Amy Remeikis writes in the Brisbane Times (9.11.15):
‘The Palazczuk government has bought itself some time to win over the cross bench’s support for its plan to tackle alcohol-fuelled violence, with the laws not due to be enacted for another eight months.
‘In what it insists is not a compromise, despite both the Katter Party MPs and independent Billy Gordon publicly announcing they would not support Labor’s original liquor law changes, a move which would have guaranteed its defeat, Labor announced an altered lock out law policy on Sunday.
The new policy, which Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath said was a better package of reforms following eight months of consultation, will set a 2am last drinks curfew for the state, although gaming and other entertainments can continue until the close of trading hours.
‘The state’s 15 Safe Night Out precincts, which cover the main entertainment areas across Queensland, including Brisbane City, the Valley, the Gold Coast, Bundaberg and Cairns, can apply for an extension of drinking hours until 3am, but must then adhere to a 1am ‘one-way-door’ policy, which is Labor’s new term for a lockout.
Mandatory ID scanners are still on the agenda, but on hold as the government investigates the technology, and regulations that will define the drinks which will be banned at midnight, are still being worked out.
Labor had wanted a midnight end to shots, a 1am lockout and a 3am last drinks call, as well as mandatory ID scanning, but faced resistance from stakeholders, including Clubs Queensland, and with the loss of crossbench support, risked its first major legislative defeat in the state’s hung parliament.’