Ban on alcohol sales at Port Augusta as violence strikes

Booze-fuelled crime and anti-social behaviour linked to Covid lockdowns and blocked highways have forced a temporary ban on alcohol sales in one of SA’s largest cities.

Booze-fuelled crime and anti-social behaviour linked to Covid lockdowns and blocked highways has forced a two-week restriction on alcohol sales in Port Augusta.

Four-litre wine casks have been banned and limits placed on hard liquor for all except senior business managers and station managers.

The Liquor and Gambling Commissioner has introduced the restrictions to all bottle shops in the Port Augusta township which take effect from midday Tuesday.

Police appealed for action after an increase in alcohol related offences and anti-social behaviour in the last few weeks.

The cause of the violence has been non-permanent residents being stuck in the city because of Covid-19 lockdowns in remote communities, and flood-blocked highways to the north and west.

Flood waters Glendambo where the Sturt Hwy has been cut off. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Kelly Barnes Pool via NCA NewsWire

The restrictions are:

CLOSED bottle shops until 11am.

ONE item per customer; bottle of spirits, or 2L cask wine, or fortified wine.

FOUR-litre casks are banned

IDENTIFICATION and register of address must be provided for any purchase.

NO taxi pick-up of booze.

Senior management of companies and stations have been excluded from the crackdown, a spokesman for the Commissioner said.

There has ben no mention of consultation with the Indigenous community but the spokesman said the restrictions were developed in consultation with “key stakeholders”; bottle shop owners, police and the Member for Stuart Dan van Holst Pellekaan.

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