We did it on biggest night
So Minister, how about 5am Games last drinks?
BAR bosses and the MP for Surfers Paradise say an incident-free New Year’s — with a later 5am drinks cut-off — bolsters the case for extended Commonwealth Games trade.
Many venues in the Surfers Paradise party precinct had special extended liquor licences for New Year’s Eve, allowing them to serve drinks until 5am, two hours longer than usual.
Police say 40,000 packed into Surfers and 25,000 into Broadbeach last night, with 23 total arrests across the city but no major incidents.
Among the worst drama involved four unlucky revellers trapped in a lift in the Mark building on the party strip for about an hour.
The Bedroom nightclub manager Brad Oliver said the Surfers Paradise venue had a special 5am licence and no problems: “The club was pumping and the night was incident free”.
Hollywood Showgirls strip club and bar owner Craig Duffy also had a 5am licence.
“It was a great night,” he said. “This shows a 5am cut-off during the Games is a sensible approach to take to avoid international embarrassment.”
LNP’s Member for Surfers Paradise John-Paul Langbroek — the Games Shadow Minister — has been pushing for extended Games licensing.
“This New Year’s Eve is a good example of where we want Surfers to be. I’ve been to Commonwealth Games, Olympics, and they are familycentred fun. The two weeks are not booze focused.
“But if people want to go out and enjoy themselves outside the normal hours it won’t be as intense as New Year’s. We should have provision for it.
“A practical reasonable outcome for the Games is extended trading hours for the biggest event in Australia this decade.”
Games Minister Kate Jones met Mayor Tom Tate, Gold Coast Tourism CEO Martin Winter and Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath just before Christmas to discuss the issue.
The group is considering waiving exorbitant fees for restaurants which want to sell drinks after midnight.
The Bulletin understands an option being looked at is an increase to the six special 5am licences nightclubs can apply for annually to accommodate the Games fortnight in April.
Ms Jones said the group hoped to have a resolution by February: “We all want the Gold Coast to put its best foot forward and everyone who comes for the Games to have had a great experience”.