The "2am Lockout" was the name of a 2008 initiative set up by the Victorian Labor Government to curb alcohol-related violence in Melbourne. The three-month trial period began on 2 June 2008 and lasted until 2 September of that year. A permanent lockout was not instigated after the trial was over.[1]
The lockout prohibited patrons from entering pubs, bars and nightclubs after 2am in designated areas which included the council areas of Port Phillip, Stonnington, Melbourne (including the Docklands) and Yarra. Licensees that breached the lockout could be fined a maximum of $6,899.
Melbourne Locked Out, a protest group designed specifically for campaigning against the lockout, was a source of opposition. On 30 May 2008, a protest was held at the Treasury Gardens, with about 3,000 people attending.[2]