Qld govt casino lockout exemption slammed

Queensland's government is facing criticism over its decision to exempt casinos from its lockout laws that aim to reduce alcohol-fuelled violence.

protest against the Queensland Government's proposed lockout laws.

File photo. Source: AAP

Queensland's government has been slammed for not extending its contentious lockout laws to casinos, which generate nearly $100 million in state revenue each year.

While anti-violence campaigners say the laws will save lives, club owners are angry casinos are exempt.

The Palaszczuk government says the changes, which include a statewide 2am last drinks call, won't apply to casinos because they are "regulated differently" from pubs and clubs.

But critics argue casinos are protected because of the money they pump into state coffers.

"The companies that run the casinos are enormous companies, they are very well financed in terms of their political lobbying activity and the Queensland government has a revenue problem," Our Nightlife Queensland secretary Nick Braban told AAP.

He said smaller venues would struggle with the changes.

"They don't understand - they think it's unfair," he said.

Casino taxes and levies raised a total $94 million in 2014-15 and that figure is projected to rise, according to the state's latest budget outlook.

Mr Braban expected the lockout laws would also boost those figures.

Sydney's Star Casino was labelled the winner of the city's lockout laws in 2014 after its gaming revenue rose, although the casino maintained its patronage had remained the same.

Queensland Shadow Attorney-General Ian Walker said allowing casinos to serve alcohol all night was among a raft of irregularities in the government's lockout legislation.

"There are many inconsistencies in the legislation that certainly create confusion ... under this legislation casinos remain able to trade for 24 hours a day," he told parliament.

But Attorney-General Yvette D'Ath said the casino-related hysteria was "quite appalling".

"The LNP were in government for three years and for that entire time the 3am lockout operated across the state for every licensed venue and every single casino was exempt," she said.

"Casinos are in a different business. They are not there to sell alcohol."

Ross Thompson, from the One Punch Can Kill campaign, said he was fine with casinos being exempt.

"People go to the casinos to have a good time, they don't go out there to have a night out on the booze," he said.

Mr Thompson said he was grateful a government had finally done something to address alcohol-fuelled violence.

"This will undoubtedly save lives and reduce a lot of unnecessary violence," he said.

There has been an increased focus on alcohol-fuelled violence after a rise in street assaults, such as the fatal one-punch attack on Brisbane teenager Cole Miller in Fortitude Valley.

The minority government was able to pass the laws by securing support from the two Katter Party MPs after agreeing to concessions and several amendments.

One of those was to delay the introduction of a 1am lockout, meant to combine with the 3am call for last drinks for nightclub precincts, to February 1 next year.


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Source: AAP



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