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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Tom Gill

‘Make Sydney fun again!’: can government policies really resuscitate the city’s nightlife?

Sydney Rave Scene in 1994.
A photo from the Sydney rave scene in 1994, well before lockout laws shut down the city’s nightlife from 2014 to 2021. Photograph: Sydney Rave Scene

Michael Rodrigues looks comfortable as he sits back in his chair, reflecting on his tenure as Sydney and New South Wales’ 24-hour economy commissioner. “It’s been tough,” he says, “there’s no doubt about that … but there’s cautious optimism.”

His assessment is modest; the city’s approach to nightlife has changed drastically since he was appointed four years ago.

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