Documents show that then racing minister Troy Grant received the statutory review of the Three Strikes scheme in June last year.

Instead of tabling the review in parliament, as required, Mr Grant chose to seek the advice of former High Court judge Ian Callinan, who was reviewing the government's lockout laws. Mr Callinan handed his review to Mr Grant the following August.

But Mr Grant and his successor, Paul Toole, chose to keep secret the advice and the statutory review recommendations - due for tabling by January 1 - until after Parliament, with Labor support, passed changes to the scheme in late May.

Under the previous scheme, pubs faced loss of their licence after incurring three strikes for serious breaches of the Liquor Act, while clubs faced having a secretary removed.

The changes meant a strike no longer attaches to a premises but to a licensee, following hotel industry concerns that the system was causing banks to revalue their businesses.

The automatic imposition of a first strike was removed, the list of breaches attracting a strike reduced and the right to have a strike reviewed after six months was introduced.

Mr Toole tabled the statutory review this month. It did not recommend attaching strikes to licensees instead of venues; instead it advised that strikes could be removed from a venue when it was sold.

The review recommends that strikes should be reviewable after 12 months, not six months.

It says the scheme "could benefit from more administrative discretion" over issuing a first strike but warns this "may significantly weaken the deterrent effect of the scheme and inhibit its efficient operation".

Mr Callinan's advice says the scheme has reduced the irresponsible sale and consumption of alcohol but also produced "heavy, inconsistent and unpredictable outcomes".

Mr Callinan also suggests the law could be amended so that strikes may be removed from a venue if it is sold.

Greens MLC Justin Field noted that removal of strikes from a premises was advocated by the Australian Hotels Association.

"It is clear that the government has simply taken the position of the hotels industry and ignored other community and expert submissions and their own independent advice," he said.

But Mr Toole said the Greens were trying to have it both ways by accusing the government of being too tough with lockout laws but too soft with Three Strikes.

"The government took time to consult widely with stakeholders and experts and considered all this feedback when developing the legislation," he said. "This included consideration of the statutory review and the advice sought by Ian Callinan QC."