Data After Dark, a new platform devised to monitor the impacts of measures aimed at revitalising Sydney’s night-time economy, was introduced this week.
Launched by the NSW Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy, John Graham, at the second annual NEON Forum yesterday (30 October), Data After Dark will collate information and insights from myriad sources, including Sydney’s Opal travel data, to track the results of the NSW State Government’s new Vibrancy laws. The so-called Vibrancy laws are aimed at cutting red tape and removing the restrictions that have had such a negative impact on the NSW state capital’s nightlife and night-time economy.
“The insights that Data After Dark provides will help business and government understand this part of the economy better and make the most informed, data-led decisions on how to grow its contribution,” said Graham.
24-Hour Economy Commissioner Michael Rodrigues added, “Previously there has been no real baseline dataset that offers an insightful health check of our night-time economies across the state. Data After Dark fills that gap as the first of its kind tool that establishes a set of universal measures for night-time economies.”Â
Introducing the new platform in his keynote at NEON, Minister Graham was keen to remind attendees of recent dark days, and the impact of both lockdowns and lockouts on the local economy and night-time activities.
“Recalling the short 11 days between the lifting of the lockouts and Sydney’s first COVID case. Moments where international stars like Madonna weren’t allowed into their own after-party… Where DAs [Development Applications] were dictating what types of music venues could play,” recalled the Minister.
“Where venues could be shut down by new neighbour who moved in next door and launched a campaign of noise complaints. Where disco balls were banned in some venues. As we changed the law last week Kerri Glasscock reminded us of one of those conditions imposed on the Sydney Fringe Festival – that carnival of experimental art – no dancing!
“A breakout of ballet would have seen regulators troop down the street, required to respond. This was Sydney at the time. But then the fightback happened. Today we are now in a very different position,” he said, before talking through the newly passed second tranche of Vibrancy reforms, and such included measures as powers to intervene if a significant music venue is at risk of closure.
“We don’t want to lose another Annandale Hotel, The Basement or a Hopetoun Hotel… we don’t want to see venues like the Eltham Hotel in the Northern Rivers under threat,” said Graham.
Access to information
Local businesses will be able to access the platform’s findings via quarterly reports free of charge. Other stakeholders, including the Minns State Government, its agencies and participating councils, will have instant live access, via a dashboard feed.
Read: NSW’s sound investment in musicians
In the final quarter of the 2024 financial year, Data After Dark found that there had already been a reversal in nighttime revenues, with spending in person on Saturday night eclipsing Thursday night ($50.8 million versus $46.7 million), whereas in the preceding March quarter, Thursday night had recorded the most spending at night – with the clear implication that the Vibrancy laws are now bearing fruit.
Vibrancy reforms
The measures include:
- the tearing up of ‘no entertainment’ clauses and bizarre restrictions on what genres of music venues can play
- permanently available outdoor dining
- the cessation of single neighbour noise complaints being able to shut down pubs and other licensed venues
- the requirement for property buyers to be notified when they are moving into an entertainment zone to reduce friction between venues and neighbours
- the end of the outdated rule preventing people living within five kilometres of a registered club from signing in without first becoming a member, and
- the end of restrictions preventing patrons from standing while drinking outside a licensed premises.
Minister Graham concluded his keynote at the NEON Forum by staking a claim that the reforms will be instrumental in seeing Sydney’s status change radically into becoming a 24-hour city.
“I think we’re ready to truly start putting Sydney on the world stage to operate 24 hours a day. It won’t be easy. There’ll still be people that need convincing. We need to keep people safe. We need to keep workers safe. We’ll need transport solutions. A 24-hour Sydney won’t be happening everywhere all the time. But, it will be happening somewhere all of the time,” he concluded.
