Gold Coast Residents have their say on proposed shut-out time

(By Jamieson Blair Bond University journalism student)

Due to concerns about alcohol related incidents around Queensland, the State Government is considering a proposal by the Queensland Police to change night club shut out times from 3am to 2am.

In a recent survey called Get Involved on the Queensland Government’s website showed 90 percent of respondents were against the change and 65 percent of those respondents were aged between 18-25.

Varsity Lakes resident Jamie McClellan said he thought changes to venue’s operating hours would not prevent alcohol related violence.

“I’m not sure that it’d realistically affect alcohol fuelled violence in any way because of the one hour difference,” he said.

“People are going to drink as much as they possibly can or as much as they want to.”

Swinging Safari restaurant and bar in Surfers Paradise owner Neil Beattie said the proposed laws would not affect them as they usually closed at midnight.

However, Mr Beattie said despite closing before the proposed times alcohol related violence was not common at their establishment.

“We tend to get everyone at their best,” he said.

“I’ve had permits going to later at night and that’s when the drama starts because people have been drinking and out – it’s a combination.

“I think the era of the 5am nightclub thing maybe has a limited lifespan and certainly in the mass market that there is at the moment, people are looking for something different.”

Another Varsity Lakes resident Tatum Clements said the proposed changes would not affect her.

“I think it might have more of an effect on say Surfers Paradise than the local varsity lakes community because there are really only two pubs in the area and they usually close before 2am anyway,” she said

“I’ve never experienced anything myself, but I see on the news all the time, stories about people drinking and driving and glassings.

“This could potentially have an effect on that and people getting hurt in pubs late at night.”