Queensland Locked Out
Reclaim Your Nightlife – Shut Down the Lock Down
Posts tagged Article
Vote now or accept lockouts and 2am shut downs
Apr 8th
Hi All,
Just wanting to get the word out that we only have a week to reject a reduction in trading hours and obtain the removal of the lockout.
The Government is canvassing opinions online on six of the recommendations handed down in the parliamentary inquiry.
We cannot afford to be apathetic about this and we need to vote – and vote in numbers. The survey ends on Friday April 16.
We’ve contacted the media, we’ve spoken with politicians, now it’s your turn to make your views known and vote on this survey. It does matter!
The results of the survey will have a major impact on the way the Government shapes its legislation and accepts or rejects the Liquor Reform recommendations.
We need you to vote and forward this on to your database to inform people this is actually taking place and not to miss the opportunity to have your say.
Vote here:
http://www.getinvolved.qld.gov.au/eSurveys/surveyfb4/index.cfm?SID=277
For further information:
Zach Salar
0412 086 614
zach.salar@queenslandlockedout.com
The Truth About Newcastle
Mar 17th
Here’s an article that grabbed our attention in regards to the aftermath of the shutdown in Newcastle. What Channel 9 failed to report is the absolute devastation it has caused for the economics and those who rely on the industry to work.
Link To Article Here. Thanks to the guys at The Shout for reporting this.
The Australian Hotels Association (AHA) in NSW has branded tough liquor licensing laws trialled in Newcastle as devastating for both the hotels involved and employment across the sector.
AHA NSW CEO, Sally Fielke told TheShout it was disappointing that police had heralded the Newcastle restrictions on 14 pubs as a success when many of the major issues had not been adequately addressed.
According to a report commissioned by the AHA to review the impact of the restrictions, imposed on the 14 licensed premises by New South Wales Liquor Administration Board (LAB) in March 2008, the premises involved have suffered a collective loss in value of $22.5 million due to 1am lockouts and restrictions on the number and type of drinks sold.
All 14 hotels operate or operated in the Newcastle entertainment precinct but only six are still under the original management.
Clarendon Hotel, Customs House, Fannies of Newcastle, Kings Street Hotel, Grand Hotel and The Dockyard have not changed hands.
The Cambridge Hotel has had two changes of ownership since 2008, while Crown & Anchor Hotel, Queens Wharf Brewery and Great Northern Hotel have all had a change of both owner and licensee.
The Civic Hotel was destroyed by a fire and not reopened, Lucky Country Hotel has ceased operating, MJ Finnegans is under administration and Ducks Nuts Hotel and Hotel CBD have both seen their operator declared bankrupt.
The report calculated that employee reductions as a result had led to a 21.7 percent decline in the hotels’ workforce.
“The figures show the effect of these restrictions in Newcastle have been devastating for the hotels and for employment across the sector,” said Fielke.
“We are an industry that employs over 55,000 people across New South Wales. To roll out the Newcastle restrictions across the State would put almost a quarter of these people on the street.”
Fielke said the Newcastle restrictions could not be seen as a success when most of the major issues had not been addressed.
These she cited as: underage drinking, transport and antisocial behaviour in public areas.
“Of course you’ll reduce the road toll if you either close the roads or take the cars off the road – but are you addressing the issue?” she said.
“Licensees are angry and frustrated that they have been made to feel like criminals for what is a much larger community problem.”
Article: Party people to picket over 2am lockout
Mar 17th
So here’s an article about the issue on the Brisbane Times. Direct Link Here. Please go into the Article on the Brisbane Times website and share your thoughts.
Critics of proposed changes to late-night trading hours in Brisbane’s entertainment precinct plan to picket Parliament House again should an inquiry into alcohol-related violence recommend shutting down pubs and clubs before 5am.
Speculation the state government will wind back late-night trading in Fortitude Valley and Brisbane’s CBD mounted today, as the Law, Safety and Justice Committee prepares to table its final report tomorrow.
In its submission to the inquiry in October, the Queensland Police Union called for the Valley entertainment district and parts of the CBD to be closed at 2am in a bid to curb the number of violent late-night street bashings.
Last week, 400 people marched along Alice Street in protest against the proposed blanket shut down as part of the “Reclaim the Nightclife” campaign.
Protest organiser Zach Salar said opposition would “increase tenfold” should the inquiry recommend shutting down the Valley.
“The state government can expect to hear from us again,” Mr Salar said.
“Many, many people are going to be pissed off. I am prepared to organise buses from the Gold Coast to have a centralised, massive protest.”
Mr Salar, 25, said a mass exodus of people from the Valley entertainment precinct come closing time would only compound violence on the streets, rather than reduce it.
“You will have thousands and thousands of people from vastly different backgrounds pouring onto the streets at one time. It’s a recipe for a violent disaster.”
He also said revellers would drink to compensate for reduced trading hours, leading to a surge in booze-fuelled violence.
