Victoria
Victorian Labor promises late trading and indoor dogs for pubs
The Victorian Labor Party has pledged to extend pub opening hours to 3am and allow dogs inside hospitality venues.
The Victorian Labor government has announced an election commitment that would allow the state's pubs to trade until 3am. The policy proposal also includes changes to food safety regulations to allow dogs inside hospitality venues at the discretion of the owner.
According to a wire report, the proposed changes are designed to boost the state's nighttime economy and modernise trading conditions for hospitality businesses. Under the plan, pubs would be permitted to extend their standard operating hours, giving patrons more flexibility in the early hours of the morning.
In addition to the extended hours, the government plans to amend the state's Food Act. This amendment would legally permit publicans to allow dogs inside their venues. Currently, strict food safety regulations limit where animals can be present in premises that serve food, often restricting them to outdoor dining areas. The change would hand the decision-making power directly to individual venue operators, allowing them to choose whether to welcome pets indoors.
Further details regarding the implementation timeline, zoning restrictions, or specific licensing requirements have not yet been released. It is also unclear how the proposed changes would interact with existing local council noise regulations or community safety strategies. Industry groups have yet to release formal responses to the policy, though the hospitality sector has previously called for greater flexibility to help businesses recover from long-term economic pressures.
Observers will be watching to see how the opposition parties and public health advocates respond to the late-night trading proposal in the lead-up to the election.
This report draws on original reporting by Wire report.
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