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Safe night precincts
Safe night precincts (SNPs) were created as a Queensland Government initiative to reduce late-night drug and alcohol-related violence. SNPs exist in key entertainment areas across Queensland.
SNPs are designed to achieve cultural change around drinking behaviour, promote responsible drinking practices and ensure a safe environment in and around Queensland's licensed venues.
SNPs are managed by local boards operating as incorporated associations. These boards manage and plan for the precinct to deal with various community safety issues.
Funding from two pools are available for local boards to establish and maintain SNPs – seed funding and operational funding.
The minister must review each SNP every 3 years to determine whether they continue to achieve their purpose of creating a safer night-time environment in Queensland entertainment areas.
The SNP reviews will begin in 2024 and will be conducted by an external provider.
An evaluation framework will guide the reviews and help determine whether:
- each SNP is meeting its purpose
- SNP boundaries need to be adjusted or revoked.
This guide provides an overview of SNPs, where you'll find them, trading hours, networked ID scanning for late-trading venues, information for local boards, and how and when to apply for SNP funding.
Safe night precinct maps
Safe night precincts (SNPs) have been prescribed in the following areas:
- Airlie Beach
- Brisbane CBD
- Broadbeach CBD
- Bundaberg CBD
- Cairns CBD
- Fortitude Valley
- Gladstone CBD
- Inner West Brisbane (including Caxton Street)
- Ipswich CBD
- Mackay CBD
- Rockhampton CBD
- Sunshine Coast (Caloundra, Maroochydore and Mooloolaba)
- Surfers Paradise CBD
- Toowoomba CBD
- Townsville CBD.
View all of the prescribed safe night precinct maps or use the OLGR interactive map to find safe night precincts.
Also consider...
- Read the Tackling Alcohol-Fuelled Violence Legislation Amendment Act 2016.
- Read the Liquor Act 1992.
Trading hours within safe night precincts
Late-trading venues located in all safe night precincts (SNPs) are able to sell alcohol until 3am. (Venues outside of SNPs can serve alcohol until 2am where approved.)
Licensees must hold extended trading hours approval to continue selling alcohol past these times.
Patrons have a 30-minute grace period after last drinks are called to finish their alcoholic beverages.
Venues can remain open after they cease liquor service to serve food, non-alcoholic beverages and provide entertainment.
Applying for approved extended liquor trading hours
Venues must hold extended trading hours approval to trade until the above-mentioned times. For example, if your venue is currently approved to trade until 1am and you wish to trade longer, you will need to apply for extended trading hours.
Extending trade past 12 midnight on a permanent basis
If a venue wants to sell alcohol after 12 midnight, and is not currently approved to do so, they will need to apply for extended trading hours approval.
One-off extended trading hour permits
Licensees are able to apply for up to 6 one-off extended trading hour permits (to trade past 12 midnight) per year.
The maximum number of liquor extended trading hours permits that may be granted for a particular licensed premises are:
- 6 dates in a calendar year for trading between 12 midnight and 5am
- 4 dates in any 12-month period for pre-10am trading.
If approved, these permits allow licensees to extend the service of alcohol up to 5am for one-off occasions. Lock out conditions may be imposed.
Under section 5 of the Liquor Regulation 2002, an application for an extended hours permit must be made at least 21 days before the day of the event. Applications lodged with the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation less than 21 days before the event will not be processed.
Also consider...
- Download the proud SNP member sign.
- Get advice about alcohol consumption and supply.
- Read about support services in safe night precincts.
- Read the Tackling Alcohol-Fuelled Violence Legislation Amendment Act 2016.
- Read the Liquor Act 1992.
Lock out and ID scanning in safe night precincts
The proposed 1am lock out in safe night precincts has been cancelled. However, if your liquor licence has a condition imposing a lock out, you must comply with the conditions of your liquor licence.
Networked ID scanning requirements apply to non-exempt licensees located within safe night precincts who are permanently approved to sell alcohol past 12 midnight.
Networked ID scanners support the enforcement of patron bans and are available through approved operators.
Find out more about the use of ID scanners at licensed venues.
Also consider...
- Get advice about alcohol consumption and supply.
- Read the Tackling Alcohol-Fuelled Violence Legislation Amendment Act 2016.
- Read the Liquor Act 1992.
