By Andy Young

The Queensland Government has voted against the introduction of 1am lockouts, which were part of the second phase of liquor reforms to be introduced on February 1.

Cabinet Ministers voted after an interim report into the first six months of the restrictions the Government put in place on July 1 last year. The report found that while there was no noticeable reduction in alcohol-related assaults, the number of common assaults and ambulance call outs between 8pm and 6am had continued its downward trend. The report went on to suggest that evidence points to lockouts being unlikely to change those downward trends.

The restrictions introduced last year saw the cessation of drinks at 3am for venues in entertainment areas as well as the banning of rapid consumption drinks after midnight.

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This story first appeared in The Shout.