With Mike Baird’s backstepping on the ban on Greyhound in New South Wales, the incredibly successful Keep Sydney Open rally that took place last weekend, and the whispers that the Premier may be looking to relax the lockout laws, it goes without saying that there’s an intense feeling of hope right now among all lovers of Sydney’s nightlife. Owner of Merivale, and so obviously someone with a very vested interest in the lockout laws Justin Hemmes has up until now remained relatively quiet on the issue. In an intimate interview with the Sydney morning Herald however, Hemmes broke that silence and had a number of things to say.

Here it is as the Herald gave it:

“There’s too many restrictions on what we can and can’t do. Something needed to be done but I think what’s occurred is an overreaction, a serious overreaction.

Obviously there were two deaths that triggered this, terrible things to happen and the guys who did it should rot in hell – however neither of them were in venues – they were walking around the streets looking for trouble.

I have a lot of faith in Mike Baird – his true interests lie in what’s best for the state and the people and he doesn’t make decisions out of self-interest – so I’m confident over time that if there are changes made then he will continue to mould it until we get to the right place.

Maybe the right scenario is the lockouts go to 2am – I think 1:30’s a bit too early – I think 2 o’clock is probably a more reasonable time. But then I think a 3 o’clock finish is not right – if you’re a shift worker, a hospitality worker, and you finish work, at 2am you want to go out and have a drink, you want to go and socialise with your friends. The city should still be vibrant at 3 or 4 o’clock in the morning and in the venues – and that you feel when you go out of the venues you feel safe in the streets.

We need a vibrant city, we’re an international city and we need a level of vibrancy. We need to have a respectful and safe community – I think we test certain measures and see how effective they are – but the current ones are detrimental to our city – Melbourne’s laughing at us, saying come to Melbourne.”

While yes, Justin Hemmes’ opinion on the subject is one that should be heard as an owner of many of Sydney’s restaurants and venues, it’s also one that should be taken with a grain of salt.

“Hemmes says he has not raised his concerns directly with the government or the premier. Nor does he complain his business has been adversely affected by the lockouts.”

If he really cared so much, would he not have said something? Maybe when the laws were first introduced? Either way, any good publicity for the fight against the lockout laws is good publicity, and stimulates the discussion.

Feel like doing something about it? Sign the ongoing petition to have the laws reviewed here, and support Keep Sydney Open here.