Post: #1

Sydney, Australia has had a problem in recent years with violence at night-time, usually involving alcohol. This is the State government's response on top of an existing 3 am curfew on alcohol service.

Quote:No shots after midnight: new bans on Sydney alcohol service



Pubs, clubs and bars across central Sydney will be hit with a fresh crackdown on alcohol service from mid-July, including a ban on shots, doubles and pre-mixed drinks after midnight in a bid to prevent alcohol-fuelled violence.
Customers will also be prevented from buying more than four drinks at a time after midnight and more than two drinks per person after 2am to prevent "stockpiling" before the 3am curfew oan alcohol service.
Anyone wearing bikie gang "colours" will be banned from all venues within the "CBD entertainment precinct" area defined by the government earlier this year.
NCH NEWS, Newcastle Supreme Court.
FORMER police officer Troy Grant has told the Special Commission of Inquiry into the handling of child sex abuse claims that he never used the term ??Catholic mafia?? and had never encountered any interference from police during his investigations into paedophilia by priests.
8th May 2013 pic Darren Pateman
"A call to arms": Hospitality Minister Troy Grant. Photo: Darren Pateman
A ban on serving drinks in glass after midnight will be imposed on venues "with a history of violence", while so-called "party boats" will be banned from picking up or dropping off customers in the CBD after midnight.
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Venues will also be restricted from promoting "high risk drinks", such as discounted alcohol designed to be consumed quickly, while anyone seen consuming alcohol "on approach to a venue" must be refused entry.
The measures - which will be in force from July 18 - are in large part an extension of bans and restrictions put in place in Kings Cross following the fatal assault on teenager Thomas Kelly in 2012.
Hospitality Minister Troy Grant said the new rules would complement existing licensing restrictions, such as 1.30am lockouts and 3am last drinks introduced earlier this year.
Mr Grant said the measures were "a call to arms" by the community.
"We've got a clear message for those buffoons who bring a bad image and name to our city and behave appalling to lead to violence: enough is enough. We're not going to cop it any more."
Police Minister Stuart Ayres said the announcement was "a very positive step forward for Sydney".
Assistant Police Commissioner Mark Murdoch said any suggestion that the licensing restrictions were turning NSW into a nanny state was "absolute rubbish".
"Whether you are living in Mount Druitt, Victoria or Los Angeles, you can come to Sydney on holidays or to enjoy yourself and know you'll be safe. That is the point we really should be pressing."
In other new measures, security guards and all staff serving alcohol must hold Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) competency cards from October.
Also from October, RSA marshals must be employed during "high risk" periods in venues deemed to have a history of violence.
Restaurants and "tourist accommodation establishments" will be exempt from the new rules.
John Green, director of policing with the NSW branch of the Australian Hotels Association, criticised the new rules, arguing they were being imposed on venues "regardless of whether or not they have had any issues with alcohol-related violence in the past".
"Venues are already working closely with police and the community on targeting those thugs doing the wrong thing – that's why assault levels in and around licensed premises are at their lowest levels since the 1990s," Mr Green said.
“When is enough enough? All businesses need certainty, but unfortunately every other month new restrictions are being imposed on licensed premises which have no record of violence."
He called for the effectiveness of the new measures and their impact on businesses to be assessed "sooner rather than later".

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/no-shots-after...z32zaoXwMM

Post: #2

This adds to my non existent desire to travel to Australia.

Post: #3

This on top recently passed 'lock-out' laws (no entry past 130am and no drinks after 3am) will gradually destroy nightlife. To give some background - lock out laws were introduced after a kid got knocked out and died on the streets (horrible scenario). But the government decided to punish all the venues within a 5km radius of CBD/downtown with these laws. Even though none of the violence occurred inside any venues, and happened at 10pm..

This no shot/mixed drink law introduction is another Knee-jerk reaction which will kill nightlife and live scene here. Only the shittest, biggest clubs will thrive because the smaller venues will be unable to compete.

The only reason assaults have been down since the introduction of the lock-out laws is because of increased police presence on the streets.

It's only a matter of time here before they completely ban alcohol after midnight (because prohibition works well, right?)

Let's hope this doesn't catch on to other cities...

Post: #4

Yet another reason for Sydneysiders to join the exodus to Melbourne and help us reclaim our spot as the no. 1 city in Australia real soon There's a couple infamous clubs here that stay open till dawn on Sunday mornings, and no plans to change that.

