Denmark’s crown prince falls victim to Australia’s new bar law
SYDNEY, Australia — The story began with what sounded like a punchline: The crown prince of Denmark walked into a bar. Or, at least, he tried to — before Queensland’s new ID laws stopped him short.
Late Friday, Australian undercover officers protecting Frederik, the 49-year-old heir to the throne of Denmark, tried to facilitate his entry into Brisbane’s Jade Buddha Bar and Kitchen. But according to the bar’s management, he was turned away because he lacked identification.
Luckily for the crown prince, he was allowed in 15 minutes after the first attempt, the bar’s management said. But the episode has drawn attention to a new state law that has disappointed Australians and tourists alike by requiring that their identification be scanned to get into certain bars after 10 p.m.
Speaking on the “Sunrise” television program Tuesday, Phil Hogan, co-owner of the bar, said that when his security personnel were asked by the undercover officers whether they recognized the prince, they had a sheepish response: “No, not really. No offense, your honor.”
Law’s rollout difficult
Even after the bar verified the identities of the people in the prince’s entourage, Hogan said, they were caught in a bind “because if we let him in, we do so in front of six police officers and we potentially break the law.”
The prince is no stranger to Australian bars: He met his Australian-born wife, Princess Mary, in a pub during the Sydney Olympics in 2000. But it appeared he had missed the memo on Queensland’s new laws, which went into effect July 1 and affect more than 200 licensed businesses.
Nightspots are required to scan each patron’s identification, with the information then compared with a police or court database of those with banning orders stemming from previous offenses.
The legislation was introduced by the government of Queensland’s premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, to quell alcoholfueled violence, but venue owners and bar patrons have voiced frustrations over its rollout, which they say has led to long lines, declining revenues and concerns over data security.
Ryan Lane, general manager at the Gresham, a bar in Brisbane, said that while scanning IDs could make nightspots safer, the government’s failure to consult with the bar industry over the new rules had hurt quieter establishments.
Winemakers turned away
Just last month, the Gresham made headlines by turning away a dozen French winemakers who had not brought identification.
“Perfectly sober. Well dressed. Incredibly polite,” Lane said.
“It was so embarrassing,” he added. “And on the world stage, we look a bit silly.”
Additionally, scanners must be approved by the government and can only be operated by licensed operators, which can rack up the costs of enforcement. One venue owner, Jamie Webb, said that last month he lost about 25,000 Australian dollars, or about $20,000, in one week.
The government has acknowledged there would be “teething issues,” but has stood by the legislation.
In Queensland’s Parliament on Tuesday morning, Yvette D’Ath, Queensland’s attorney general and minister of justice, said that about 1.4 million people had entered licensed venues with scanners and that banning orders involving 76 people had been found.
According to Hogan, the crown prince took the episode in stride. While the venue manager was frantically organizing cocktail servers, Hogan said, his highness walked directly up to the bar for his drink of choice.
“He bought a dark and stormy,” Hogan added. “So to give him credit, he seems like a very nice fellow.”