BY JACINTA LEE
Pro-lockout campaigner Tony Brown has praised Newcastle's 1.30am rule for pubs and clubs, after a report found Sydney could soon relax its lockout laws.
A review of Sydney's laws, which include 1.30 lockout and 3am last drinks, noted the state government could consider a row back for live entertainment venues in the CBD.
Mr Brown said the laws introduced in Newcastle back in 2008 have had a positive impact, with late-night violence at an all-time low and a thriving local music scene.
"We're totally confident the existing conditions have allowed for significant, sustained reductions in violence, but also have boosted the local night-time economy," Brown said.
"There's really no reason in Newcastle why we should try and fix something that is not broken."