Hobart Venues Battle Lockout

Sectors of the Australian city of Hobart’s live music sector are not impressed with the sudden appearance of the 3 a.m. lockout instituted recently as a test.

It allows clubs to stay open until 5 a.m., but forbids new customers after 3 a.m.

But club DJ Psywise started a petition to discontinue the practice, saying it is causing confusion.

People are milling about on the streets, bouncers are being overwhelmed, and those popping out for a cigarette are sometimes not allowed back in again, he said.

Meantime, Hobart venue operators face another headache. The six-month probation given to them to license their security team has expired.

The new Public Order Response Team (PORT) is being bullish about tracing bouncers who have not taken accredited training courses and register with the Office of Consumer Affairs and Fair Trading, which would subject them to police checks.

An inner-city nightclub and two bouncers are being prosecuted for not being registered.

– Bryan Jones