'You can shoot up heroin in Kings Cross but you can't buy a bottle of chardonnay afte

[poledriver]

'You can shoot up heroin in Kings Cross but you can't buy a bottle of chardonnay after 10pm'

2GB's Alan Jones has taken a swing at the controversial lock-out laws
The shock jock criticised NSW Premier Mike Baird's tough stance
Said the measures would not have prevented Thomas Kelly's death
Kelly died at the hands of Kieran Loveridge in Kings Cross in 2012

Radio shock jock Alan Jones is the latest to take a swing at NSW Premier Mike Baird over the state's controversial lock out laws.
During his show on 2GB on Friday Jones expressed his outrage at the 'nanny state' rules, saying: 'You can shoot up heroin in Kings Cross but you can't buy a bottle of chardonnay after 10pm'.
He was referring to the supervised drug injecting centre in Kings Cross, which was approved in the formerly bustling nightspot in 2010 after a decade-long trial period.

The lock-out and last drinks laws were introduced in 2014 - sparked in part by the tragic one-punch death of Thomas Kelly in Kings Cross in 2012.
On Thursday the premier announced the beginning of an independent review into the measures, calling on the public to make submissions.

Following this, Jones questioned whether the laws were even efficient in targeting the issue of alcohol-fuelled violence, saying if the measures were in place when Thomas Kelly was attacked they would not have prevented his death.
Kelly died at the hands of Keiran Loveridge, who is currently servicing a ten year prison sentence.

Jones pointed to the fact the attack happened earlier in the evening and the perpetrator had been drinking before arriving in Kings Cross.
'Remember Loveridge hadn’t been inside a licensed premises in Kings Cross,' the shock jock said on Friday, the Herald Sun reported..
'Put another way if the current rules were in place when Loveridge was loose in Kings Cross nothing in the legislation would have stopped Loveridge,' he added.
Jones then went on to described the NSW Government as 'stark raving mad' for thinking they had solved the issue of alcohol-fuelled violence, arguing they had simply moved it.
The usually conservative commentator described the devastating effect the laws had on local businesses, and said the measures 'shut down' the city.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...tears-Mike-Baird-s-nanny-state-lock-laws.html

 

[poledriver]

For those who don't know about Sydney's lock out laws I'll post them below. But many people in the nightclub, hotel, DJ, entertainment industry and shops are suffering from these new laws, having to lay off staff and even close down. Some people are saying the heart of Sydney is a ghost town after midnight now and that Sydney is an international joke.

I used to go out in Sydney a lot when I was in my late teens, 20's and 30's and there were so many cool places that you could party till after sunrise. Now it seems options are becoming a lot more limited, especially since the casino is not in the lock out law area, so people are going there to continue drinking all night. Great for the casino I guess.

2014 lockout laws -

Two alcohol-related deaths, both of which occurred in King's Cross, attracted a large amount of media attention in late 2013/early 2014. The first incident on 7 July 2012 involved the death of 18-year-old Thomas Kelly,[3] who was randomly punched in the head while walking with his girlfriend and speaking on his mobile phone. The second incident resulted in the death of Daniel Christie, who was punched on 31 December 2013 while on a street with his brother Peter; Christie's life support was ceased after 11 days.

[4] Following Kelly's death, the state government was pressured to take action in regard to alcohol-related violence and Christie's death led to additional support for the implementation of responsive action.[5][6][7]

NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell announced on 21 January 2014 that both the Lower and Upper Houses of parliament had voted in favour of legislation during a special sitting of State Parliament. The laws were included under constructive (felony) murder offences with the base offence of assault.[8] O'Farrell referred to the new legislation as "pioneering"[9] and the primary measures are:

Eight-year minimum sentencing for alcohol or drug-related assaults that result in death.[10]
Serious assault maximum penalty increased by two years, with mandatory minimum sentences.

"On-the-spot" fines for disorderly behaviour increased from A$200 to A$1,100.[11]
Police can immediately ban identified 'troublemakers' from the CBD/Kings Cross areas.
The sentence for steroid possession was increased from two to 25 years.

