Sydney music figures hope lockout laws can be loosened
There's a review of the controversial regulations in February
Sydney's music venues are stepping up the fight against the city's lockout laws.
Ahead of a review in February of the legislation - where venues in the CBD and Kings Cross are prohibited from letting in any guests after 1.30am - key figures in the industry are hoping a selection of live music venues can be exempt from the controversial law that was introduced to reduce booze-fueled violence.
The policy director of Live Music Office, John Wardle, hopes the government will allow the regulations to be loosened, although he doesn't believe they'll be completely removed.
Speaking at Sydney's Electronic Music Conference, he said: If the goal is to remove the lockouts and go back to the way we were, I don't think that's something that's achievable. This is about rewarding responsible venues that make a cultural contribution to the life of the city."
Oxford Art Factory, The Basement and Goodgod Small Club are a few of the music hubs he was referring to, adding they are "really important venues that provide a lot of jobs".
Since the lockouts were introduced in Sydney last February, there's been a street party in protest, a closure of Spice Cellar and a threat for a very similar, albeit tougher, law to be put in place in Queensland.