of an earlier shutdown is our reward. Wear them out proud and promote your stance against the shut down. You have the choices of Three different T-Shirts which are available Here, Here and Here.
- Get involved with the Media: Call your radio stations, write an editorial, make comments on news articles online and get involved. Let your voices be heard. This is your nightlife and if you don’t speak up, they will ruin it because of those few criminals that are causing trouble.
- Donate some money: If you can’t afford a T-Shirt, then surely you can afford a dollar or 2 to donate to the cause. Whatever amount you decide to donate, it’ll accumulate and be a great help. The donate button is located on the right hand side of our website.
- Attend the Protests: Early next year a major protest will be organised across the cities in Queensland. They will be peaceful, alcohol and drug free with plenty of special guests that share our message.
This is your only chance to prevent an earlier shutdown/lockout from going through. Reclaim Your Nightlife and do what you can to prevent a shutdown.
Bligh keen to see if glass ban works in all licensed venues
Nov 26th
Any changes in licensing times, even a 3am shutdown will be dangerous for our community. Can you imagine everyone being let loose into the streets at the same time just as the night is being started. Here’s an article that was published in the Courier Mail today. Direct Link to article here
PREMIER Anna Bligh has directed a committee investigating alcohol-fuelled violence to explore whether all Queensland licensed venues can eventually be glass-free.
In a letter to the Law, Safety and Justice Committee dated October 6, Ms Bligh requested consideration be given to “the feasibility and workability of transitioning, over time, to the complete phasing out of regular glass in licensed venues”.
She said it would need to be in consultation with industry and the community.
Liquor Licensing Minister Peter Lawlor this month also wrote to the committee about the prospect of changing closing times from 5am to 3am.
“During the extensive industry and community consultation undertaken as part of that review, the Queensland Hotels Association, the peak industry body … indicated its members generally would be agreeable to a uniform 3am closing time,” he said. “I believe the association’s proposal merits fresh consideration by the committee.”
The State Government announced the parliamentary inquiry and a glass ban at “high risk” venues in July following the launch of The Courier-Mail’s Punch Drunk series on alcohol-fuelled violence.
However, it has had difficulty enforcing it after 13 of the 74 licensees issued with show-cause notices were given more time to fight the ruling by the Supreme Court.
The ban is now due to apply in February instead of December.
The Law, Safety and Justice Committee handed down its interim report yesterday, but the only recommendation was to have a separate inquiry into the impact of drugs on society. “The issue of the extent to which the use of illicit drugs contributes to the levels of public violence has been raised on a number of occasions,” chairwoman Barbara Stone said.
Ms Bligh said the Government would consider a separate inquiry into illegal drugs, but not before the current inquiry was completed.
“I know that there is growing public concern about alcohol-fuelled violence, and I accept the views from the committee that some of the violence we see on our streets … is fuelled by drugs,” she said.
Other proposals under consideration include networked ID scanners across key entertainment precincts, better education for youth and more funding for frontline workers.
The Queensland Police Union, which is leading the charge for earlier closing times, criticised the committee for not recommending any changes in the lead-up to Christmas, saying “Arctic icebergs move faster”.
The committee is due to make its final report in March.
Brisbane nightclubs to introduce fingerprint scanning
Nov 24th
An article in relation to the ID scanners being introduced at some of the venues. Through these systems, troublemakers can be identified and banned from the venues. Please, participate in the comments of the article on the courier mail website. Direct Link Here
PATRONS at some of Brisbane’s top nightspots will be forced to have their fingerprints scanned before entering clubs.
Five venues in the Fortitude Valley precinct will be introducing new fingerprinting scanning systems by the end of February in a bid to curb alcohol-fuelled violence.
Valley Liquor Accord chairman Danny Blair said it was a “step in the right direction” to providing safer venues.
“We’re hoping we will have fingerprint scanning up and running in The Family nightclub in the next month. And if it’s successful in reducing alcohol-related violence there then we’ll look at introducing it in other venues,” Mr Blair said.
“By the end of February next year we hope all our venues will have fingerprint ID scanners.”
Before entry, patrons will have their ID scanned, picture taken and right index finger scanned for a fingerprint.
Mr Blair said the technology would be rolled out at Katarzyna Group venues including Cloudland, The Family, Empire Hotel, Press Club and Birdie Num Nums.
“If they (patrons) don’t behave it obviously gives us the ability to bar them from the premises. It will enable us to bar them from all of our venues.”
Options Tavern at Helensvale on the Gold Coast is among the few Queensland venues already using the technology.
But civil libertarian Terry O’Gorman said fingerprinting raised privacy concerns.
“The information won’t be secure because there’s no privacy laws that makes them (hotels) store it securely,” he said.
Queensland Hotels Association chief executive Justin O’Connor said the fingerprint scanning was designed to “deter anti-social behaviour” and make it simple for patrons to revisit the same venue.
“The rationale for taking the fingerprint scan and turning it into digital memory is to allow for a future visit to be done on the basis of a fingerprint scan,” he said.
“You don’t have to keep surrendering your ID to access the premises.”
The information can be stored for about 28 days.
Pub glass ban delay hits closing time changes
Nov 23rd
Article in the Courier Mail today. Click Here for Direct Link
PUBS and clubs have been spared a rollback of closing times before Christmas after the Bligh Government was forced to delay a controversial glass ban.
With a parliamentary committee set to release an interim report into the impacts of alcohol-fuelled violence this week, Premier Anna Bligh yesterday ruled out winding back trading hours before the new year.
