Northern Territory will soon see tough alcohol regulations

Residents of Australia’s Northern Territory have been plagued by alcohol related crimes and have urged the government to come to their aid. Drink-related social problems in the ‘Red Centre’ have even led federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott to call for a second federal intervention in towns such as Alice Springs, Tennant Creek and Katherine.

Government figures show alcohol-related crime and illness costs the NT $642 million each year or $4,197 per adult, compared to $943 per adult nationally. Almost 70 per cent of domestic violence assaults in the NT are alcohol related, and alcohol-related deaths in the NT are three times higher than the national average. Between 2000 and 2005, 48 per cent of road deaths in the NT involved alcohol.

The NT government had stopped a television advertising campaign, paid for by a group of local residents, showing young Aborigines roaming the streets of Alice Springs at night calling the ad derogatory to the town’s reputation. Other critics had argued that the ads racially vilified indigenous Australians.

To fight the massive alcohol problem afflicting the region, NT Minister for Alcohol Policy Delia Lawrie has introduced what she says are the country's toughest ever alcohol reforms. “Too much alcohol-fuelled violence and antisocial behaviour are occurring right across the territory…We're stepping up to the plate with the toughest reforms in our nation and we believe the toughest reforms in the world.”

The reforms were unveiled at a special Alice Springs sitting of the parliament. They include a register of banned drinkers, tougher penalties for licensed premises and the illegal trade of alcohol, an alcohol tribunal and mandatory rehabilitation for problem drinkers. The hope is that the changes will not only reduce drink-related crime and violence but also ease the heavy burden problem drinkers place on the judicial system.

Takeaway outlets across the Northern Territory will have to make buyers swipe their identification to see if they are banned from buying alcohol. The new rule is designed to stamp out problem drinkers and reduce alcohol-related crime. “An ID system will be used across the Territory at all takeaway outlets,” Lawrie said. “You'll swipe your ID, it takes less than seven seconds…It's a minor inconvenience but, we'll be turning problem drinkers off tap for the first time in the history of the Territory.”

“We're introducing these reforms for mandated rehabilitation through a new tribunal for people who aren't criminals but are habitual drunks… Our society is sick of the harms that are caused by the problem drinkers,” Ms Lawrie said. “It will be illegal to supply a minor…In terms of in the home, common sense should prevail so responsible supply is okay,” she added.

Opposition spokesman for alcohol policy Peter Styles criticized the government's reforms, saying they would lead to a boost in alcohol running and the sly alcohol trade. He said a Country Liberal government would introduce a habitual drunk program offering a rehabilitation program to people taken into custody more than three times in six months. When informed that a similar scheme was among the proposed reforms, Mr Styles replied, “If the final bill that comes out is copying what we're proposing then I applaud the government for taking up our initiative.”

From July 1, if the reforms are passed by parliament, people taken into custody three times in three months will be put on a banned drinker register. “You cannot purchase, possess or consume alcohol, and if you keep repeating those offences and those breaches ... your banned period will increase,” Ms Lawrie said. She said problem drinkers could have the period of the ban reduced by attending rehabilitation treatment.

Funding for the reforms is expected to be announced when the NT budget is delivered in May.

Dr. Ananya Mandal

Written by

Dr. Ananya Mandal

Dr. Ananya Mandal is a doctor by profession, lecturer by vocation and a medical writer by passion. She specialized in Clinical Pharmacology after her bachelor's (MBBS). For her, health communication is not just writing complicated reviews for professionals but making medical knowledge understandable and available to the general public as well.

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Comments

  1. Dark Horse Dark Horse Australia says:

    In Central Australia we've had alcohol reduction programs ad nauseum; one week it's no 2L wine casks; next week it's state where you intend to drink your purchase; a week later it's something else.

    The people who suffer most inconvenience every time government does something to fix the liquor problem are people like me, of which there are numerous, who drink responsibly. The tourism industry suffers. People from civilised countries like Germany come here and can't get a glass of wine with their dinner.

    Nobody has had the courage to tackle the problem at its source ie, with largely aboriginal itinerants. If the government identifies the habitual, invariable drunkards and gets them off the street into a mandatory rehabilitation centre with a razor wire fence, it may at least put the pressure where it lies and the rest of us can get on with our lives.

    Restricting trading hours, the volume of wine in containers and so on simply doesn't work. People who want alcohol will find it somewhere and go to extraordinary lengths to do so.

    I hope these new arrangements work because we've all had a gut full of the toing and froing of the Territory Labor Government.

  2. Bob Dober Bob Dober Australia says:

    The problem just moves from one place to another. Here in Mount Isa and Camooweal in Queensland we are having similar problems with indiginous people moving here from the Northern Territory to get away from the tough alcohol laws there.The solution i don`t have , but they always seem to obtain it.

  3. Anne of Adelaide Anne of Adelaide Australia says:

    The aboriginal people had a culture, land and their own self regularity long before us white Aussies invaded, brutalized, marginalized and destroyed these people. Why are we not assimilating into their culture with mandatory aboriginal language taught at schools and spoken automatically? After all isnt that what the majority of bigots here expect other immigrants to do? How dare the Government steal and apportion their income so it is spent on what we deem to be the right thing. Doesnt happen to any other sector so is clearly racial. And by all means why dont we ban alcohol sales to them while were at it. Oh yes we are. Funny that. Last I heard it was legal. What about all the drunken wife bashers in the community who are white. Why aren't they on a register to be banned from drinking also.?

  4. Nary Nary United States says:

    It's a racist policy. These poor people need to figure out that they can move to another state and get more freedom.

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