Premier: Nightclubs "on notice"

Victorian Premier, John Brumby, has told liquor license holders they are being put on notice - and they should take more responsibility for alcohol-fuelled violence or face tougher regulations.

"Licence owners need to understand what it is that the Government is saying, and saying very clearly, and that is, we want you to take more responsibility," the Premier said to ABC News.

"You are the licence owner, you own the business and you are required to comply with the terms of your licence."

John Brumby said the Government will not hesitate to introduce more restrictions if club owners do not take more responsibility.

"It is against the law to serve people alcohol when they are clearly intoxicated. We have got tougher already and we will get tougher still with licence holders if they continue to breach the law."

Peter Iwaniuk, spokersperson of the Nightclub Owners Forum, said the spike in alcohol-related crime was the result of a lack of necessary infrastructure to cater for vast increases in demand for night time entertainment in the city.

The Shout reports Nightclub Owner's Association spokesperson, David Butten, had similar comments on Radio 3AW; "The amount of visitors has increased by 6 per cent each year [and] Melbourne’s population is increasing dramatically,” he said. "There’s some factors that people just don’t appreciate in terms of what’s happening with Melbourne’s dynamics."

Source: The Shout & ABC News

2am Lockout Expired

The recent 2am lockout introduced in early May and active since June 3, ended on September 1.



Police response
Police Commissioner Christine Nixon has said the lockout had a limited success in Melbourne as many clubs were exempted from the trial. "We think it is part of a strategy. We will wait to see what the evidence is, but we think we are seeing some decline because of that 2:00am lock-out."

Government response
Premier John Brumby said "I think the evidence will show there have been some positive benefits and it'll also show that there have been some issues."

Opposition response
State Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu said "John Brumby's lockout was a shambles. The implementation was a total failure, with so many exemptions that any lessons we might have learnt to help fight against record street violence were undermined."

Public response
A Herald Sun poll asking readers if the lockout had been successful had a majority against the lockout. 85% of the 1,500+ votes recorded a negative view on the lockout.

Going forward
Premier John Brumby said the Government would not make a decision on the lockout's future until it had reviewed all relevant information. "I have a completely open mind in the future as to whether we continue with a lockout, similar lockout, maybe a better targeted lockout, a broader lockout... or perhaps no lockout at all."

Source: ABC News, Herald Sun 1 & 2, The Age 1 & 2

Herald Sun: Lockout pushed back to 3am

The Herald Sun is running a story that the 2am lockout could be moved back an hour, to create a permanent 3am lockout across Victoria. Tony Robinson, Consumer Affairs Minister, is said to be considering the option while John Brumby, Premier, said no decision would be made ahead of an evaluation of the existing trial. The Herald Sun believes a 3am lockout is "backed by key sections of the liquor industry".

Source: Herald Sun 1 & 2