Liquor regulation minister, Jane Garrett, reportedly praised the decision, saying it gave Melbourne a certain edge over other cities in Australia:
“Melbourne is the envy of Australia in terms of our vibrant and diverse bar scene, our live music is world renowned and we want to see that culture go to the next level. People call us the Capital of Cool. This is going to make us even better.”
The ruling, which was introduced in Melbourne in 2008, applied to some live music venues, small bars and venues holding less than 200 people. From July 1, venues with council approval and with a head count of less than 200 at any given time, will be eligible to apply for exemption.
The move does not reflect NSW’s current liquor licensing laws, where lockouts at some CBD venues are implemented at 1AM, with closures at 3AM. Queensland is reportedly considering to follow in New South Wales’ footsteps, and may implement similar lockout laws this year.
Meanwhile, raise a glass to relaxing bans on the small venues that make Melbourne so bloody great.
