Protest against the 2am lockout TODAY 5PM AT PARLIAMENT HOUSE

[rpsmith]

SMS everyone you know in melbourne about this event and tell them to spread the word!!!

Who we are
MelbourneLockedOut.com is a pressure group formed by the public in protest against the harmful 2am lockout policy. We are calling on public and media scrutiny of the proposed 1/4 year trial and demanding a postponement of the trial pending a full investigation by an independent committee.

What we are doing
We are holding one of the largest protests in Generation Y’s history at Parliament house on Friday the 30th of May at 5pm. We intend to voice our concerns and issues in relation to the proposed declaration.

What we want
We want the proposed lockout trial to be postponed. We want to sit down with the government, police and licensees as representatives of the public, and come up with real solutions rather than just another Band-aid Brumby policy.

What the lockout is?
The lockout is a declaration (act of martial law used during war times) that says that nobody may enter a licensed premises after 2am even if you have already been inside that venue. Exemptions include pokie and keno littered RSL’s, Crown Casino and Bottle shops.



Facts

Despite what some of the lesser forms of media would tell you, since 2004 violence in Melbourne has been on a continual decrease and is still getting lower despite more people going out at night (Source: The Age).
Cabs and public transport will become impossible to obtain, and many smaller bars that Melbourne is famous for, will be put into bankruptcy if a quarter year trial is to go ahead.
Crown Casino, as per usual is exempt, despite over 50% of all CBD assaults being reported in the Southbank area.
24 hour bottle shops a source of cheap, unmonitored alcohol, will continue to trade at all hours despite the governments push that this is to curb drinking problems.
Neither the Licensees nor the Public had been consulted on this policy and Sue Maclellan (Director of Liquor Licensing refuses to answer the publics questions.)
In November 2005 London extended its drinking hours and lifted its lockout to battle the number of assaults and drunken behaviour; it worked and continues to be extended further.
The London tests have found that binge drinking decreased overall because patrons could spread out their drinking over a longer period of time.
There is no proof that a lockout will decrease violence or decrease drinking, only evidence to the contrary as more people spill out onto the street.
Issues:

Financial ramifications

Melbourne doesn’t have an Opera house, or a Harbour Bridge, or world famous beaches. It does have a world famous cultural nightlife and musical hub that is going to be taken away from us and handed over to other city’s eager to emulate us.
Bartenders, security, venue owners/operators will all lose revenue as working hours decrease and there is less money to go around in a recessive saturated industry. In unsure economic times like today, is it fair to cripple an industry that so many working families and students rely on for their income?
Responsible service of alcohol requirements
Clubs are already highly regulated and scrutinised. Legally they cannot serve intoxicated persons and must ensure all the patrons safety and protect them from harm.
Bottleshops on the other hand are exempt from the lockout, have no obligation for the customer’s safety or level of intoxication, and have no control or responsibility over where their customers drink, dispose of their rubbish or congregate.
With the lockdown people will be more inclined to drink in the street or outside closed off venues.
Civil liberties

Infringement on peoples rights to visit the venues of their choice, at their times of choice. The fact that these places can operate at a profit proves that there is a market for people who like to listen to rare, unique music at all hours of the night. Melbourne is a 24 hours city and not all people work 9-5. Shift workers, hospitality workers and general night owl’s are being discriminated against and forced to go to the casino
Workers’ rights: the government has failed to take into account the ramifications this will have on hospitality workers. Most of these people work hard all night so Melbournians can socialise after a hard weeks work. Are they themselves not entitled to socialise with their co-workers and friends after they finish scrubbing our dishes, cleaning our glasses, serving us drinks and taking our orders?
Favouritism of gambling industry

