Hospitality NT CEO Alex Bruce calls for long term solutions on crime in Alice Springs
NT Chief Minister Natasha Fyles has suggested a formal vote on alcohol policies in the Territory as the powerful hospitality industry calls for longer-term solutions to restrictions in Alice Springs.
Alice Springs
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Industry leaders hope movement on the controversial Stronger Futures policy can be “advanced as a priority” and alcohol restrictions in Alice Springs are “temporary in nature”.
Hospitality NT chief executive Alex Bruce said while his industry was willing to help play its part, operators recognised the restrictions were only short term solutions.
Mr Bruce said the industry would play its part, but it would “not like to see this level of restriction in Alice” during the dry season – the peak period for tourism operators in the NT.
“The local industry takes our responsibilities seriously and have been engaging with the government as they sought to address the issues in and around Alice Springs,” Mr Bruce said.
“We are playing our part but know supply restrictions won’t fix the underlying problems so now we wait to see what other measures agencies and support services can implement.
“We publicly joined other stakeholders in calling for a reversal of the Opt In, Opt Out Stronger Futures transition last October and are keen to see this change advanced as a priority.”
One solution he urged government to reconsider was the Opt In, Opt Out Stronger Futures transition.
It was a change Hospitality NT publicly joined stakeholders in calling for a reversal of in October.
It comes after Chief Minister Natasha Fyles, alongside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, announced a set of emergency stop gap measures to stem the flow of alcohol fuelled violence in Alice Springs.
The measures were put in place following the latest outbreak in crime across the Central Australian town which has resulted in buildings broken into, people assaulted and many cases of domestic violence.
Many residents blamed the onslaught of crime on the expiry of the grog ban in July last year.
Snap restrictions were announced on Tuesday with the current limit on takeaway alcohol on Sundays extended to bans on Monday and Tuesday.
Liquor store hours will also be reduced to between 3pm and 7pm, and only one transaction will be allowed per person for the next three months, monitored by the banned drinker register.
However, these are restrictions Hospitality NT hope will no longer be in place come the peak tourist season.
“We would not like to see this level of restriction in Alice by the time the peak tourism season arrives and hope these emergency stop gap measures are temporary in nature,” Mr Bruce said.
“We will monitor closely to see if these measures lead to increased breaks ins to our venues, people’s homes or displacement of the problem to other parts of the Territory.”
Meanwhile, Ms Fyles suggested on ABC Radio National on Wednesday morning the Electoral Commission could hold a formal vote to determine whether or not to enforce widespread alcohol bans across Central Australia.
The current opt in, opt out strategy has seen certain remote communities allow themselves to become dry communities, while others have decided not to opt in.
“We can’t look at Alice Springs in isolation, we need to look at the broader community,” Ms Fyles said.
“This is something where communities have had the option to opt in as a dry community, we have seen a number of communities make that choice.
“Do we go out to a ballot? Do we get the electoral commission out to these communities and then the matter can be settled confidently knowing all views have been heard?
“We need to work with the community. How do they want a legal product that causes harm to be available to their community members?
“Ensuring all voices are heard is something that I want to make sure is in those alcohol restriction plans.”
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