The Hon.

Robert Borsak MLC

Parliament of New South Wales
Legislative Council
Shooters and Fishers Party

MEDIA RELEASE

15 February 2016
For Immediate Release

Baird Makes NSW Number 1 Again: At Locking-Out Business

NSW Shooters and Fishers Party MLC Robert Borsak called-on Premier Mike Baird to find
a common sense solution to Sydney's lock-out laws rather than locking-out business due to
a poorly-considered solution to alcohol fuelled violence.
"Again we have a prime example of a thought-bubble with the best of intentions putting
another strain on NSW business," Mr Borsak said.
"Unfortunately this is how NSW has been run for decades: knee-jerk responses aimed at
making the Government of the day look tough and smart, with no thought of the wider
consequences.
"We've seen with both Labor and Liberal Governments passing ineffective laws to look
'tough on crime' that are either seldom used or quickly repealed because their impact
wasn't fully considered.
"One example from last year the Government's Crimes (Sentencing Procedure)
Amendment (Firearms Offences) Act 2015: in a nutshell, it increased the standard nonparole periods for firearms offences that have never ever been prosecuted because being
tough on gun crime was an 'election commitment'. Yet, my calls for mandatory sentencing
on crimes committed using firearms have fallen on deaf ears.
"The Liberal Government has repeatedly declared NSW 'open for business', but the long list
of restaurants, bars and night clubs that have closed in Kings Cross and the Sydney CBD
as a result of the laws directly, or declining foot traffic from them, shows that they have just
locked them out."
Mr Borsak also said that his concerns about this legislation that he raised in Parliament in
when the lock-out laws were originally debated have now come to fruition. In 2014 he said:
"I hope that the bill before the House today and the bill to be introduced when Parliament resumes
next month are not kneejerk reactions to media campaigns, such as occurred with the infamous
ammo bill. What a joke that was. The bill must provide for the imposition of adequate sentences on
people who recklessly or intentionally destroy other people's lives. At the same time, the bill must
recognise that New South Wales does not want to become a nanny State and Parliament should not
legislate to destroy legitimate business operations."
Source: Hansard, Crimes and Other Legislation Amendment (Assault and Intoxication) Bill 2014,
30/01/2014

Parliament House

Phone: 02 9230 2850 Fax: 02 9230 2613

Macquarie St SYDNEY NSW 2000

email: robert.borsak@parliament.nsw.gov.au

Mr Borsak called for a common sense solution to the alcohol-fuelled assaults issue.
"Yes, we need a solution to alcohol-fuelled violence. People should be safe when enjoying
themselves on a night out- but rather than stopping people from going out in the first place
we need a multi-faceted solution.
"The underlying culture of those who think it's 'cool' or 'tough' to knock somebody out and
possibly kill them on a night out needs to be addressed.
"Licensed premises need to be more accountable for their responsible service of alcohol
duties, and appropriate public transport late at night needs to be available to get people out
of the city and safely home when venues are closing.
"The list goes on, but what it comes down to is that there's no one-size-fits-all approach to
this issue. Common sense dictated that we need to balance the need to keep people safe
with allowing them to enjoy what our great city has to offer.
"If Mike Baird fails to improve this situation, people might as well go to Melbourne to enjoy
themselves, rather than our great city of Sydney."
MEDIA CONTACT:

Robert Borsak MLC

02 9230 2573