By Andrew Starke
The NSW Opposition has called on the O'Farrell Government withdraw its controversial Three Strikes legislation, describing the policy as deeply flawed.
Shadow Minister Steve Whan said the government had ntroduced the Three Strikes legislation in a rush to meet its 100 Day Plan deadline – before consulting with industry and stakeholders.
"While the NSW Opposition doesn’t oppose appropriate action to ensure liquor laws are properly enforced, the Government's Bill in its current form is unfair, impractical and may even serve to reduce reporting of problems on licensed premises," he said.
"Under the Government's proposed legislation, the Director General can give a licensed venue a 'strike' even if an offence is appealed and proven to have not occurred.”
Whan said it was not acceptable to have a person’s livelihood removed on the basis of an allegation only.
He added that there was a real danger of the legislation straining the relationship between licensees and police.
"As Shadow Minister, I am hearing concerns from families running country pubs who suggest that this legislation could make them actually reluctant to phone the police if there is violence on the premises because they could be blamed,” he said.
“The Government's legislation would give a 'strike' even if a person had just walked by the front of the pub already drunk and attacked a patron.
“If the Government fails to address the serious flaws in this Bill, the Opposition will move its own amendments and if they are rejected we will oppose the Bill.”