Darwin loses fun factor under booze rules

ONCE the ‘last bastion’ seven-day party town, Darwin is fast becoming a bore under the weight of its booze laws

Doug and Clancy Whalan are no fans of draft drinking laws that could stop venues offering happy hours. Picture: Katrina Bridgeford

DARWIN has lost its “fun factor” under the weight of its booze laws.

What was once the “last bastion” seven-day party town is fast becoming a snore, according to one of the city’s most prominent restaurateurs. Jason Hanna, who owns venues including Deck Bar and Chow, said there was little reason for party-loving young people to stick around.

The introduction of risk-based licensing, which will see late night venues pay more for the right to sell booze, will further damage the capital’s reputation as one of Australia’s most fun cities, Mr Hanna said.

TOP STORIES

• SHORTEN Govt would ‘bail out’ cash-strapped NT

• FEDERAL Election: NT wildcard hopes to topple Snowdon

• BODY found at Darwin CBD shopping centre

• DRUG cocktail led to death at Hottest 100 party: inquest

• FEARS for thieves after bottle of ethanol stolen

“It’s another fee, another tax on the only industry in Darwin that’s bringing the fun,” Mr Hanna said.

“Darwin used to be a place a group of blokes would come on a fishing trip and get back on the plane smelling like a brewery horse’s fart, turn to each other, sigh and say ‘that was fun’.”

And draft legislation out for public comment now will give the NT’s Liquor Commission discretion to put a stop to happy hour promotions should it choose to.

The draft bill means the commission can intervene if its director believes a licensee is “providing significant discounts of limited duration that encourages drinking more rapidly”, such as would occur in happy hour promotions.

It gives the commission the power to issue a direction which would stop or restrict the sale of alcohol by offending businesses. The direction could be issued 28 days after a written notice has been issued.

But despite the provision in the draft Liquor Act, Attorney-General Natasha Fyles said happy hour was safe.

Territory truckie and Hotel Darwin regular Doug Whalan compared the Labor Government to a modern day temperance union “out to spoil everyone’s fun”.

• SPECIAL limited time offer: NT News subscription for just $5 per month for the first 3 months

“Happy hour doesn’t make me drink faster, it doesn’t make me drink more, it just makes me happy it doesn’t cost as much,” he said.

“These are these people who are dead against alcohol and they will find any angle they can to stop people having fun.”

”