New South Wales' Premier Is at A "Comfortable Place" with Sydney Lockout Laws

The new premier of the Australian state of New South Wales, Gladys Berejiklian, said yesterday that she is "at a comfortable place" with Sydney's controversial lockout laws. The venue-related laws—which were originally introduced in an attempt to reduce alcohol-related violence—were eased by half an hour in December, allowing establishments to stay open until 2AM and serve alcohol until 3:30AM. Berejiklian made the statement in an interview with Sydney radio station KIIS 1065.

"I'm kind of at a comfortable place with [the lockouts] now because we had an independent report that said 'come on, you can relax them a little bit,' and we did," she said, referring to a high court judge's independent review of the laws back in September.

"I think you can't say it's all black or white, you've got to accept that protecting people is the best and most important job for government. That's why I feel that where we've got to with the lockout laws is a good balance, because it means people can enjoy live music at a reasonable hour but also protecting young people."

The half hour extension followed over two years of backlash since the laws were introduced in April 2014, but it still sparked controversy. The activist group Keep Sydney Open, which has consistently organized in opposition to the lockout laws, called the extension "a joke," tweeting that it was "an insult to businesses and Sydney's global status."

Critics of the laws argue that they are bad for the nightlife economy, negatively impact the cultural vibrancy of the city, and cause young people to move out of the city.

Earlier this week, the Australian state of Queensland abandoned its plans to implement lockout laws that would keep people from entering or re-entering venues after 1AM. On Friday of last week, the NSW supreme court shut down a Keep Sydney Open protest expected to take place on Saturday night.

Berejiklian was sworn in as NSW premier on Monday, following the resignation and retirement of Mike Baird last week.

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