The move followed calls from the Queensland Police Union for nightclubs to close at 2am and suburban hotels at midnight, in time for the summer holiday season.
The ambulance union, the Australasian College of Surgeons and Lord Mayor Campbell Newman had also supported tightening closing times, but some licensees feared the move could force them out of business.
Ms Bligh yesterday said she would wait to see the report before looking at any future moves, but said trading hours could not be changed before new year, given the logistics involved.
”If we do something on a knee-jerk basis without having in place a crowd control plan, a taxi plan, a public transport plan, we could actually make things worse,” Ms Bligh said.
The Government will instead roll out a $1.5 million program targeting liquor-related offences and funding 16,000 extra police hours.
Her comments came as a raft of Supreme Court actions over the glass ban forced the Office of Liquor Licensing to delay action on the original 41 ”high-risk” venues.
The bans were due to come into force on December 1 but will now be delayed until early February.
More than 100 licensees have already chosen to voluntarily switch to non-regular glass, such as tempered glass or plastic cups.
QPU president Ian Leavers yesterday said he hoped reduced trading hours would eventually be enforced.
”I understand the logistics of this for Parliament, but I do hope this change happens eventually it will be better late than never,” Mr Leavers said. ”If this can happen, it will improve the safety of the entire community.”
Valley Liquor Accord chairman Danny Blair praised Ms Bligh for listening to calls for more police in entertainment hot spots.
Clubbers Join Force
Nov 19th
In todays City News, an article was written about our website and plans. Pick up your copy. Direct Link to the Article Here
CLUBBERS JOIN FORCE
QUEENSLAND’S Gen Y clubbers are mobilising online to fight attempts to radically slash trading hours and ban glasses in city nightspots.Often considered apathetic, a group of 20-somethings on Facebook called ‘‘Say NO to the 2am lockdown of the Valley’’ has attracted 24,678 members. And a group protesting the removal of glassware has more than 1100 members.
Part-time Brisbane DJ Zach Salar formed internet-based group Queensland Locked Out to give patrons a voice. Instead of drastically cutting venue hours, the group advocates improved community harmony, harsher penalties for violent offenders, an increase in police presence and security, the introduction of ID Scanners and chill-out zones in entertainment precincts. ‘‘We spoke to the venue owners and they said they were scared about the impact a 2am shutdown would have,’’ Zach said. ‘‘And I thought patrons needed to have a say too. ‘‘It is to give Gen Y a voice and to let Gen-Xers and Baby Boomers, who mostly don’t come to the Valley and only hear what happens (through) the media, what our solutions to the problems are.’’ The website has attracted 20,000 hits in little over a week and the petition has attracted 780 names.
The owner of Brunswick Mall bar Kaliber, Claudia Bordini, is also giving revellers the opportunity to share their views on the proposal, opening the microphone every Friday night at 2am to patrons’ thoughts. ‘‘We are not trying to make a statement against the fact, as such,’’ Ms Bordini said. ‘‘But we do acknowledge patrons’ frustration with it and (are) trying to give them a healthy way to express their point of view. ‘‘Last Friday we got a great response from the people . . . patrons expressed constructive criticism free from anger.’’
■ By LUKE ROYES
2am lockout speech from Melbourne
Nov 18th
Here’s an inspirational speech by Adam Bandt, The Greens candidate for the Lord Mayor at the protest against the 2am curfew which was planned to trial in Melbourne. We will be pushing for similar things here in Queensland to prevent any sort of a shutdown from going through so watch this space.
Bans for violent crime
Nov 18th
Here’s an article on City News in regards to some proactive measures the VLA are taking in deterring people from being violent.
Click Here to access the Article Directly
People convicted of violent alcohol-related crimes will be banned from Valley pubs and clubs. Valley Liquor Accord chairman Danny Blair said it was imperative young patrons understood that anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated and this is about getting the message across. “We reserve the right to forbid entry to any person and licensees we will be executing that right against people convicted of alcohol-related violence by obtaining their name in a public court,’’ Mr Blair said. “We’ve heard a lot about glassware and winding back trading hours, but we have heard very little about sending a strong message to the people responsible for the violence. “This course of action lets offenders know they will be forfeiting the right to socialise because we do not want them there.’’ Mr Blair said the length of the bans would depend on the offence and those convicted of assaulting police or being involved in an assault where glass is used would be hit with the heaviest penalties.
Nov 11th
Brisbane and QLD has the climate and resources for good times, but like most citys the Minority have no sense of responisbility or care for the others around them and deem it fit to ruin it for the people who have invested their time and resources to create great enviroments for us to enjoy. In Wellington NZ, the Walkwise programme was introduced and has had an amzingly positive effect for the the City from both a secruity, and safety standpoint click this link and download this great Case Study about the effects a Positive Pro City and People Organisation which has given the Patrons on Wellington back the Night Life and made it one of the most enjoyed citys by travllers in NZ.
http://www.safecommunities.org.nz/resources/cs/ns
I firmly believe the below platforms which have been successfully implemented in NZ and Sweden are the answer to the issues our citys are facing . Click the links and read about the critera and requirements which lead towards safer citys.
http://www.safecommunities.org.nz/becoming/accred
I understand why the Government are trying to apply these restrictions to preserve a quailty of life, but do they really think by imposing more restraint on people that they can take back control. The answer is NO! Young People do not need to be told what not to do but guided towards better outcomes. Dont be a by stander on this issue get involved. Peace and let us all be responsible and Take Back The Night.