Do we endure too much regulation at the expense of our civil liberties? That is the view of Canadian lifestyle magazine publisher Tyler Brûlé, who considers Australia a Grade A 'nanny state'.
According to Brûlé, we're on the verge of becoming the world's dumbest nation, coddled by excessive laws, because health and safety seem to win out on almost every discussion. He was referring chiefly to the City of Sydney's strict regulations aimed at reducing violence. Patrons are banned from entering licensed venues after 1:30 am and not allowed to purchase alcohol after 10:00 pm.
The laws were a response to violent incidents in Kings Cross. Because violent incidents have dropped 40 per cent in the area since the legislation was enacted, many commentators have championed their success.
But at what cost? Sydney's inner city is becoming stagnant. Other locations close by such as Newtown are enduring a spill over of inebriated, locked out weekend punters. Businesses are suffering through plummeting revenue, whether or not they had contributed to the violent incidents. As one expat writer living in Berlin suggests the problem is not so much alcohol per se, but systemic violence that cannot be cured by regulation.
After almost two years living abroad in Germany myself, I have observed firsthand a stark difference in how European societies strike a balance between legislative oversight and individual freedom. I have often remarked to friends and family that more or less anything is tolerated here, as long as you don't endanger or curtail the rights and freedoms of others.
There is a broad culture of tolerance and 'least intervention' that thrives on personal responsibility over knee-jerk intervention. The last thing European police or politicians care about is pulling someone up for not wearing a helmet, riding while using their iPhone, or drinking in the street. These simple personal liberties contribute to a society's atmosphere and quality of life. Bars in Berlin open until daybreak, and I've yet to witness a single case of alcohol-fuelled violence.
But the issue goes beyond lockout laws. It's about a broader culture of regulation that is fast becoming the norm in Australia. In the words of urban planner Matt Gollan, it threatens to 'over-sanitise our cities' and 'sap our entrepreneurial spirit'.
A long list of laws have drawn the ire of libertarians in recent years, including inner-city noise limits, mandatory bicycle helmets, and a 'fat tax' on junk food. So too plain cigarette packaging.
In this regard,