Mr Salar cited the London experience where the Applied Criminology Centre reportedly found that extending late-night trading hours reduced alcohol-related violence in and around pubs and clubs.
“The rationale behind (extending trading hours) was that by removing fixed and artificially early closing times, the numbers of people exiting licensed premises would be dispersed over a long time period.
“The study found that this reduced binge drinking, violent behaviour, damage to property and disorder.
“Our ministers keep pointing to overseas experiences. How can they ignore this?”
He also pointed to the experience in Newcastle saying the winding back of trading hours would force small businesses and venues to shut up shop and drive young people interstate or overseas, “out of the nanny state”.
In Newcastle restrictions imposed on 14 hotels in 2008, including 1am lock outs, earlier closing times and a ban on the sale of shots after 10pm, saw assaults drop by almost a third within the year.
“But authorities have failed to mention is that 15 venues in Newcastle had to close because they went out of business. And hordes of young people moved out of Newcastle to Sydney and Melbourne,” he said.
“A lockout as proposed would be devastating to Queensland’s economy through the loss of jobs and small business and set Queensland’s urban cultural development back 15 years.”
Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers has maintained that publicans and hoteliers, who opposed the push to reduce trading hours, have a responsibility to ensure the safety of patrons.
“How can you continue to serve young Queenslanders alcohol and then wipe your hands clean of any responsibility for violence on our doorstep?” he said.
“It’s time to put the interests of the wider community before the licensees desire to fill their tills for the maximum number of hours.”
Anti-alcoholic violence police team disbanded ahead of report
Mar 8th
It seems like the State Government doesn’t even care about our safety. Kudos Anna Bligh! Way to tackle the problem; maybe if you reduce the amount of police in our streets then that will resolve the problem… sigh
All we ask for is more funding to be provided to our police so they can tackle the issues of alcohol fuelled violence and for harsher penalties against the offenders.
Thanks to the Courier Mail for reporting this. Link to actual article here:
A CRACK police unit targeting booze-fuelled violence has been disbanded just days before the Government is handed a crucial report on how to tackle the problem.
The flying squad, set up two years ago to target violent hotspots in some of the busiest entertainment precincts in the state, has been quietly grounded because of a lack of resources.
The district police chief yesterday confirmed the team of six operating out of the City and Valley would return to general duties and not be replaced, as part of a review into all specialist units.
A long-awaited report from the committee undertaking a parliamentary inquiry into alcohol-related violence will table its findings in State Parliament this week.
Premier Anna Bligh announced the inquiry in July after The Courier-Mail exposed the growing problem of drunken violence and injury at Queensland’s popular nightspots. The inquiry examined several strategies, including reduced trading hours, transport concepts and more resources.
Metropolitan North Assistant Commissioner Ross Barnett said the disbanding of the flying squad was about better deployment of resources. “We’re going to see how all these new practices work and continue to review it and amend it if we need to,” he said.
The move comes as the State Government rules out funding another Operation Merit, which targeted trouble by doubling officer numbers in the City and Valley club areas.
“Merit was a one-off and we’ve got to run our operations based on our approved strength, and the strength we have in the City and the Valley is a finite number,” Mr Barnett said.
“No one’s ever going to knock back more staff – that’s a luxury we don’t always get, but unless and until that happens, our challenge is to make what we’ve got as efficient and effective as we can.”
Operation Merit provided for 16,000 extra hours of police patrolling in December and January, which led to 589 arrests and 1415 charges.
Brisbane City Licensees Association president Mark Lassman said the more support they could get, the better.
“We can’t really enforce the law – so if someone’s becoming a problem and they’re asked to leave, this is where these guys were experts with dealing with that sort of stuff,” Mr Lassman said.
Police Minister Neil Roberts denied police were under-resourced and said they would continue conducting targeted blitzes in entertainment precincts.
Opposition justice spokesman Lawrence Springborg said that without the resources, any strategies from this week’s inquiry findings would be “window dressing”.
Shutout Plan Protest
Mar 4th
An article today in City News (Direct Link):
BRISBANE: Inner-city revellers and licensees are mobilising to fight for their right to party.
The Queensland Police Union’s push to shut inner-city licensed venues at 2am spawned the citizens lobby group Queensland Locked Out, which will protest outside Parliament on Thursday, March 11.
Organiser Zach Salar said he believed the shutdown would be an intrusion of civil liberties, reduce the vitality of the live music scene, result in the loss of hospitality jobs and tarnish Brisbane’s reputation as an entertainment hub.
Instead, he said group supporters advocate harsher penalties against anti-social and aggressive behaviour, increased police presence and security, an introduction of ID scanners at venues and chill-out areas in entertainment districts.
“We’re expecting 1500 at the moment,” Mr Salar said. “We want about 2000 to 3000 at the protest and we’re expecting a big push in the promotion of things over this week by the people.”
The rally has received support from Fortitude Valley bar owners Claudia Bordini of Kaliber and Andrew Ferguson of alloneword.
