The NSW Cabinet passed the liquor bill to be tabled shortly in Parliament that will abolish huge licensing fees for restaurants and small bar operators. These will now cost between $500 to $1,000 instead of the previous $15,000, and the whole process will be simplified. A significant increase in the number of small, intimate city bars is expected, with patrons no longer having to order meals before being served alcohol, and with a great surge in nightlife. It will make it easier for these venues to host live entertainment. The reforms, first significant ones in 25 years in the state, will take liquor licensing out of the courts and instead introduce an administrative system to reduce costs and complexity. Under the changes, a new Casino Liquor and Gaming Control Authority will handle applications for liquor licences and impose penalties for disciplinary matters. In a move set to anger the major hotels, the government also decided against extending hotel hours on Sundays and on public holidays as Christmas and Good Friday.
VIA themusic.com.au