NT Liquor Commission closes investigation into ‘line-ups’ at Alice Springs Brewing Co

An investigation into a popular Territory brewery has finished – finding ‘no evidence’ of a claim that sparked the inquiry.

Alice Springs Brewing Co. Picture: Gera Kazakov

Allegations of “line-ups” at a popular Territory brewery have been quashed by a government investigation, which found no evidence to support the claims.

The Territory’s Liquor Commission has concluded its inquiry into the Alice Springs Brewery Co, taking no action against the pub after the Commission’s investigation found “no evidence” the “licensee’s trade is associated with an increase in alcohol-related harm in the vicinity of the premises”.

The brewery was under investigation at the request of People’s Alcohol Action Coalition (PAAC), who wrote to the Commission requesting an inquiry into the business in March this year.

Dr John Boffa. Picture: File

At the time, PAAC spokesman Dr John Boffa alleged there were “line-ups” at the brewery which were perpetuated by the “bush telegraph”.

“So people from remote communities who are living on alcohol prohibited land all know that if they come to Alice, they can buy takeaway alcohol from this outlet seven days a week,” he told this masthead in March.

At the time, Dr Boffa said the group had no evidence of the line-ups at the brewery, as it “shouldn’t be up to us to actually have to collect that evidence”.

“It should be the licencing inspectors that are pretty able to take pictures and observe and see what’s going on in terms of those queues,” he said in March.

PAAC has opposed the brewery since it was first proposed south of Heavitree Gap in 2018.

The Commission began its investigation into the brewery at the end of March – despite no evidence being tendered to the Commission by PAAC, the Commission’s published decision said.

“The Commission formed the view that PAAC’s concerns were plausible, and that if well-founded, would potentially provide a basis for varying the conditions of the licence,” the decision said.

Alice Springs Brewing Co. Picture: Gera Kazakov

The Commission requested Banned Drink Register information from August 2024 to 1 May 2025, and licensing inspectors visited the pub on Monday and Tuesday.

Under the brewery’s current producer liquor license, it can sell take-away alcohol on Monday and Tuesday – days bottle-shops are shut in Alice Springs.

ban around the sale of take-away alcohol were introduced in 2023, following the lapse of the stronger futures legislation and a surge in alcohol related violence in the town.

A previous review into the brewery’s license conditions by the Commission, completed in September last year, determined it was in the “public interest” the brewery can sell take-away alcohol on days other venues in town are banned from doing so.

Completing their latest investigation, the commission found “no evidence” of line-ups at the brewery, and concluded the brewery sold less takeaway alcohol “than all but two of the other nine Alice Springs takeaway outlets on other trading weekdays”.

“As in 2024, as measured by the volume of takeaway transactions, by a significant margin the licensee is the smallest Alice Springs takeaway outlet in Alice Springs,” the commission said in the decision.

Police data also showed there had been no increase in alcohol related harm within the vicinity, according to the Commission’s decision.

No action was taken against the brewery by the Commission.

PAAC and the Alice Springs Brewing Co were contacted for comment.

Originally published as NT Liquor Commission closes investigation into ‘line-ups’ at Alice Springs Brewing Co