PSA: Sydney Lockout Laws Will Be Lifted Tonight For New Year’s Eve

Congrats, Sydney! In honour of 2017 coming to a close, the state government is giving us a celebratory night off from the lockout laws.

Yes, for one glorious night only, Sydney will become a lockout-free zone, with our supreme Liberal Party overlords declaring it OK for us to stay out and play past 1.30am to toast the arrival of the New Year.

Anti-lockouts group-turned-political party Keep Sydney Open confirmed the news on Facebook, remarking that “People have been asking us about lockouts and closing times tonight, as there hasn’t been much word going round”.

“As NYE is on a Sunday, venues that usually have to close earlier can trade until 2am and the 1:30am lockout ~will not~ apply. Venues that are licensed to stay open later will trade as usual,” they continue.

“Bottle shops that usually have to close earlier on a Sunday can stay trading until 11pm.”

They cheekily added: “Enjoy the one night of the year the NSW Government allows you to party lockout-free!” followed by a string of laughing and angry-snorting emojis.

Of course, it’s not the first time that the NSW Government has given us a night off the lockouts for New Years.

They were originally a bit more public about it though. Speaking in 2014, then-Liquor and Hospitality Minister Troy Grant called the lockout relaxation “a commonsense approach for what is the biggest night on the Sydney calendar” based on the logic that it would prevent punters from dangerously bull-rushing to venues following the midnight fireworks display in an attempt to beat the lockouts.

It still seems a bit odd though, given the laws were originally introduced following a moral panic over the fatal assault of 18-year-old Daniel Christie, which occurred in Kings Cross in 2013, on noneother than New Year’s Eve.

Oh well. Happy New Years at any rate, all. Have fun, be safe, and enjoy the one night of the year you don’t have to slide like Indiana Jones through a falling rock door to get into a venue before the stroke of 1.30am.

The post PSA: Sydney Lockout Laws Will Be Lifted Tonight For New Year’s Eve appeared first on Music Feeds.

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