Well David, just because you are unable to empathise with grieving parents who've lost a son to an alcohol fueled violence just dosen't mean doctors and paramedics need to take any notice of you whatsoever!

In fact they should invite you to man up and come spend a few nights in the back of an ambulance as it picks up paralytic (who just want to fight everybody) drunks, or even more rambunctious ice addicts!

You can be the one they try to kill and or vomit all over.

By comparison we had far less of this problem when you had to be over 21 to buy Alcohol, and last drinks gentlemen was called at ten p.m.

Let's get real, there are enough takeaway outlets for those who like to spend the night getting paralytically drunk to do it at home? That way they'll not need to worry about inadequate public transport.

And tourist only nightclubs/casinos can be allowed to stay open all night as can those bars that cater exclusively for inhouse customers.

I had my first drink, a shandy and with my father's permission when I was just 12. and again almost every time he opened a bottle, when he would invariably say, it's a good man who knows when he's had enough! So just don't try to label me a some sort of wowser!

For most of the folk who want longer drinking hours and lower drinking age, one drink is one too many, and a thousand never enough! One kid laying catmose in a hospital bed is one too many!

I hope the changes to the electoral laws lock you and your ilk out mate, given we just don't need your lassez faire attitude to alcohol fueled violence.
Rhrosty.

I really can't believe this senator. The laws in place for Kings Cross and the Sydney CBD save lives and leads to fewer people being hurt. Other businesses are thriving in these areas. The manager of an excellent restaurant in the middle of Kings Cross I visited a couple of weeks ago told me their business had doubled on weekends due to the law changes. Prior to that people were frightened of dining there due the the unruly crowds they had to push through to find a taxi to take them home after dinner. Other businesses have opened there so more people are being employed. Like the earlier person who commented on this article I really hope there is a double dissolution election soon to throw this senator out.

double standards David. It is great to know that people who have injuries or heart attacks don't have to line up behind druggies and self inflicted alcholol injuries at casualty. It seems to me that you whine about so much Government expenditure and yet a lot is spent on these drunkards who add nothing to society but pain, entitlement and expense. They really should have to pay for their own indulgences.

The plus of no lock-out is that police have a small zone to police, requiring fewer resources. The brew of criminals, thugs and reckless idiots would otherwise be distributed over the 'burbs from which they emerge and still requiring police attendances.

The offenders are going to offend anyhow and more laws might only shift the place of offence.

The downside of not having a lock-out in the Cross and other areas, for example Surfers Paradise and Tweed Heads in Qld, is that it only takes one or a few serious crimes to poison the area as a destination for the desirable tourists.

Taking the Gold Coast example, the crimes of some grubs who took advantage of vulnerable, unsuspecting, young Japanese tourists were well publicised abroad and have negatively affected tourism since. That wipes the efforts of a generous, helpful population and millions spent of advertising. Similarly the tawdry tricks of businesses that take advantage of tourists are working against Australia's interests.-The gathering slump in desirable tourists and their replacement with ferals is not always noticed early, due to the lag through advance bookings.

However, even taking all of that into consideration, one should remember the auditors' adage that the (management) control environment is set from the top. Where criminal grubs are allowed operate venues for decades and seedy accommodation and food businesses persistently rip off tourists, it is impossible that politicians are not allowing it to occur.

It isn't really about closure times, now is it?

Oh come on David, of course the ER doctors have every right to warn the public about the consequences of alcohol fueled violence....it's called health promotion, and it is part of their job.

As a vet, surely you warn the public about leaving dogs in hot cars?
Is that because you don't want to have to deal with the work involved with the medical consequences for the dogs, caused by those actions ?
Or is it because you don't want to see the dogs and their owners go through all that trauma?

Prevention is better than cure, and human lives and health are more important than leaving girly bars or nightclubs open all night.

Sydney's resident ferals are going to act as ferals anyhow. The accidents and crimes are going to be committed anyhow and location is in a way irrelevant. Except that police probably benefit where the ferals are grouped together as in Kings Cross. Cheaper to police.

However, it is well worth NOT making the Cross and Sydney, or any other location in Oz, a Mecca for international boofheads, crims and spivs.

Let Bali and other places have that reputation, while Australia becomes the place for high value and family repeat vacations. Arts, adventure and environmental tourism are just some option.

Returning to the Gold Coast example, there are plenty of planes and ships with thoroughly respectable people to visit the Coast and its Hinterland. Why allow it to be taken over by creeps and Bikies?

With that in mind, Maybe Labor Premier Palaszczuk could explain why her government has chosen instead to spike the Vicious Lawless Association Disestablishment (VLAD) laws that have been so successful in controlling gangs on the Coast and in SEQld?

It is all about politics. In Sydney's Cross the police would have solutions to the violence, examples being stiffer penalties, but somehow the politicians don't want to do anything real about seedy clubs and bars who serve drunken fools and louts, preferring 'look good, do nothing' populist faux solutions like 'lock-outs' instead.