The problem
NSW has three separate sets of rules restricting where dogs can go, each created by different legislation and administered by a different minister. Together, they make Sydney one of the most restrictive major cities in the developed world for dog owners.
Indoor dining and pubs
Dogs are currently prohibited from all indoor dining areas in NSW. This restriction comes from two overlapping pieces of legislation: the national Food Standards Code (Standard 3.2.2), which prohibits animals in areas where food is handled or consumed, and the NSW Companion Animals Act 1998, which restricts where dogs can be present in licensed premises.
Outdoor dining with dogs is permitted under limited conditions. Section 14A of the Companion Animals Act allows dogs in outdoor dining areas of licensed premises provided they are leashed, on the ground, and away from food preparation areas. But indoor dining remains completely banned, regardless of the venue’s preference.
The Companion Animals Act is now undergoing its first comprehensive review in over 20 years, with further consultation expected in 2026. This creates a direct legislative opportunity to modernise these provisions. A private member’s bill in 2018 (the Companion Animals Amendment (Dining Areas) Bill, introduced by Greens Member for Balmain Jamie Parker) sought to allow dogs in enclosed areas of hotels and small bars but lapsed without being debated.
Public transport
Under the Passenger Transport (General) Regulation 2017, dogs are completely banned from Sydney trains and Metro. On buses, ferries, and light rail, dogs are permitted only if carried in an enclosed container, effectively limiting access to the smallest breeds.
This makes Sydney more restrictive than virtually every major European city. In London, dogs ride the Tube, buses, and Overground services on a leash with no muzzle requirement and no peak-hour restriction. Berlin, Vienna, and Paris all permit dogs on their metro and bus networks. Sydney’s closest comparator is Tokyo, which similarly restricts dogs to containers on most transit.
The transport regulation is administered by Transport for NSW under Minister John Graham. Changing these rules does not require primary legislation; it is a regulatory amendment that the Minister can direct.
The vibrancy context
Since 2023, the NSW Government has delivered three tranches of vibrancy reforms for hospitality: expanded outdoor dining, live music protections, and the removal of the ban on standing while drinking outside licensed premises. These reforms have been widely welcomed as common-sense changes that bring NSW into line with community expectations.
Dog-friendly reform is a natural next step in that agenda. It follows the same logic: removing outdated restrictions that no longer reflect how people live, giving venue operators more flexibility, and improving the amenity of NSW’s hospitality precincts. Minister John Graham holds both the Transport and Music/Night-time Economy portfolios, giving a single minister oversight of two of the three reform streams.
These restrictions are outdated, unsupported by evidence, and out of step with international practice. The reform is about venue discretion, not mandatory access. No venue would be required to allow dogs. The question is whether the law should prevent those that want to.