CBD/Kings Cross venues will be unable to let in new patrons after 1:30am and the serving of drinks must cease at 3:00am.
All bottle shops across NSW to close at 10:00pm.[9]
Small bars, casinos, restaurants and tourist accommodation facilities are exempt from the law.[7]

Although some Opposition Labor members raised concerns over the mandatory sentencing, the legislation received the support of the Opposition. However, Greens MP John Kaye condemned a "knee-jerk" reaction, further stating: "We don't believe there's evidence to justify what they're [NSW State Government] doing."[9]

On 30 January 2014, the government confirmed that the assault laws will be in place from 1 February 2014, while the laws on time frames for venue entrance closures and drink serving will not commence until April 2014.[12][13][14] Sydney DJs and nightclub owners raised significant concerns following the announcement of the O'Farrell government, as late-night trading, the target of the new laws, allow their venues to remain financially viable.[15]

 

[poledriver]

Mike Baird’s run as social media darling goes bust with #casinomike

Once the internet's favourite Dad, Mike Baird has now become an annoying dad who tells you what to do and thinks he is the boss of you.

It happens to the best of us; an insouciant selfie here, a self-aware gleeful live-tweet stream there. But it’s easy to get cocky and start to feel like your social media followers are like real ones; admiring, loyal, and supportive of your ideals and political framework.

Yesterday Mike Baird posted an impassioned Facebook response to the recent spate of articles arguing that excessive regulation has seen Sydney turn from a once vibrant city to a joyless nanny state. The lockout laws, introduced by Baird’s predecessor but enthusiastically supported and policed by Baird’s administration, have been blamed for a slew of restaurant and bar closures in Kings Cross and the CBD, a stifling of the local music scene, and such incongruous and unsettling sights as drug sniffer dogs at Boy Charlton Pool.

Sydney Bans Feelings of Joy After 10pm
“Let’s start with a statistic about Sydney’s nightlife that matters: alcohol related assaults have decreased by 42.2 per cent in the CBD since we introduced the “lock-out laws,” began the post.

“…There has been a growing hysteria this week about nightlife in Sydney.

The main complaints seem to be that you can’t drink till dawn any more and you can’t impulse-buy a bottle of white after 10pm.”


The characterisation of the complaints as tantamount to whining that 'the service in this joint is terrible', led to almost ten thousand responses, most of which appeared resentful of his flippancy. Many also attacked him for cynically using the deaths of two young men in Kings Cross to justify a political agenda.

Twitter trends #casinomike
Higher than AFL *and* Channel 9!

Before long, commenters questioned why the lockout zone's odd shape happened to encircle, though strangely not include, Star city Casino, and the handful of Sydney bars who have been granted exemption to the lockout laws as long as they stop serving alcohol and any other form of entertainment other than pokie machines.

And so, #casinomike was born.

Poor Mike. We hope you're not taking it too hard. Or if you are, maybe you can take solace in someone who knows what it's like to be suddenly to be suddenly and inexplicably cast in the cold. Remember this guy?

 

[poledriver]

Here's How Australia Has Reacted To Mike Baird's Defence Of The Lockout Laws

It's been barely 48 hours since NSW Premier Mike Bard inadvertently threw himself in the firing line, after thousands slammed the politician's defence of lockout laws in a Facebook post and the reactions haven't died down either, with yet more musicians and online users blasting Baird's comments.

Baird's controversial statement irked responses from local artists including Nina Las Vegas and Alison Wonderland and now, electro duo Flight Facilities have released their own lengthy statement regarding the debate and have suggested punters are better off heading to Melbourne for a night out.

"It’s perfectly comparable to Sydney in size," the Facebook post reads.

"The nightlife is thriving and Mayor Robert Doyle wants venues to trade later. He wants public transport to run longer. Music venues are being given grants to improve their soundproofing to coexist with residents! You want to know what a good night out was like? Go to Melbourne."

"Why was this vote never put to the masses of Sydney? Some of our best friends, who provided us with some of our best nights out, have lost substantial amounts of money, along with their businesses," the post continues.

"How much longer are we going to all sit here and pretend the Casino, and subsequent stamp duty on the newly developed properties, have nothing to do with this? It’s the most blatant grab for cash we’ve ever seen, and yet we have smile politely as more businesses fold, and the creative industry drowns. We can’t understand how these laws are justified, any more than we can expect a government official to understand that people find solace on a dance floor at 3am."

