Deputy Premier Troy Grant called a meeting of stakeholders in the lockout law debate on Tuesday, a week before the anticipated delivery to government of former high court judge Ian Callinan's review of the contentious regime.
Rather than being designed to signal the government's position on its willingness or otherwise to tweak the laws, some participants are left still wondering precisely why the meeting was called.
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They did walk away with one important piece of information: that whatever Callinan's recommendations, the government won't be reacting with any haste.
Grant confirmed to the participants that when the report is delivered it will be made public, but without a concurrent government response.
![Do Premier Mike Baird (left) and Deputy Premier Troy Grant (right) back the recommendations of its own esteemed lockout ...](/web/20160825195806im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/1/3/n/8/7/b/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gr0ltr.png/1472152623662.jpg)
Contrast this approach to the one taken by Grant and Premier Mike Baird on the special commission of inquiry into the NSW greyhound industry last month.
In that case Baird and Grant announced the decision to shut down the industry as the inquiry's report was released to the public. Absolutely no correspondence entered into.
What does this shift in strategy signal about the government's approach to the Callinan review?
One possibility is that having been stung by criticism of its handling of the greyhounds matter it wants to appear – or actually be – more consultative.
The more likely reason is that it knows just how difficult it will be implementing any Callinan recommendations to ease the current restrictions.
There has been plenty of talk that the government is open to scrapping the 1.30am lockout, retaining the 3am last drinks and dumping the 10pm bottle shop closing rule.
This, it is argued, would be a reasonable compromise. Grant in particular will be facing pressure from rural pub owners over the takeaways rule.
In reality the government is giving every indication that its position remains unaltered since Baird at the start of the process said he would take a lot of convincing to make any changes, given the documented success of the laws in reducing alcohol-related violence.
Opponents of the lockout laws are just as upset at not being allowed to drink beyond 3am than being forced to stay in one place after 1.30am.
Besides, opponents of the laws are just as upset at not being allowed to drink beyond 3am than being forced to stay in one place after 1.30am.
The NSW police association, emergency room doctors and the family of Thomas Kelly - whose tragic death provided impetus for the laws - are insistent that they should not be wound back.
In fact, they are urging the government to extend the regime to licensed premises across NSW.
Their resolve has only hardened - and the emotional strength of their argument has been amplified - after the death of Stuart Kelly.
The nightmare scenario looming for the government is if Callinan recommends a significant change to the current laws, particularly in response to the impact they have had on businesses and sections of Sydney's late-night economy.
Does it back the recommendations of its own esteemed reviewer and risk the guaranteed backlash from the vocal pro-lockout groups?
Or does it ignore Callinan and look as though the statutory review was a case of going to through the motions when it had already made up its mind - a charge levelled at Baird after he made his comments when the review was first announced.
This time around, Baird and Grant appear to relying heavily on public reaction to Callinan's report to guide their decision.
It's a telling approach given that, just like with the greyhounds bill, support is likely to be there in the upper house for legislation to alter the 10pm bottle shop closure. (The lockout could be done by regulation.)
There's a significant question mark over whether Fred Nile and his Christian Democratic Party colleague, Paul Green, would support anything that loosens restrictions on alcohol use.
In a strong indication of Labor's likely position, Opposition Leader Luke Foley has said he believes the current laws are "the new minimum standard for community safety in known trouble spots".
The Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party opposed the laws when they were introduced and would likely support winding them back.
But the government could again pass changes with only the support of the Greens, which also opposed the laws when they were first introduced.
It's apparent that Baird and Grant are dreading this decision, perhaps more than any other they have faced in their two years at the top.