Mike Baird takes to Facebook to defend Sydney lockout laws

Mike Baird has hit back at scathing criticism that Sydney's lockout laws are killing the city's nightlife.

The NSW premier took to Facebook today to defend recent tirades against the legislation, enforced in 2014, which forces central Sydney venues to take no new patrons past 1.30am and serve last drinks by 3am.

Hitting back at detractors, Mr Baird said “the main complaints seem to be that you can’t drink till dawn anymore and you can’t impulse-buy a bottle of white after 10pm, I understand that this presents an inconvenience. Some say this makes us an international embarrassment.”

He said the laws were created to fix a serious problem; that violence had begun spiraling out of control.

With assaults down by 42.2 percent the premier is happy with the changes in policy.

A detailed review of the law is being undertaken in the coming months.

“It is going to take a lot for me to change my mind on a policy that is so clearly improving this city,” he said.