Ms Bordini said the 2am closure proposal would place more responsibility on licensees and less on an individual patron’s behaviour and would result in job losses.
“One-third of my staff are going to be out of a job,” she said.
Mr Ferguson said he lived in Melbourne when the Victorian Government tried to institute a lockout a couple of years ago and believes a similar protest contributed to a defeat of the proposed motion.
Valley Liquor Accord chairman Danny Blair said his group, comprising Valley licensees, police, Brisbane City Council, the Fortitude Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Queensland Taxi Council, had no association with the protest.
What do you think? Visit http://www.city-news.com.au and leave your comments.
PRESS RELEASE: An Open Letter to the Members of Parliament
Mar 2nd
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AN OPEN LETTER TO MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT
2nd of March 2010
Dear Members of Parliament,
I would like to bring to your attention a rally I am organising against reduced trading hours for licensed venues across Queensland. The rally is to voice our disappointment and protest about such a proposal and to also highlight the Bligh Government’s insistence to continually treat adults as children and punish the majority because of the actions of a very small minority.
This is the real scenario; reduced trading hours will kill off the music scene in Queensland and the Valley, which has given life to every major band from the Bee Gees to Powderfinger.
Our protest is not without acknowledgement that there is a problem with alcohol-related violence. It would be a head in the sand attitude to think that no action needs to be taken to address the alcohol-related violence trend in society and Brisbane alike; however, I do not believe the solution is reducing trading hours.
Taking the point that reducing trading hours will reduce incidents, why not have curfews on driving on the roads between 1am and 5am when single vehicle accidents regularly occur because people fall asleep. The government obviously doesn’t see this as a viable solution so it tackles that problem in a different manner through effective campaigns and, rightly so, punishes people who drink and drive with suspensions and harsh fines to get the message across.
It would be far more effective to embark on this type of campaign of advertising and heavier penalties to tackle this issue in society – not just the Valley– than reducing trading hours. Tackling the cause and not the symptom is the answer. On top of that, the 3am lockout has been acknowledged by licensees, Chaplain Watch and the Taxi Association as causing more incidents than it is worth.
If hours were reduced and venues are forced to close at 2am or 3am; the problems associated with the lockout could easily exacerbate with 30,000 people shunted on to the streets at closing time. It would clog public transport and the taxi system; violence may actually rise unless of course there are significantly more police on the grounds to handle such a mammoth groundswell of people in the streets.
There is also the economic impact of reduced trading hours and in particular jobs, which many students rely on to get through their Tertiary Education, being lost as well as numerous other people who will lose hours.
This is why on March 11th (from 4pm), I am organising a major rally of students, music lovers, residents and people who care about the above issues and don’t want to see the demise of the culture in Brisbane, to gather outside Parliament. We are encouraging them to bring their parents and families to the protest to show that it’s not just the youth that care about this issue, its all Queenslanders.
There is more at stake than just trading hours. There are civil liberties at stake and the absence of a Government wanting to punish offenders and deal with the problem head on through education, tougher penalties and ad campaigns. That’s an issue for parents as well as their children.
It’s why I also extend an invitation for you to stand beside us or at least address the rally on your views. I’m also asking for your support to sponsor an official parliamentary petition which we will distribute across to every contact we have.
Please, do not destroy the culture of our great State.
Warm Regards
Zach Salar
M: 0412 086 614
E: zachsalar@gmail.com
http://queenslandlockedout.com
Paramedics seek ban on pool cues at pubs and clubs
Jan 29th
QUEENSLAND paramedics want pool cues and glass ashtrays banned at pubs and clubs to reduce the risk of being attacked by drunks.
A survey of 142 ambulance officers showed 94 per cent had been assaulted in the past five years.
Of those, a third were punched or kicked and about half were spat at or had an object thrown at them.
The Liquor Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union, which represents paramedics, says drunken violence is getting worse and called for curfews on offenders.
In the submission to a parliamentary inquiry on booze-fuelled violence, the union said it supported harsher penalties, more security cameras and police, advertising restrictions, education campaigns and metal detectors and ID scanners for late-night venues.
It agreed with the State Government’s glass ban, which will be rolled out in up to 75 high-risk venues next month, and said pool cues and other glass items such as ashtrays should be phased out.
LHMU assistant secretary Michael de Brenni said the risk of injury through alcohol-fuelled violence was “just not tolerable”.
“All steps have to be taken to remove that risk,” he said.
“A whole range of measures need to be implemented, including the removal of potential weapons.”
But Normanby Hotel owner Mark Lassman said it was going too far.
“What next – salt and pepper shakers … bar stools fastened to the floor?” he said. “The answer lies in personal responsibility. We need harsher penalties, not just for violence but anti-social behaviour.”
Bond University criminologist Professor Paul Wilson said banning pool cues and ashtrays was discriminating against the majority because of the behaviour of a few.
…
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.
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