Fight for the night
Bar lobby says Queensland must follow later licensing lead
THE Gold Coast bar lobby fear the city will lose the “knife fight” for domestic tourism if Sydney brings in later licensing and Queensland fails to follow.
The NSW Government is looking at loosening up its night economy with a 24-hour plan to revive arts, entertainment and hospitality.
On the Gold Coast and Queensland, under the Palaszczuk Labor Government, venues in the late-night precincts of Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach must serve last drinks by 3am and not serve rapid-consumption drinks like shots after midnight. But Artesian Hospitality partner Matt Keegan - whose stable includes White Rhino, Havana and The Bedroom – said it was vital for the Gold Coast, and particularly entertainment precincts Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach, to not get left behind if Sydney repositions its night economy into a 24-hour destination.
“It was said best when it was explained domestic tourism was going to become a knife fight.
“The states are going to have to fight hard to ensure the tourism dollars are spent in their locations.
“Queensland, south-east Queensland relies heavily on tourism - and without us offering an environment that’s conducive to that, we are going to lose out to places like Melbourne and Sydney, who are already making those changes or have those rules.
“It’s something the Queensland Government needs to already consider. The NSW Government is already acting and looking at changes and that’s the kind of quick action we need to see.
“The hospitality industry has been one of the most affected and if we don’t make changes the devastation is going to continue.”
Surfers Paradise Licensed Venues Association president Tim Martin said 24-7 Melbourne had already been dominating the chase for the night economy tourist dollar. “The night economy is a major part of the tourism dollar.”
Gold Coast Central Chamber of Commerce president Martin Hall was open to the idea of extended trading and said it should be discussed. “Anything that is going to stimulate the limited economy that we have,” he said.
But he said the most important thing to stimulate the economy would be opening the borders again.
“I don’t think it can be done in isolation - otherwise you are picking from the same people.”
Mr Hall urged government to work with the industry.
Ms Palaszczuk: “We do not have any plans to change any of the licensing requirements.
“What they have meant is a decrease in alcohol-fuelled violence and number of presentations going to hospitals where parents were seeing their children with smashed-up faces.”