Queensland premier says controversial new liquor laws appear to be working

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says there are signs Queensland's controversial liquor licensing laws are working.

Ms Palaszczuk says the state's police and ambulance services have reported a drop off in violence since the laws were introduced on July 1.

"What we do know is that conversations I have had with senior members of the police, senior members of paramedics, that they are seeing a reduction in the level of violence in the early hours of the morning," she told reporters on the Gold Coast.

Under the new laws, venues can only operate until 2am unless they are in a designated night precinct, while shots and other "rapid intoxication drinks" have been banned after midnight.

But the most controversial aspect of the laws, a 1am lockout, doesn't take effect until February.

Ms Palaszczuk says it will be some time after that before it is known whether the laws are working.

"It is going to take some time to collect the statistics to show if the laws are working,' she said.

Some nightclub owners have told 9NEWS business is down by as much as 20 percent in the laws’ early days.

Part of that decline has been attributed to patrons drinking at home before going out or "pre-loading" - something almost impossible to regulate.