Light rail boost flagged ahead of lockout law wind back

The Berejiklian government is prepared to run more light rail services through the CBD after dark, as part of its push to revive the night life once the lockout laws are relaxed.

Transport Minister Andrew Constance said he would increase services "to meet the needs of the night time economy if required".

Transport Minister Andrew Constance says the government is prepared to increase light rail services to cope with a revived night time economy in the Sydney's CBD.Credit: Louise Kennerley

The government is preparing for the light rail to open before Christmas and has indicated it would also like the 1.30am lockout laws in the CBD scrapped before the end of the year.

It comes as the NSW Opposition urged the government to act immediately to repeal the laws in the CBD and appoint a minister for the night time economy to oversee the changes.

In a reversal of Labor's pre-election position, Opposition Leader Jodi McKay declared her support for the partial repeal of the laws, while keeping them in place in Kings Cross, for the first time since taking over as party leader in June.

Luke Ashton in his now closed bar This Must Be The Place in Darlinghurst said he decided to shut up shop "and wait for things to change" rather than continue to ride out the lockout laws. Credit: Kate Geraghty

“Many businesses have had a tough year: the lifting would be two-fold, it would respond to community calls and it would also bring life back to the CBD – and increase spending," she said.

"If venues feel they are ready for the change then they should be given the choice to open later."

Labor believes the laws can be overhauled using a combination of regulation and legislation, but Ms McKay said there's no reason to delay "breathing life in to the CBD”.

“It [responsibility] should fall to the new night-time economy minister to liaise with the Transport Minister to manage the challenges of the new light rail going through the city and to ensure the safety of patrons," she said.

Labor's shadow spokesman for the night economy John Graham said "without a minister to co-ordinate this agenda, we simply won’t be able to get the city moving again after dark."

The government's final position on the laws still needs to be considered by cabinet, but it is expected to repeal the laws in the CBD while retaining them in Kings Cross.

This is in line with the findings of the cross-party parliamentary inquiry, which recommended the laws, including 1.30am lockouts and 3am alcohol service cut-offs, be axed from licensed venues in the CBD and on Oxford Street "with appropriate urgency".

Government sources said Premier Gladys Berejiklian has told stakeholders she was eager to see the opening of the light rail coincide with a revitalised night economy.

Labor went to the election in March, under then-leader Michael Daley, promising to appoint a minister for the night time economy, but ruled out any relaxation of lockout laws.

As part of its revised stance, Ms McKay said Labor also backed the inquiry's recommendation that the regulations around small bars be relaxed.

In a report released in September, the inquiry urged the government to increase the patronage limit on small bars from 100 to 130 and make a 2am trading cutoff a standard licensing conditions.

The proposed reforms will come too late for Oxford Street bar This Must Be The Place, which featured as a case study before the inquiry but closed its doors last month after a five-year stint under the lockout laws.

Owner Luke Ashton said the "restrictive" regulations meant he had to decide whether to operate with a general licence, which permitted a bigger patronage but forced him to cease trading at midnight, or move to a small bar licence with a 2am cutoff.

"For us to move a small bar licence we would've had to reduce our capacity by one fifth, by 20 guests. We elected to stay on a general licence (120 guests)," Mr Ashton said.

"Ultimately we decided to step out of the market and wait for things to change."