One of Australia's best bars has been forced to turn away a group of French winemakers a few days after Queensland's new ID scanning laws were made compulsory.
The dozen or so visitors arrived at The Gresham, in the Brisbane CBD, about midnight Wednesday but were not allowed in because two of them did not have their passports, according to management.
This weekend marked the introduction of the Queensland government's ID scanning laws, forcing all patrons to provide ID to enter all late-night licensed venues in Safe Night Precincts across the state.
The reigning Brisbane Times Good Food Guide Bar of the Year's general manager, Ryan Lane, said the incident was embarrassing for him, his venue and the state in general.
"The way that other states look at Queensland, I feel embarrassed for that," he said.
"And of course because I'm dealing with international tourism that I've had to turn away last night, I feel embarrassed for Australia.
"If they were to fly out today their last impression that they got of Australia is that 'we weren't allowed into the venue because we didn't have a passport', even though they're sober, of age, polite."
Mr Lane said winemakers had been in town for a fundraising dinner for LNP MP Matt McEachan, who was unavailable for comment.
The Gresham won 2016 Bar of the Year in the highly respected Australian Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Awards.
It has featured on Brisbane Marketing billboards in Sydney and Melbourne, spruiking the vibrancy of Queensland's nightlife and had never played host to a violent incident, Mr Lane said.
Both Labor and the LNP supported the introduction of ID scanners to combat late-night violence.
A spokeswoman for acting Attorney-General Anthony Lynham said the government's response to alcohol-fuelled violence was evidence-based.
"ID scanners are designed to keep patrons safe and ensure they can have a fun night out," she said, in a statement.
"ID scanners are designed to ensure a person with a banning order - which includes people with a history of alcohol-fuelled violence - can't enter a licensed venue.
"The Palaszczuk government remains committed to working with the industry and encouraging a diverse nightlife in Queensland as well as making our towns and cities safe places to go out at night."
It is now mandatory for licensed venues operating after midnight in Safe Night Precincts, such as Brisbane's Fortitude Valley, to have ID scanners.
Six venues chose to shut at midnight rather than install the scanners amid push-back from industry about the security guard qualifications needed to operate the venues.