The "spectacular" results from late-night pub lockout laws in inner Sydney have sparked a fresh push to roll them out across NSW.
Health professionals, alcohol experts and campaigners have called for an expansion of the reforms, after NSW crime statistics released figures on Thursday showing the laws have cut down assaults by up to 40 per cent.
Anthony Grabs, St Vincent's Hospital Director of Trauma Services, says his doctors had seen "less heartache, less injuries" since the laws came in.
"I think people are going home well before they get involved in these incidents," he said.
Serious head injuries in the intensive care unit have been reduced by more than 50 per cent, Dr Grabs said.
The lockout laws, introduced last year in the wake of the deaths of teenagers Thomas Kelly and Daniel Christie, require most licensed premises in central Sydney and Kings Cross to refuse entry to patrons from 1.30am and stop serving alcohol at 3am.
Now they should be extended to Bondi, Double Bay and other parts of NSW, Dr Grabs said.
Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) director Don Weatherburn linked the laws to a "spectacular" 32 per cent drop in assaults in Kings Cross and a 40 per cent cut in the CBD assault rate.
Despite the outcome, it's not yet clear why or whether the results will last.
"It's certainly one of the most dramatic effects I've seen in my time on policy interventions to reduce crime," Dr Weatherburn said.
Later this year, BOCSAR will look into whether the reforms worked by curbing drinking or whether they pushed drinkers out of the city.
For now, however, the report appears to have scotched claims that the lockout laws would simply push violent drinkers to city-fringe party spots.
The report found although there was a slight rise in assaults around the Star Casino, it was so minimal that it may have been a coincidence.
Pubs and clubs in the lockout precincts have complained of profit losses of up to 40 per cent.
The father of Michael McEwan, who was left in a coma after an alcohol-fuelled assault, has called for a level-playing field for all NSW venues.
His 24-year-old son, Michael, had part of his skull removed after he fell backwards during an assault in Bondi in December 2013.
"He had a remarkable recovery from the brink of death," he said.
"The same rules should be applied to everyone," Rob McEwan told AAP.
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