Where does Mr Brumby’s agenda lie with the gaming industry? Why can Crown Casino nightclubs that have a history of violence operate outside these laws simply because they fall under the umbrella of the Crown Casino? The reason nobody goes to Crown Casino nightclubs is because of the people that go there and the violence they bring with them. Now people will be forced to go there and most likely be funnelled into the gambling areas
Why are RSL’s that have become littered with family ruining Pokie machines able to operate outside these laws?
Gambling is a huge social and economic issue that has put a strain on Australia, Problem gamblers and young people are being funnelled into locations of temptation – RSL’s and the Casino. And will be more likely to cause violence and turn to drugs as a result of the added frustration.
Safety

Increased street traffic is a major outcome of these new laws. In the Gold Coast when these laws were introduced people naturally spilled out of the nightclubs and onto the street causing police to be overrun with violence and disorderly behaviour.
People not able to get home – not enough cabs (not to mention associated issues with cab drivers being unwilling to take intoxicated passengers) will result in more people on the streets not able to find a way home
People unable to exit a venue to get fresh air or food.
Nightrider can’t support that many extra people and regular public transport doesn’t run at 2am. Doubling the Nightrider will have little result in decreasing traffic congestion.
Police will be unable to handle increase in street traffic/assaults – as their resources are already stretched.
The police finish their shifts at 2am. How will they handle this transfer? And how many extra police are being put permanently after this hour?
Culture

Melbourne has a reputation as a cosmopolitan city – most liveable , best Australian tourist destination– we should be preserving this and not letting an unelected premier destroy our city.
Tourism in Melbourne is at an all time high. The two main reasons for this are shopping and nightlife.
Melbourne is a 24-hour city and has spent millions telling the world this, we would be known as a laughing stock.
Danger zones are not included.

Hawthorn – Large number of assaults outside McDonalds and the nightclubs in the area.
CROWN CASINO – 1200 assaults since 2002 in the Southbank district. Not to mention domestic violence and emotional trauma due to gambling addiction.

[Tigger]

I reckon the protest should be run at 2am on Saturday morning!!  You'd have all the drunks with nowhere else to go getting together on the steps of Parliament and causing havoc in the pollies own front yard......


Better than that though would be to crack the skulls of all the idiot parents who've let their little darlings under the age of 18 out to consistently get trashed each and every weekend with their easily obtained fake ID's that mummy or daddy pay for with their ridiculous monetary indulgence in their kids (guilt money) plus all the stupid moronic and americanised yobs who think having fun means picking on people and getting into fights and then for all us 'responsible' over 18's to be hit with all manner of craptastic solutions!!!!!

'Rant over' ...............................for now 

[TC]

I will just address 4 of the falacies or misleading statements you make.

...a declaration (act of martial law used during war times) ...

A declaration is any public proclamation. Yes introduction of martial law would entail a declaration, but so would government issue of free Aston Martins for all. Misleading and argumentative.

...Cabs and public transport will become impossible to obtain...

The peak demands for transport will remain relatively constant. Those people who wish to stay out will remain in the same establishments after 2am rather venue hopping. Inaccurate and unsupported.

...many smaller bars that Melbourne is famous for, will be put into bankruptcy if a quarter year trial is to go ahead...

Most smaller bars do the majority of their business earlier in the evening - it's the larger nightclubs who attract late night roaming patronage. Just plain wrong.

...over 50% of all CBD assaults being reported in the Southbank area....

Most reports from King St are dealt with by Southbank. City and City West (they used to have really uncomfortable watch house cells  ) have  jurisdictions with less late night licenses. Misleading and ill informed.

I could go on, but why bother?

[Surandy]

Thanks for your clarification TC, I was beginning to think I had misread previous reports about it. With the issues raised by rpsmith it sounded like all venues bar Crown would close their doors at 2am.

Call me an old fogey but generally if I left a venue after 2am it was to go home, usually via a food vendor. But then I did most of my late night partying in Geelong and most live venues closed at 1am.

[Buzz]

Not that I club-hop, but I'm torn on this one. Bendigo has had lock-outs for a while now, and by most reports, it's very successful. On the other hand, how many clubs don't kick off till midnight, and rely on patronage churn till the wee hours?

One side effect - all clubs are scrambling for ATMs now that their patrons can't go out for a fill-up.