Push to make Mardi Gras Parade night exempt from NSW lockout laws
THE NSW government is under pressure to lift the lockout laws for next year’s Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade following this week’s decision to make New Year’s Eve exempt from the laws.
The recent exemption applied to New Year’s Eve (NYE) follows after Sydney state independent MP Alex Greenwich requested the lockout laws to be lifted for next year’s Mardi Gras Parade night.
The exemption for NYE will allow party-goers to enter licensed premises after 1.30am but the discontinuation of alcohol being served after 3am will remain in place.
Greenwich has since reinforced his request for the NYE exemption to also be considered for Mardi Gras 2015.
“I have called on the government to apply the same common sense approach to next year’s Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras,” he said.
The Mardi Gras festival attracts thousands every year, including international tourists. There are concerns the lockout could create a safety hazard as crowds hastily travel to post-parade parties and events in licensed venues before 1.30am.
There is also speculation the lockout laws could play an effect on the economy and image of Sydney’s Mardi Gras.
“Sydney is Australia’s global city, and we need to ensure our night time economy is a safe and vibrant one,” Greenwich said.
Earlier this year, Greenwich had requested the lockout law to be lifted for Mardi Gras, but this did not succeed.
The Mardi Gras’ official post-parade Party is held at Moore Park, which does not fall under the geographical boundaries for the lockout laws, but all of Sydney’s gay bars and clubs in the Oxford St precinct do.
[Editor’s note: Almost two hours after this story was published, it was reported that the Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing released a statement say they would not consider making Mardi Gras exempt from the lockout laws. More here.]
how about they apply real morality and ban the whole event..!!
We try our hardest too assimilate and be as one and yet we try and alter legit laws to suit one night of decadence! Get a grip!!
It’s in place cos those city folk and visitors go cray cray on the piss!!
Don’t alter the law cos it works!!!!
If Mardi Gras was smart they could take advantage of the lockouts to increase the patronage of the official party.
They should have done it from the start left a dirty taste in my mouth. I didn’t fly down to spend my tourism dollars to be restricted.
Im a resident of Sydney city. No one asked me about this lockout crap. I say get rid of it. Its really discriminating against residents of Sydney. Maybe an exemption for residents that live within 5km of a venue!
Hell yes – mardigras is one of Australia’s biggest tourist draw cards- smart thing to do would be to take away lockout
Alan Carter
Yes absolutely
Its the bogans that caused the problem by boozing up before going to the city then acting like tools , so bad luck blame them
But then you would have requests for Chinese new year, Anzac day, nye, every day almost
Who cares!
get rid of it altogether
Just in case nobody has seen the article yet I have just found this article, which in my opinion can be used to lift lockout for Mardi Gras. If NYE celebrations are exempt to be fair Mardi Gras as well as other events should be too.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/lockout-laws-lifted-for-new-years-eve-in-sydney/story-fni0cx12-1227140211550?nk=39b7f96868522f73b2221f47abb476b8
What the govt seems to over look is the fact that Sydney is an international City. How embarrassing for Sydney it must be when visitors come from overseas and can’t get into a venue after 1:30am and not buy a drink after 3am! Not a good look at all. And yes it’s true it’s not the gay community that causes the problems.
I’m a gay man and I’m a DJ and I work in so called “straight” venues, and it’s the “straight” guys mainly that get a belly full off piss take some drugs and cause either king hit or glass some one.
As much as I hate the lockout laws, we need to remember that not even New Years Eve is exempt from lockouts, so sadly I doubt the laws will be lifted. Mardi gras is a fabulous annual event we need to remember that lockouts affect all CBD events. While on topic more does need to be done to remove the lockout laws, like the more action done against it the more likely it will go, let’s hope like Melbourne the lockout is lifted.
Actually New Years does look like it will be exempt from the lockout laws.
The question is would the same exemption be for Mardi Gras, hope so as it is a major tourism attraction which will pump heaps of money into the Aus economy and give venues a needed boost. Only time will tell.
Yes!! No lockout laws would be great!
Why doesn’t the N.S.W Government go the whole hog & bring back prohibition, Both the N.S.W. & The Current Federal government are dragging us back into the dark ages again so why, oh why, don’t they just do it & be be done with it.
It should be lifted, period.
Considering they enforced it the week before Mardi gras, it doesn’t seem likely
Kelly Boland
The lockout should be lifted – period. It’s a backward thinking policy that discriminates against anyone who doesn’t work regular Mon – Fri 9 to 5 hours.
if they can do it for news year eve Mardi Gras should granted premission
stop whingeing, you want equality yet you want to be exempt from lockout, any reason why? and who in their right mind is still drunk at 4am?
Of course they should. Mardi Gras brings thousands of people and missions of dollars to Sydney. A little consideration on lockout hours is not too much to ask.
Fuck yes it’s not the gay community that causes the problems..
Andrew is that you?? ;) x
Yes, omg, horrible pic