Nightlife revival, seatbelt fines on mid-year setlist

Sound-proofing grants and regulations to protect music venues from serial complainants are coming into effect in a bid to restore Sydney's ailing nightlife.

Coercive control laws and the tougher enforcement of seatbelt rules are among other mid-year changes coming into effect in NSW from Monday.

The noise and licensing reforms include order of occupancy which will prevent new residents restricting the entertainment offerings or operating hours of already-established venues.

The number of people needed to make a disturbance complaint against a licensed venue will increase from three to five and those involved must not be from the same household or business.

Soundproofing grants will help venues achieve best-practice sound management. (Robert McGrath/AAP PHOTOS)

Temporary allowances for small bars to sell take-away alcohol during the pandemic will also become permanent.

Soundproofing grants up to $100,000 will be available for 21 venues to help them achieve best-practice sound management.

Live performance venue grants for 56 venues with up to $80,000 will be available for equipment, programming and marketing costs.

Music and Night-Time Economy Minister John Graham said the new rules aimed to help restore the city's ailing nightlife.

"We are rebuilding Sydney's night-time economy, venue by venue, neighbourhood by neighbourhood," he said.

The criminalisation of coercive control, which captures repeated patterns of physical or non-physical abuse used to hurt, scare, intimidate, threaten or control someone, has also come into effect.

Attorney-General Michael Daley said perpetrators could be jailed for up to seven years if found guilty.

"Abuse against a current or former intimate partner is unacceptable and will not be tolerated," he said.

"We believe in the presumption of innocence, but it is also important to recognise the right of victim survivors to be safe from harassment, intimidation or violence."

Coercive control is now a crime in NSW. (Diego Fedele/AAP PHOTOS)

In total, 97 per cent of intimate partner domestic violence homicides in NSW between 2000 and 2018 were preceded by the perpetrator using a form of coercive control towards the victim.

Tougher bail laws will require people charged with serious domestic violence offences to demonstrate why they should not be incarcerated until their case is determined.

This will apply to those charged with offences, in the context of intimate partner relationships, that carry a maximum penalty of at least 14 years' jail.

These include sexual assault, kidnapping, and choking to render someone unconscious with intent to commit another indictable offence.

Mobile phone detection cameras will also begin enforcing seatbelt fines from Monday.

Drivers or passengers caught by camera not wearing their seatbelt will be hit with fines of up to $410 and three demerit points.

Cameras will help cops nab drivers or passengers not wearing their seatbelt. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)

Mr Graham, who is also the roads minister, says the crackdown will help get the message to non-complying drivers.

"World-first mobile phone detection cameras have had great success in changing that behaviour and we expect seatbelt cameras to do the same," he said.

Between 2019 and 2023, 150 people in NSW died while not wearing a seatbelt.