Law change to help Dan Murphy’s push for Darwin outlet

THE NT Government will move to amend the Liquor Act today and address legislative hurdles being faced by liquor giant Dan Murphy’s in their bid to open an outlet in Darwin

Attorney-General Natasha Fyles said the government will amend the Liquor Act to allow businesses to transfer their liquor licence to a premise that has not yet been built

THE NT Government will move to amend the Liquor Act today and address legislative hurdles being faced by liquor giant Dan Murphy’s in their bid to open a Darwin outlet.

Attorney-General Natasha Fyles said the Government would move to amend the Liquor Act in parliament to allow businesses to substitute their liquor licence to a premises that has not yet been built.

The change will also include removing the “like for like” requirement in the current Liquor Act, however licensees must stay in the same category.

Ms Fyles said the amendment would be retrospective to February 27, 2018.

The amendment will address the legislative hurdles being faced by Dan Murphy’s following last month’s Northern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NTCAT) decision.

The NTCAT ruled that under NT law a liquor licence could not be transferred from an existing outlet to one that was yet to be built.

Dan Murphy's concept plan for its proposed Darwin store

Dan Murphy’s parent company Woolworths are now seeking to overturn the decision in the Supreme Court, with an appeal set to be heard on February 21.

Endeavour Drinks’ general manager of corporate services Shane Tremble said he hoped the law change would bring them a step closer to opening up a Dan Murphy’s in Darwin.

“We’re obviously very pleased that the Government are taking steps to reform this legislation,” he said,

“But I can’t really say what it will mean for our Supreme Court case until we see the amendment in writing and speak with our lawyers.”

Mr Tremble said those legislative hurdles played a big role in why the NT Liquor Commission rejected their application to open an outlet on Bagot Road last September.

The area of land opposite Bunning’s proposed for the Dan Murphy's Darwin store.

In its 103-page decision, the commission said it was not opposed to the “concept” of a Dan Murphy’s store in Darwin, but that the proposed location was inappropriate.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner said he thought the decision was a “kick in the guts” for responsible drinkers who want more choice in the Darwin market.

His Government previously introduced a 400 square metre floor space limit that prevented Dan Murphy’s from opening their store in 2017 but they later backflipped on that decision.

Mr Tremble said the Government was initially resistant to their plans but had become “a lot more supportive in the last couple of years”.

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In 2017, the Chief Minister’s former chief of staff Alf Leonardi ruffled some feathers by referring to Dan Murphy’s as a “Bunnings for drunks” during a meeting with the company.

At the time Mr Tremble said he found the comment “very offensive” but has now moved past it.

“That was a long time ago and we don’t take things personally,” Mr Tremble said.