ALCOHOL LIBERALISATION BILL NARROWLY DEFEATED (21-18).
After much public debate (including favourable comments by the Premier) the Libertarian Party’s Alcohol Consumption in Public Places (Liberalisation) Bill 2024 was debated in the New South Wales Legislative Council today. The bill would have permitted members of the public to consume alcohol in public places except sites of cultural and religious significance such as war memorials or churches.
The bill was narrowly defeated by the unholy alliance between the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party who once again voted with the progressive left in the Labor Party and the Greens. It’s hard to think party members and voters of the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party will be happy to learn their elected representatives voted against their freedom to have a quiet drink while fishing or in other open spaces.
To the credit of the Minns Government (and especially Minister John Graham) they have voiced interest in working with the Libertarian Party to further expand vibrancy measures and freedoms such as alcohol liberalisations. No doubt, whatever the Labor Government decides to do, their loyal allies in the Shooters, Farmers and Fishers Party will side with them. If there is a tight vote in the Legislative Council, the right-wing sounding Shooters Party almost always vote Labor. They should be known as Country Labor.
I commit to re-introducing a similar bill in the near future.
The Hon. John Ruddick MLC
Libertarian Member of the NSW Legislative Council
Office of the Hon. John Ruddick MLC
Suite 1107, NSW Parliament
Macquarie Street, Sydney NSW 2000
(02) 9230 2656
Media – William Jennings – 0437 504 884 – [email protected]