Australian state to dump name-and-shame plan for pubs

New South Wales' Premier, Nathan Rees, has dumped plans to stop glassings and assaults by targeting the worse 48 venues with special measures. Instead he is launching a rating system to inform customers of the safety record of drinking establishments.

The policy of targeting a list of the alleged 48 most dangerous pubs and clubs in the state, will be replaced by a "safety star rating system" after consultations with the drinking industry

The backdown comes just four months after Mr Rees announced the policy of special attention and set down special rules for the 48 venues, requiring them to serve drinks in plastic after midnight, have 10-minute time-outs every hour after midnight on serving alcohol and enforce 2am lock-outs. Hotels are hopeful the Government will also dump the 10-minute time-out rule as it is leading to staff being abused.

Government sources said that under the proposal for the new rating system, each venue would be rated by a system of stars, hats or some other device to indicate how safe it was viewed as being. The public could then make a safety assessment of venues they were visiting.

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