A week in and Queensland’a new ID scanning laws have already landed their first major news story.

Both The Courier Mail and The Brisbane Times reported yesterday that a dozen French winemakers were turned away from The Gresham on Wednesday night for not carrying the correct identification.

Coming from a fundraising dinner for Redlands MP Matt McEachan, two members of the group couldn’t produce a passport and were refused entry at the award-winning inner city venue — the only bar in Queensland with a heritage license. The group decided to move on elsewhere rather than splitting up.

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“I was embarrassed that I had to turn away these international tourists in my industry,” Gresham manager Ryan Lane told the Courier. “I was embarrassed that I had to explain this new law and embarrassed for my venue.

“They are seventh generation winemakers but they can’t drink it after 10pm because they don’t have the right ID.’’

A spokeswoman for acting Attorney-General Anthony Lynham defended the new laws in a statement to The Brisbane Times.

“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," she said.

“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."

New ID scanning laws were introduced as a compromise measure after the state government’s repeal of the 1am lockout law earlier this year. Kicking in last weekend, they require all patrons to carry ID to enter late-night licensed venues in Queensland’s Safe Night Precincts.