Read the full statement here.

Meanwhile, fellow dance duo Yolanda Be Cool have released a remix of Skepta's Shutdown entitled Skepta's Casino Mike Bootleg — give the track a listen below.

If that doesn't necessarily make any sense to you, it is of course in reference to the recently trending hashtag, '#casinomike', as Baird has been accused of being in cahoots with the Sydney casino's The Star and the soon-to-be-opened Barangaroo, who conveniently fall outside of the city's 'lockout zone'.

The Premier appeared on Sydney radio breakfast show 'Fitzy & Wippa' this morning to discuss his comments and dismissed accusations that his team had deleted comments posted by thousands on the thread.

"Just go through all the comments that are there, there was a lot of constructive feedback, I was called many things...Why on earth would I delete them?" he said.

"Every comment is there, have a look."

Check out some of the choice memes and comments from those who clearly feel strongly against Baird's stance on lockouts below.

http://themusic.com.au/news/all/201...d-to-mike-bairds-defence-of-the-lockout-laws/

 

[Felonious Monk]

Well as someone who doesn't live in Australia, I can tell you Sydney is not an international joke.

 

[poledriver]

Premier Mike Baird blasted over Sydney’s lockout laws by one-punch victim

A victim of a coward punch attack has hit out at NSW Premier Mike Baird over Sydney’s controversial lockout laws, claiming the premier is “killing” Sydney.

Max Hardwick-Morris, 21, from the Lower North Shore, posted an email he wrote to the premier to Facebook Wednesday evening after he was “coward-punched” on Australia Day.

“I'm currently in hospital awaiting a follow up appointment after being 'coward punched' on Australia Day,” he wrote.

“I write to you to express my distain [sic] with the manner in which you've recently attempted to defend your lock out policies, particularly with the upcoming review.”

Mr Hardwick-Morris’ post comes in the wake of a lengthy letter posted by the premier which claimed Sydney’s nightlife is “now safer and more vibrant than ever”.

Mr Baird has been widely criticised for his post which has also spurred the hashtag #CasinoMike.

“Let’s start with a statistic about Sydney’s nightlife that matters: alcohol related assaults have decreased by 42.2 percent in the CBD since we introduced the lock-out laws.

“And they’re down by over 60 percent in Kings Cross,” Mr Baird wrote.

However, the 21 year old’s fiery post described Mr Baird’s comments as “disgusting”, claiming the premier “forged” statistics in favour of his policies.

“You say the number of small bars in Sydney has "doubled" since bringing in the laws, but when you look deeper into the statistics as Matt Barrie pointed out, you're referring to an area which includes 4x as many precincts as you did in the 2012 report,” he wrote.

Adding that the exclusion of The Star Casino from the lockout laws and exemptions for pokie venues “begs so many questions to be asked about your government's agenda”.

“Mr Baird, you're killing Sydney's economy, you're killing small business, you're killing Sydney's music scene, you're killing Sydney's reputation, you're killing the youth's relationship with the government and you're killing fun.”

Mr Hardwick-Morris’ Facebook post has since been shared more than 1,000 times - he is yet to receive a response from Mr Baird’s office.


Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...-laws-by-one-punch-victim#r2v6pubJ1byt22PF.99

 

[S.J.B.]

The sentence for steroid possession was increased from two to 25 years.

What the hell??? Is this a typo?

 

[poledriver]

I noticed that and I wasn't sure.. I found this -

Recent Changes

In early 2014 the government amended certain laws applying to steroids. Prior to the amendments, steroids were essentially classified as prescription drugs under the Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 1966. There was a maximum penalty of 2 years imprisonment if you possessed steroids that weren’t prescribed to you. The amendments reclassified steroids as narcotics under the Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985. This means that the numerous possession and supply narcotics offences now apply to steroids. The penalties for possessing or supplying narcotics range from a maximum of 2 to 25 years imprisonment.

http://www.armstronglegal.com.au/criminal-law/offences/drugs/steroids

 

[poledriver]

I would gather like many of our (drug) laws that can be up to a certain amount (even life) that the maximum sentence wouldn't be used very frequently, except for very excessive circumstances perhaps.