It has been nearly half a decade since Sydney’s controversial lockout laws were legislated through NSW Parliament. The impact this has had on Sydney’s nightlife has been noticeable: there are 176 fewer venues in the city with notable venues like Q Bar, Soho and Backroom, being wiped off the map.
With this profoundly underdeveloped approach to nightlife, the lockout laws have reportedly prevented the NSW economy from growing by $16 billion.
In light of a number of complaints, the Berejiklian Government has lodged a parliamentary inquiry into the lockout law scheme.
The purpose of this cross-party committee is to look at the impact of the laws across all elements of Sydney nightlife, and report their findings to parliament in late September.
Committee Chair, Natalie Ward, has proclaimed: “Sydney remains one of the world’s leading cities and we want to make sure that residents and visitors can enjoy all that Sydney has to offer.”
“We know there are strong feelings on both sides of this debate, and we are hoping to hear from as many people and organisations as possible. We would welcome submissions from anyone with an interest in this issue and will be holding public hearings in August.”
If you’re upset about these laws and have previously felt helpless at the prospect of initiating change, you now have an opportunity to have your voice heard. You have until July 2 to make a public submission to the committee. Anyone can make one. It’s as simple as clicking here.
