Licence freeze part of common sense approach for new CBD Taskforce

25 June 2009

NSW Premier Nathan Rees announced today the NSW Government will introduce legislation to freeze new alcohol licences in trouble hot spots in Sydney’s CBD.

The announcement follows the first meeting of a newly established Sydney Liquor Taskforce co-chaired by Premier Rees and Lord Mayor Clover Moore.

“The new taskforce will report directly to the Premier and Lord Mayor to tackle alcohol crime and violence around the CBD,” said Mr Rees.

“The CBD needed a renewed focus and ideas to reduce the continuing unacceptable levels of violence.

“According to Police, assaults are falling but change is not happening fast enough.

“A twelve month freeze on new licences from today is a first step and one of the issues the taskforce will help implement.

“Targeted areas will include Kings Cross, the Oxford St precinct in Darlinghurst and parts of the southern CBD.

“The exact boundaries and any exemptions will be considered as a matter of priority.

“A common sense approach is needed and licences for low risk venues including restaurants, special events and cafes will be exempted.

“This initiative is in addition to the strong measurers introduced for proscribed hotels and clubs.

"The next phase of that program will be announced in the coming weeks,” said Mr Rees.

The Taskforce is a joint initiative of Premier Rees and Lord Mayor Clover Moore after her representations on the impacts of late trading in hot spot areas in and around the city.

Ms Moore welcomed the opportunity to work in partnership with Government, agencies and leaders from the club and hotel industry.

“Fighting alcohol violence is a joint responsibility and success in driving down incidents is dependant on all parties working together,” said Ms Moore.

"The City of Sydney local government area has around 1,900 licenced premises - with four times the NSW rate of alcohol-related assaults.

"We agree that a licence freeze is necessary and will help refine policy measures which may be suitable to extend to other areas in NSW.

“The City of Sydney is particularly concerned to develop a legally enforceable mechanism to introduce a cap on the number of licenced premises in areas considered to be at or above maximum capacity," said Ms Moore.

Key government agencies and council representatives, along with the Australian Hotels Association and business leaders met today to look for more immediate solutions to the problems.

The Sydney Liquor Taskforce will provide advice to both the Government and the City of Sydney Council on measures to tackle alcohol related violence and other negative impact from hot spots around the CBD.

The new body will include NSW Department of the Arts, Sport and Recreation, City of Sydney, NSW Police, NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet, NSW Health, Ministry of Transport, Australian Hotels Association (NSW), Clubs NSW, Liquor Stores Association, Restaurant and Catering NSW/ACT.

The taskforce will consider issues including:

• The exact boundaries of the hot precincts to be covered
• Measures to further reduce alcohol related violence, including the freeze on licences
• Management of people in and out of the precincts in peak periods
• Policing issues
• Training options for staff of licenced premises
• Research and analysis of data about the cumulative impacts of liquor licences

Key facts for the City of Sydney

In the City of Sydney there are 1,789 liquor licences in operation - 1,230 are on licenced premises (restaurants and cafes). Of these:

• 299 are hotels
• 46 are clubs
• 90 are packaged liquor licences, and
• the remainder are limited or wholesalers.

750 venues have late night trading authorisations.

In the last 12 months, approval was given for:

• 71 restaurants
• 16 wholesale/retail
• 3 small bars
• 2 full hotels
• 2 accommodations
• 2 caterers
• 1 seafood school
• 1 vessel, and
• 2 theatres.