Post: #5

That makes no sense! From my experience going out in Australia (inc. Sydney), the nightlife there is extremely peaceful. I've never seen any violence or threats or felt unsafe for any reason. Haven't seen any stumbling drunks either.

Post: #6

(05-28-2014 03:16 AM)Kdog Wrote:  This adds to my non existent desire to travel to Australia.

Pfft. It's Sydney. Who wants to visit an overrated city with a clichéd bridge and an opera house?

On the serious side though, that applies to licensed venues. Nothing to say house parties and the like can't supply and consume alcohol beyond that time.

Pity though -- I never had the chance to terrorise King's Cross.

Quote:In other new measures, security guards and all staff serving alcohol must hold Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) competency cards from October.

They're late on that game though. I've been working in the alcohol industry since '08 and had to have an RSA since '10.

Post: #7

With the recent education changes and this nonsense it's not a good time to be a young person in Australia.

Post: #8

Clubs are shit and drinks are expensive anyway. Better to drink at home.

Post: #9

...During this time, a city like Montreal will be extending bars' closing hours to 6 a.m. in order to prevent fights and noise issues in downtown.

Post: #10

(05-28-2014 03:32 AM)Handsome Creepy Eel Wrote:  That makes no sense! From my experience going out in Australia (inc. Sydney), the nightlife there is extremely peaceful. I've never seen any violence or threats or felt unsafe for any reason. Haven't seen any stumbling drunks either.

This is sarcasm, right?

It's worth noting this ban only applies to the Sydney CBD and Kings Cross, the rest of Sydney's nightlife zones will still be operating as usual.

Post: #11

Sydney nightlife sucks anyway.

Post: #12

(05-28-2014 03:49 AM)Deluge Wrote:  

(05-28-2014 03:32 AM)Handsome Creepy Eel Wrote:  That makes no sense! From my experience going out in Australia (inc. Sydney), the nightlife there is extremely peaceful. I've never seen any violence or threats or felt unsafe for any reason. Haven't seen any stumbling drunks either.

This is sarcasm, right?

Why would it be sarcasm?

Maybe the clubs in my country are comparatively wild/full of drunks/violent, but I really got the "super safe" vibe from Australian nightlife.

Post: #13

So they want to curb alcohol violence? Why dont they do a better job and go after those who are violent idiots when consuming drink? Out of a thousand people you probably have a handful that will go out looking for a fight and a few more who, when pushed will fight but thats not alcohol related IMO.

The same people who would ban every vice in existence are behind this. No logical explanation to be had.

Post: #14

(05-28-2014 03:49 AM)Deluge Wrote:  

So a hysterical reaction to a beta killing in the yellow area - a place a young, wimpy guy had no business being to begin with - affects the entire pink area?

That's not the 'CBD', that's a huge amount of the inner city, particularly the gentrified, affluent gay and hipster enclaves of Darlinghurst and Surry Hills.

They're just trying to keep undesirable, lower class people away from the rich kids, much how they introduce timed parking limits at Manly and Bondi to stop the western suburb bogans coming to the trendy areas.

It's classism, pure and simple.

Quote:Anyone wearing bikie gang "colours" will be banned from all venues within the "CBD entertainment precinct" area defined by the government earlier this year.

So now, not only do I not have freedom of association, I don't even have the freedom to have a drink in the inner city? Fuck this gay country.

Post: #15

To be honest, I can't see these laws being enforced over the long term, simply due to the size and nature of a city such as Sydney. Just look at the lockout laws that were implemented in Melbourne and Newcastle.

Don't forget that there is one venue where the lockout laws don't apply - The Star Casino. Big business and government can't have that cash flow stopped now can they?

Post: #16

(05-28-2014 04:27 AM)Handsome Creepy Eel Wrote:  

(05-28-2014 03:49 AM)Deluge Wrote:  

(05-28-2014 03:32 AM)Handsome Creepy Eel Wrote:  That makes no sense! From my experience going out in Australia (inc. Sydney), the nightlife there is extremely peaceful. I've never seen any violence or threats or felt unsafe for any reason. Haven't seen any stumbling drunks either.

This is sarcasm, right?

Why would it be sarcasm?

Maybe the clubs in my country are comparatively wild/full of drunks/violent, but I really got the "super safe" vibe from Australian nightlife.

