Qld lockout laws: Change coming to ID scanning regime
A major shake-up of Queensland’s controversial lockout laws and ID scanning regime are in the works with Brisbane’s Caxton St set for the biggest changes. Here’s how it will affect you.
QLD Politics
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CLUBS and pubs along Brisbane’s Caxton St will no longer be forced to scan IDs, while other Queensland venues will see their midweek scanning hours relaxed in a major shake-up of Labor’s controversial “last drinks” laws.
The Courier-Mail can reveal the Government has accepted a swag of recommendations from a landmark two-year review of its crackdown on alcohol-fuelled violence, including a softening of scanning rules and harsher bans for unruly patrons in Queensland’s party districts.
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The crackdown was sparked in 2016 in the wake of Brisbane teen Cole Miller’s one-punch death and included winding back drinking hours, banning shots after midnight and ID scanning.
The laws have been dogged by controversy, particularly industry backlash over scanning which reached fever pitch when Denmark’s Crown Prince Frederik was refused entry to a city nightspot without his identification, in an embarrassing diplomatic incident.
But the review found assaults between 3am and 6am had dropped dramatically – by about 29 per cent a month.
The drop was more substantial in Fortitude Valley, where a 40 per cent reduction was recorded.
Ambulance call-outs and hospital admissions for facial fractures have also reduced while the review found the ID scanning information was helping to solve at least one serious crime per week.
Not all statistics were good, however, with the report finding Queensland revellers were drinking more than their interstate counterparts with pre-loading still proving a problem.
It also found awareness campaigns around responsible drinking were not working.
The review’s recommendations include allowing clubs and pubs that close at 1am or earlier to switch off their scanners Monday to Thursday rather than scanning from 10pm every night if they trade after midnight under the current laws.
They will still need to scan on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
And the Caxton St precinct, which has been locked in a battle with the Government over ID scanning since it was introduced in 2017, will be rezoned so venues no longer have to scan patrons pouring in after games or concerts at nearby Suncorp Stadium.
In exchange they must serve last drinks at 2am, similar to the West End pub and club precinct and other areas not considered a Safe Night Precinct under the laws.
Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath said she would consult with Caxton St traders before any final decision is made.
A review will also be undertaken into whether Ipswich needs a Safe Night Precinct as well.
Ms D’Ath said the report found other measures in place in Caxton St, such as extra police on event nights, were enough to ensure safety of patrons without the extra scanning requirement.
“We would not be doing this if it wasn’t recommended in the report,” she said.
Ms D’Ath said the report vindicated the “tough” alcohol-fuelled violence measures Labor managed to pass in last term’s hung parliament with the support of crossbench Katter Party MPs.
“In economic terms the evaluation found the initiatives have resulted in an overall benefit of $16 million to the Queensland economy,” she said.
“The report supports the initiatives we put in place.
“We are committed to keeping those initiatives in place, other than where the report says we can afford to give some leeway to venues because it is still safe to do that.
“One of those is the ID scanning.”
Ms D’Ath said the Government would today release its interim response with more consultation before a final response is released.
She said a new system will also be brought in to allow venues to stamp patrons after they have been scanned.
They can show that stamp to re-enter the club, rather than needing to line up again to be re-scanned as is currently the case.
Five community clubs that are currently within a Safe Night Precinct – Bundaberg Service Club, Caloundra RSL, Maroochy RSL, Toowoomba Sports Club and the Cowboys Leagues Club in Townsville – will also no longer have to be part of the state’s ID scanning regime, as they already have a scanning system in place.
Venues will also be limited to issuing bans of up to six months to patrons they deem disruptive and a new offence will also be created to discourage venues from vexatiously banning a patron.
Venue bans ordered by police will be expanded from 10 days to at least a month, to ensure they are taken seriously by badly behaved punters.
Banning lists will also be available to all venues trading after midnight as well.
CCTV will be mandatory for any clubs and pubs trading after midnight.
But Ms D’Ath confirmed 10 recommendations have been rejected, including the review’s call for a two-year ban on the issuing of new licences, a minimum unit price to be placed on alcohol and a levy on businesses to fund support services.
She said more work would be done to tackle pre-loading.
“We have a drinking culture in this state where people go out to get drunk – not everyone – but unfortunately people are getting very drunk when they go out,” she said.
WHAT’S CHANGING
Currently: Venues that serve alcohol after midnight must scan from 10pm every night
Recommendation: Amend scanning laws so venues closing at 1am Monday to Thursday do not have to scan on those nights.
Currently: Venues trading after midnight on Caxton Street have to scan, but can serve alcohol until 3am.
Recommendation: Caxton Street to no longer be a Safe Night precinct, no longer needing to scan, but closing at 2am, pending consultation with venues.
Currently: Community clubs have to use ID scanners as well as their own membership scanning system.
Recommendation: Exempt community clubs from mandatory networked ID scanning
Currently: Minimum police bans for badly behaved patrons are 10 days
Recommendation: Increase minimum ban to one month
Accepted or accepted in principle
— mandatory CCTV in all venues that trade after midnight
— rolling out a new regimen to that would see punters receive a stamp on entry so they do not need to be re-scanned if they leave briefly and then re-enter a venue
— exempt community clubs from mandatory networked ID scanning. Currently, they have to use ID scanners as well as their own membership scanning system.
— new offence to stop venues vexatiously banning patrons
— venue-based bans to last for no longer than six months
— minimum police bans for badly behaved patron to be increased from 10 days to one month
— banning lists to be made available to all venue
— Ipswich to no longer be an Safe Night Out Precinct, pending consultation with venues
Not accepted
— two-year moratorium on new liquor licences for new pubs and clubs
— Closing all Safe Night Out venues at 3.30am
— Scrapping ability for venues to apply for a permit to trade later for special events.
— introducing a new minium unit price for alcohol sold in Queensland to discourage pre-loading
— Levying venues to fund support services
— including casinos in liquor trading hour restrictions
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