The Shooters, Farmers and Fishers Party are looking to wind back Sydney’s strict lockout laws, with a bill to repeal the 1.30am lockout set to front NSW Parliament on October 25.

Following the tragic death of two young men in fatal alcohol related bashings, a state liquor licencing restriction clampdown came to bear in 2014. This was part of a bid to stamp out the alcohol fueled violence epidemic sweeping through the city.

At the time, it was seen by some as a nanny state affront to civil libertarian values. Its opponents were aggrieved by the Government interfering and regulating behaviour.  For others, it was a necessary means by which to keep Sydneysiders safe.

But Shooters, Farmers and Fisher’s MP Robert Borsak says it’s now “killing” Sydney’s nightlife.

“Let’s get some vibrancy back into the city,” he tells Luke Grant.

“We think that since 2014 when this all happened and we were supporters of it at the time, we’ve seen a lot of changes at Kings Cross and other parts of the city. The lockout laws, the 1.30am lockout especially… it’s changed the fabric of that community in the past four years.”

“Sydney is an international city.”

“It needs to be bought back to life.”

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