The New South Wales (NSW) Government has announced the complete abolition of remaining lockout laws across former lockout areas, including Kings Cross, Oxford Street, and the Sydney CBD.
Key restrictions removed as part of this decision include the mandated use of plastic cups, the requirement for Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) marshals after midnight for certain venues, blanket per-person drink limits, and the ban on promoting shots during late trading hours in these precincts.
A review conducted by Liquor & Gaming NSW, following targeted consultation and a downward trend in alcohol-related nighttime assaults, determined that these conditions were no longer necessary. The review concluded that safety could be maintained through targeted, case-by-case approaches and by ensuring individual venues adhere to existing RSA requirements, Plans of Management, and licence conditions. This approach is intended to avoid penalizing well-managed operators within the former lockout areas.
Three measures from the original lockout laws will be retained: violent incident registers, protocols for preserving crime scenes, and a ban on Outlaw Motorcycle Gang colours or insignia.
The lockout laws were initially imposed on the Sydney CBD and Kings Cross on January 21, 2014, by then-Premier Barry O’Farrell, in response to high levels of violence. The policy included a 1:30 am lockout provision, preventing new patrons from entering venues after this time. This policy resulted in negative consequences for the city's live music scene and Sydney's international reputation, with over half of music venues reportedly ceasing operations in the subsequent decade.
Partial repeals began in January 2020, with the 1:30 am lockout provisions removed from the CBD and Oxford Street, followed by Kings Cross in 2021. Since these changes, alcohol-related night-time assaults have continued a downward trend in the affected areas.
Since taking office in 2023, the Minns Labor Government has implemented three phases of vibrancy reforms. These reforms have banned single-neighbour noise complaints, revised the noise complaints system, and eliminated regulations that increased costs and administrative burdens for hospitality operators while decreasing patron enjoyment. Such regulations included rules that required patrons to sit down outside venues, mandated memberships for clubs within 5km, and dictated music genres venues could program.
NSW's $110 billion night-time economy is experiencing a revival, supported by the implementation of Special Entertainment Precincts. Eight new precincts are currently undergoing trials in locations such as Fairfield, Rozelle, and Marrickville, with a total of 20 local councils, including Kiama, Tamworth, Manly, Cronulla, Burwood, and Liverpool, working to establish similar precincts. Live music is central to this revival, with over 521 venues now utilizing the government's extended trading hours for music programming, a nearly fourfold increase since the current government took office.