Retail Drinks push to scrap ‘unfair’ liquor cap on corner stores

Retail Drinks Australia is urging the Northern Territory Government to amend the Liquor Act to scrap an “unfair” 25 per cent liquor sales cap on grocery store licences.

Retail Drinks Australia is urging the NT Government to amend the Liquor Act to scrap an “unfair” 25 per cent liquors sales cap on grocery store licences.

Retail Drinks Australia is urging the Northern Territory Government to amend the Liquor Act to scrap an “unfair” 25 per cent liquor sales cap on grocery store licences.

Retail Drinks CEO Michael Waters praised the NT Government after it’s legislation to remove the minimum floor price for alcohol, passed through Territory parliament Tuesday night.

The floor price, also known as the Minimum Unit Price (MUP), was introduced by the former Labor Government in 2018 and applied a minimum price of $1.30 per standard drink on all alcohol products sold in the Territory.

The Northern Territory Government said it failed to achieve meaningful outcomes while imposing unnecessary burdens on responsible consumers and businesses.

Michael Waters – Retail Drinks Australia. Picture: Gregg Porteous

Mr Waters said the measure was ineffective in addressing alcohol-related harm and unfairly targeted responsible drinkers.

“We congratulate Chief Minister, Lia Finocchiaro, for acting on the CLP’s election promise to repeal the MUP, which failed to address alcohol-related harm while punishing the vast majority of Territorians who drank responsibly,” Mr Waters said.

Mr Waters said the time was now right for the CLP Government to turn its attention to other critical amendments to the Liquor Act which were needed,

“This includes raising the arbitrary 25 per cent liquor sales cap on liquor sales for grocery store licences,” he said.

“We look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with the NT Government to ensure the Act is fit-for-purpose, and strikes the right balance between industry and community

needs.”

Originally published as Retail Drinks push to scrap ‘unfair’ liquor cap on corner stores