The Jack Hotel, Cairns (via Facebook)
Image Via Facebook

Cairns Licensees Consider Legal Action Against Lockouts

Last week, the Queensland Government reached a deal which will see the implementation of the toughest lockout laws seen in Australia yet.

The laws make serving drinks after 2am – and shots after midnight – illegal as of July 1st this year, with clubs allowed to serve until 3am only if they lock they enforce a 1am lockout.

Although the planned 1am lockout for nightclubs has been postponed until February next year, Cairns City Liquor Safety Accord president and The Jack Hotel manager, John Lynch, has called for a meeting to discuss potential legal action. Following what Lynch calls a ‘disappointing’ outcome, pubs and clubs in Cairns will be required by law to call last drinks orders by 3am (and 2am in areas outside the entertainment precinct).

“I believe there are grounds for loss of revenue which the Government hasn’t answered any questions on,” Lynch says, as reported by The Cairns Post. “They’re impacting trading hours, so there’s going to be a loss of employment or loss of trading hours, and revenue.”

He continues: “I will certainly be having discussions with those in Cairns who trade until 5am to find out what their views are.”

As with other lockout laws around the country, casinos are excluded from the restrictions.

“We find it absurd that the Government can exclude casinos, which are still able to serve alcohol to whatever time they like – if that’s not biased then I don’t know what is.”

Along with restrictions on entry and selling alcohol by prescribed times, MPs from the Katter’s Australian Party have controversially called for people guilty of drug offences, and with histories of violence, to be banned completely from nightclub precincts, something Cairns Street Chaplains founder and former chief executive, Carol Christopher has slammed outright.

“I’m really disappointed in the KAP because I think they were able to be bought, they didn’t make a decision based on a real belief on the issue,” she says. “The real issue is this isn’t going to stop the problem… there has been a considerable number of coward punches outside nightclub precincts, including in Cairns, so I don’t think this is going to be effective. It’s going to close down businesses and put ­people out of their jobs.”

Cairns Mayor Bob Manning has said council would represent John Lynch and the Cairns licensees, but he’s not optimistic about them achieving their desired outcome.

“[The State Government has] made their decision and we now have to cope with it,” Manning says. “We know we’re not going to win them all.”

An independent review of the laws is set to take place in July 2018.

Must Read