Everyone with a view on the impact of the lockout laws on Sydney’s night time economy is urged to make sure they have their say and make a submission to the NSW Government’s Joint Select Committee which will inquire and report on the city’s night time economy.
The committee was established last month and is now receiving submissions, the deadline for lodging submissions to the committee is Tuesday 2 July.
Make sure you have your say and lodge your committee this week.
Speaking about the committee, Chair Natalie Ward said: “The Committee has been set-up to look at issues affecting Sydney’s night-time economy. This includes community health and safety but also ways to ensure that Sydney remains an attractive place to visit with plenty of options for people to enjoy the city after-hours.
“We want people to enjoy a night out in Sydney’s entertainment districts without the fear or threat of violence. We also want to ensure that there are options available for those people who are able to enjoy Sydney’s nightlife responsibly. Sydney remains one of the world’s leading cities and we want to make sure that residents and visitors can enjoy all that Sydney has to offer.
“In recent years, the Government has introduced laws which have led to a reduction in non-domestic violent assaults in the Sydney CBD and Kings Cross. However, people have also argued that this legislation has had an adverse effect on certain businesses and the availability of entertainment.
“We will be looking at the effect of the lockout laws on businesses in Sydney. We also want to hear people’s experiences, either visiting these places for entertainment or those on the front lines, dealing with health and safety problems.
“We know there are strong feelings on both sides of this debate, and we are hoping to hear from as many people and organisations as possible. We would welcome submissions from anyone with an interest in this issue and will be holding public hearings in August.”
The committee will report to Parliament by 30 September 2019 and those interested in making a submission to the inquiry can find out more information on the committee’s webpage.