Safe night precinct local boards
Local boards promote the safety of the community and the precinct's amenity by developing and implementing initiatives to minimise harm, and the potential for harm, from the abuse and misuse of alcohol and drugs and related violence. They also liaise with and support community organisations that provide rest and recovery services in the precinct for people who have consumed alcohol or drugs.
Local boards are not responsible for the actions of individual licensees or government agencies.
Safe night precinct local board members
Members of safe night precinct (SNP) local boards can include:
- licensees of premises within the SNP
- owners or operators of other businesses located within the SNP
- associations that represent the interests of businesses located within the SNP (e.g. Chamber of Commerce)
- community organisations that provide services within the SNP
- other classes of persons as prescribed under the Liquor Regulation 2002 (there are currently none prescribed).
Unless exempt, a licensee in a SNP must become a member of the local board, where one exists. When a local board is first prescribed, the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation (OLGR) will write to each licensee that is required to become a member. The licensees are then required to apply for membership within 28 days.
Non-exempt licensees who are licensed after a SNP board is formed are required to apply for membership within 28 days of becoming licensed. While the Liquor Act 1992 does not require the licensee to receive written notification of the requirement to join, to assist licensees in meeting their obligations, OLGR will seek to notify licensees in these instances.
While exempt licensees are not required to be members of the local board, they can (and are encouraged to) join and participate. Licensees can obtain a membership application form from the secretary of their local board.
Licensees exempt from safe night precinct local boards
Under the Liquor Regulation 2002, some classes of liquor licensees are exempt from the requirement to become members of local boards, but may join if they wish to do so. These include:
- restaurants and cafes that are not licensed to sell liquor after 12 midnight
- premises operating under a community other licence
- producers/wholesalers
- vessels
- cinemas
- commercial hotel licensees whose only licensed premises in the precinct is a detached bottle shop.
Benefits of having a safe night precinct local board
It is recommended that each SNP has a local board, but it is not a legal requirement.
The benefits of forming a local board include:
- empowering local licensees and other stakeholders to develop solutions for their own areas
- access to SNP funding grants and other sources of funding to implement initiatives
- easy access to state and local government representatives who form part of the public safety consultative committee (PSCC) that supports the local board.
Where a local board for a safe night precinct adopts a local initiative that has the effect of being a price control or supply control, the parties to the local board may apply to the Commissioner to register the local initiative to ensure protection under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010.
Safe night precinct local boards and liquor accords
SNP local boards are different to local liquor accords.
An SNP local board:
- covers a specified area
- must be an incorporated association
- has membership requirements and rules specific to SNP boards
- are eligible to apply for funding from a dedicated SNP grants funding program.
Local stakeholders in each area decide whether existing liquor accords continue to operate and how these may work together with the local board.
Also consider...
- Read the Tackling Alcohol-Fuelled Violence Legislation Amendment Act 2016.
- Read the Liquor Act 1992.
Safe night precinct grants
Safe Night Precinct (SNP) grants now open
SNP funding round 27 is now open and will close on Friday 26 July 2024.
Prescribed local boards can now apply for SNP administration and operational grant funding.
For the 2024–25 financial year, a total of $1,000,000 in grant funding is available to local boards who submit administration and operational grant funding applications.
How to apply
The SNP funding guidelines outline the eligibility requirements for administration and operational funding applications and the funding limits.
To apply for an SNP grant:
- Read the funding guidelines.
- Complete the application form.
- Submit your application form by email to snp-grants@justice.qld.gov.au.
Contact us
For help completing your application form, contact the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation by:
- emailing snp-grants@justice.qld.gov.au
- phoning 1800 633 619.
Public safety consultative committees
A public safety consultative committee (PSCC) is a group of state and local government and community stakeholders who provide advice and assistance to the local board.
Members can include representatives from the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation, Queensland Police Service, emergency services (ambulance and fire), Transport and Main Roads, local government and community organisations that provide services within the precinct.
Other organisations may also be represented based on local needs (e.g. the Australian Defence Force for Townsville and Ipswich).
The PSCC will not vote on resolutions of the local board, but are required to be invited to each meeting of the local board.
Also consider...
- Read the Liquor Act 1992.
© The State of Queensland 1995–2024
- Last reviewed: 08 Sep 2021
- Last updated: 08 Sep 2021