I spoke at Thursday’s Keep Sydney Open rally to support legislation to repeal the 1.30am lockout in the inner city. This follows my meeting last month with the minister where I again stressed that current restrictions are stifling the late night economy and Sydney’s music and performance scenes. While it is rare for me to support a Shooters Fishers and Farmers bill, which mostly try to repeal gun controls introduced after the Port Arthur massacre, the Liquor Legislation Amendment (Repeal of Lock-out Laws) Bill reflects a position I have consistently held since the lockouts were introduced in 2014 and which I opposed at the time. I told the rally it is not good enough for people to have to go to Melbourne or the casino for a late night out, when Sydney is meant to be a global city.

There’s a growing number of individual members of Parliament who support the repeal of the lockouts, but still no indication that the government or opposition will change their positions on this important cultural matter. I will continue to push reform in Parliament.