A major overhaul of live music regulations in NSW is being pitched as an end to the "age of lockouts" and return to form for city nightlife.
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The raft of changes proposed by the state government will make it easier for venues to host events and more difficult for noise complaints to be used to shut them down.
Venues that host live music will be allowed to trade two hours longer under streamlined licensing laws as the government looks to save existing music and cultural venues and encourage new ones to open in order to "bring back vibrancy".
Arts Minister John Graham said more relaxed laws for outdoor dining and events would have punters dancing in the streets.
"We want to create a safe and diverse set of options for people when they go out, to go to a pub, to see a show, to get a late-night meal," he said.
"We need to change the rules around outdoor and street activation so that music, culture and entertainment can spill outdoors."
Venues will be able to apply for alfresco licences through a faster "light-touch" process, while councils will be supported in hosting community and creative groups putting on pop-up events and festivals, including those involving street closures.
Proposed changes to several laws governing live music, liquor and planning will be put to parliament, and $58 million has been budgeted in 2023/24 to implement the policies.
The state government is seeking co-funding from the hospitality and entertainment sectors.
Mr Graham said the policies would target existing rules for sound and noise complaints that made it easy for entertainment sites to be shut down.
"We are stopping the great NSW sport of single-neighbour, serial complaints that close down venues," he said.
Higher hurdles will be imposed for complaints to be escalated, while Liquor & Gaming NSW will take the lead in assessing any issues using objective noise tests.
"Order of occupancy" will be made a central consideration in disturbance complaints, prioritising long-running venues over new residents in gentrified inner-city suburbs.
A bill will also be introduced to make the position of 24-Hour Economy Commissioner a statutory appointment, with an expanded remit beyond Sydney to include Newcastle, Wollongong and the Central Coast.
Matt Levinson from think-tank Commitee for Sydney said the changes were sensible and would help the NSW capital take its place as one of the world's top nightlife hubs.
"These changes will be music to Sydney's ears," he said.
Business Western Sydney executive director David Borger said it was good that the NSW government was turning "a deaf ear to single noise complaints".
"It's time to end the silence in western Sydney and bring back the beats ... we've got twice the population and half the fun," he said.
Australian Associated Press
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