The fight to keep Brisbane’s night life alive will be taken to the steps of Queensland Parliament at 4pm on Thursday March 11. Brisbane lobby group Queensland Locked Out will be making plenty of noise in a protest against Anna Bligh’s political quick fix proposal for a lockdown of entertainment precincts outside Parliament House.

Since October 2009, Queensland clubs and clubbers have been in an uproar. The proposed over regulation of our entertainment precincts in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast have let loose a furor amongst dance and venues alike. Glass bans, ID Scanning and a proposal of a midnight lockout and a 3am shutdown from the Queensland Police Union with an increase in police presence have all been put forward as solutions to reduce the alcohol-fueled violence on the streets of our entertainment precincts.

Venues such as The Met, Cloudland, The Family, Empire Hotel, Press Club and Birdiee Num Nums have ID scanning systems in place. In November, The Chalk Hotel was commended when it launched a civil action against a man charged with throwing a glass at a fellow patron in the pub. In December, Operation Unite was claimed a success after an increase in police presence with mounted police and the dog squad police patrolling the streets of our entertainment precincts.

Starting from 11am on December 11, police will be cracking down against alcohol related violence and crime with overt and covert operations and random breath testings. Also in December, the Valley Liquor Accord launched a year long safety program Your Playground. Play Nice. Play Safe was unveiled. This program is being run in conjunction with Drug Arm as part of the government’s Safer Venues campaign.

State Parliament is said to address these issues on March 19. But while it appears the industry is genuinely keen and active in solving these problems, reports from Queensland Locked Out however claim that the State Government will be looking at reducing licensee trading hours as a quick fix solution. “We don’t believe Anna Bligh has taken all relevant issues into consideration, says Zach Salar, founder of Queensland Locked Out.

“With these drastic measures. the shutdown of clubs at 2am or 3am will be extremely detrimental to the hospitality industry affecting the livelihood of individuals as well as a myriad of business operations. It’s a domino effect, and a multitude of people will be at a loss.

“In addition to this the incidence of binge drinking is likely rise as a direct consequence of the changes. If there is a reduction in the time a club is open, it effectively encourages people to drink more across a shorter time span – something that Prime Minister Kevin Rudd himself has actively campaigned against We really question how Anna Bligh is able to make such a decision without appropriate consultation with those whom it is going to affect the most. Placing thousands of people onto the streets in the early hours of the morning will only exacerbate the current violence issues.”

Queensland dancing voters must let their State Government know that clampdowns such as lockouts are short-sighted as there is a difference between targeting problems and targeting everyone. Stand up for your rights to keep your job, to keep your livelihood and to party on Thursday March 11 and protest at Parliament House from 4pm. Reclaim the nightlife!