Midnight glass ban for 'problem' pubs

New South Wales Premier Nathan Rees says the state's most problematic licenced venues will be banned from using beer glasses after midnight and will face a mandatory 2:00am lockout.

Mr Rees also says no more 24-hour licences will issued as part of an overhaul of alcohol laws in New South Wales.

He says the measures are designed to tackle a drinking culture, which he has described as spiralling out of control.

"The 50 most problematic venues across the states [will] have tough new licensing conditions applied that will include a mandatory 2:00am lockout," he said.

"It will include the cessation of alcohol service 30 minutes before closing time, it will include the introduction of plastic glasses for use after midnight and it will include limits on drink purchases after midnight."

Mr Rees says the State Government wants the changes in place by this summer.

"[There are] 21,000 incidence of alcohol-related incidents each year and we want to drive that down," he said.

He says he has not spoken to pubs and clubs about the measures.

"The people of New South Wales are demanding we change the laws," he said.

MP backs laws to curb grocery monopoly

Outspoken federal MP Bob Katter has welcomed plans to introduce laws aimed at preventing major grocery retailers from swallowing up independent operators.

The federal government is considering introducing creeping acquisitions law following an Australian Competition and Consumer Commission inquiry into grocery prices.

The commission has said individual acquisitions that did not raise competition concerns at the time "may have a significant competitive impact" when taken together.

The government has released a discussion paper that includes the option of adding a new prohibition under the Trade Practices Act to stymie any single purchase by a company "that already has a substantial degree of market power".

Mr Katter, who has been campaigning against the power of supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths, on Tuesday described the government move as a breakthrough.

"On a scale of one to 10, this comes in a two but let's thank the good Lord for two," the independent federal member for Kennedy told reporters.

"Any restraint of Woolworths and Coles has to be for the benefit of both the supply chain, the farmers, and the consumers."

Related:

End of local food industry: Clairs
The former chief executive of Woolworths says he has concerned about the survival of Australia's food manufacturing industry.

End of local food industry: Clairs

The former chief executive of Woolworths says he has concerned about the survival of Australia's food manufacturing industry.

Reg Clairs, who ran Woolworths from 1993 to 1998 and coined the 'fresh food people' catch-phrase, says there has been a greater emphasis on the retailer taking charge of the supply chain in recent years.

Mr Clairs said that many smaller suppliers have been squeezed out by global food manufacturers.

He says if that trend continues, local food manufacturers will disappear in 10 to 15 years.

"Globally we are seeing the growth of the majors and unless we are able to build a food manufacturing business in Australia that is sustainable, then ultimately the global manufacturers will take the power base," he said.