Calling Australian nightlife spots "extremely peaceful" is a joke. I see a street fight virtually every time I'm out clubbing in the CBD on a weekend, I've been involved in a couple altercations myself. I'm completely opposed to these new laws, but alcohol related violence is a real problem in CBD's on Friday and Saturday nights. I find myself gravitating more and more towards other nightlife areas where there's less drunk idiots and fat chicks to deal with.

@Bosch, I'm not a Sydneysider, so forgive me for being rough with my geography. Worth noting that more and more venues will have a big incentive to open up in or relocate to places like Bondi or Newtown now instead of the CBD-Kings Cross-Oxford Street inner city area.

Post: #17

Hahaha ok, maybe I experienced statistical outliers then. If you've been going out there for longer than three weeks, I defer to your experience

Post: #18

(05-28-2014 06:43 AM)Handsome Creepy Eel Wrote:  Hahaha ok, maybe I experienced statistical outliers then. If you've been going out there for longer than three weeks, I defer to your experience

I legitimately thought your post was sarcasm. I was under the impression from other posts that you've spent a great deal time here, and no one who has would've said that about our nightlife.

Post: #19

I've been there for several months, although I wasn't engaging in nightlife all the time. It certainly seems like a great deal of time to me!

Post: #20

RIP Sydney

Post: #21

Just wait for all the warehouse parties to start popping up. I'm sure it will be a lot safer than having licensed venues operating...

(05-28-2014 05:40 AM)AnonymousBosch Wrote:  

Quote:Anyone wearing bikie gang "colours" will be banned from all venues within the "CBD entertainment precinct" area defined by the government earlier this year.

So now, not only do I not have freedom of association, I don't even have the freedom to have a drink in the inner city? Fuck this gay country.

In Queensland you can be arrested for just being in company with some bikies. Some people have been arrested for buying an ice-cream together - just being seen in a public place in their company is enough to be taken in.

Post: #22

(05-28-2014 07:41 AM)Prophylaxis Wrote:  Just wait for all the warehouse parties to start popping up. I'm sure it will be a lot safer than having licensed venues operating...

Lolwut?? You guys are seriously missing out.

Though I can actually link you to an Art Party circle in Sydney if that's your thing.

Post: #23

JWLZG took me to one of these under the radar hipster area parties he's alluding to recently, it was the best party I've ever been to in my life. Huge crowd (the street was literally blocked off by the armada of taxi's dropping people off), great ratio, hot girls (albeit many had short hair and/or kitschy tattoos), great DJ's, an all-round friendly atmosphere and a ridiculous amount of drugs, plus it raged uninterrupted by the neighbours or the police until dawn.

Compared to regular commercial nightlife here it was like I'd fallen down a rabbit hole and found myself in wonderland. I can't wait till my exams end so I can go to more. If this kind of word of mouth underground party scene exists down here where there aren't any draconian nightlife restrictions, then Sydney's inner west hipster hoods like Newtown and Glebe are about to get off the hook.

Post: #24

Things must be really fucked over there if they feel like this is the best way to deal with. Late night violence.

Personally, I think shots can be tacky if it's whiskey. Something's aren't supposed to drank like that.

I wouldn't chug a glass of wine or a lass of whiskey. Tequila shots are usually ok.

Post: #25

(05-28-2014 07:41 AM)Prophylaxis Wrote:  Just wait for all the warehouse parties to start popping up. I'm sure it will be a lot safer than having licensed venues operating...

(05-28-2014 05:40 AM)AnonymousBosch Wrote:  

Quote:Anyone wearing bikie gang "colours" will be banned from all venues within the "CBD entertainment precinct" area defined by the government earlier this year.

So now, not only do I not have freedom of association, I don't even have the freedom to have a drink in the inner city? Fuck this gay country.

In Queensland you can be arrested for just being in company with some bikies. Some people have been arrested for buying an ice-cream together - just being seen in a public place in their company is enough to be taken in.

That's what I meant by freedom of association. If I'm talking to a mate or two in public, it's not uncommon for us to be questioned by the police, including trying to search us. Being used as a scapegoat gets fucking old.

It's important to note the wording of the legislation isn't bikie-specific, and could be applied to *any* group of men, if the precedent is set.

People will give up any of their rights to feel 'safe', and then do nothing with that safety and freedom but stare at their phones playing Candy Crush for hours anyway.