Sydney live music venues exempt from lockouts

The fight against Sydney's lockouts has had a victory, with the New South Wales (NSW) Supreme Court ruling live music venues and strip clubs exempt from the laws.

The decision followed a legal challenge from the Coronation Hotel's Smoking Panda Bar, which was initially free from the restrictions as part of a "tourism accommodation establishment", but had its exemption revoked when the Office of Liquor and Gaming Legislation (OLGR) found non-hotel guests had been frequenting the bar.

Tourism and accommodation areas are free from the laws.

However, other bars and clubs in central Sydney have been forced to abide by a 1.30am lockout and 3am last drinks since February 2014.

Justice Natalie Adams found there was nothing that stipulated the Smoking Panda Bar could only serve guests staying at the hotel, and that the Justice Department lacked the authority to declare venues subject to the laws.

That meant a selection of live music venues, including Oxford Art Factory, and strip clubs were free of the restrictions across the weekend, and now indefinitely.

The NSW government is appealing the decision and has referred it to the official review of the laws, which is expected to give its recommendations by the end of the month.

Last week, Sydney mayor Clover Moore again called for live music and "well-managed" venues to be exempt from the laws, which have forced countless Sydney favourites to shut down since they were introduced.

Scott Carbines is Mixmag's Australian Digital Content Editor, follow him on Twitter

[Via: The Daily Telegraph]