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.”