News Corp is reporting that Melbourne Lord Mayor Robert Doyle is supporting Melbourne bars in their push to have 24-hour licencing approved.
In stark contrast to recent lockout laws in Sydney, Brisbane, and potentially also in Canberra, Cr Doyle is quoted as saying that he supports the judging smaller venues and those that serve food on their merits, should they apply to have their hours extended in the early morning.
This announcement comes off the back of all-night public transport being instated around the city of Melbourne, making what the Lord Mayor was quoted as calling a “real opportunity” to offer small bars the chance to extend their hours and create a 24-hour city.
Cr Doyle did caution that this would not signal a return to the “(unrestrained) sale and consumption of alcohol”. Currently only 120 venues are licensed to trade past 1am.
The Association of Liquor Licensees’ Melbourne secretary, Nicholas Albon, is also quoted in the article as holding Sydney up as a shining example of how to destroy a thriving night-time economy, saying “What we’re seeing with Sydney is one of the great cities in the world shut down”.
