By Amelia Ball
Perth licensees have rejected a police proposal to implement a 12-month trial lockout that would prevent patrons from entering pubs and clubs two hours prior to closing.
About 60 liquor accord members operating in central Perth met on the issue last month and voted to postpone implementing the trial for 12 months. They believe the plan failed to address a number of strategies and lacked the additional support a curfew of this nature would require.
The proposed 12-month lock-out trial is part of a broader police plan that aims to tackle ‘alcohol-fuelled violence’ around the city’s nightspots.
The postponement aims to give licensees time to find and implement alternatives to the lockout strategy, with industry members committed to working with police and other key stakeholders in a cooperative approach to the issues.
Developments in Western Australia follow Melbourne’s three-month trial of 2:00am lockouts, which came into effect this week. However, more than a quarter of the city’s affected venues had successfully sought exemption from the curfew by last month.
To comment on this story, click here.