Ken Wyatt’s letter to NT government supporting end of alcohol bans

A letter sent by Morrison government’s Minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt has revealed why the former leadership agreed to let the alcohol ban legislation lapse.

The former Coalition government wrote to the Northern Territory government last March saying it was happy for Intervention-era legislation, which had banned alcohol in town camps, to expire.

The alcohol bans were implemented in 2007 under the Howard government’s Northern Territory Emergency Response, better known as the Intervention.

They were extended under the Rudd and Gillard Labor governments under the renamed Stronger Futures Act and continued under every government until 2022.

Sky News has obtained a copy of the letter sent by the Morrison government’s Minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt, to Northern Territory Aboriginal Affairs Minister Selena Uibo on March 6, 2022.

A letter sent by former Indigenous Australians Minister Ken Wyatt said the NT government were in a position to "administer its jurisdictional responsibilities" when the Intervention-era alcohol bans ended.

Mr Wyatt said the National Indigenous Australians Agency had completed a review of the Stronger Futures NT Act.

“The findings of the review are that the legislation has achieved its purpose of instigating concentrated action in remote Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory,” he wrote.

“The review recommends the Australian government should allow the legislation to sunset as the NT government is well placed to administer its jurisdictional responsibilities for the key elements in the legislation; alcohol misuse, land tenure issues; remote store licensing and the control of prohibited materials.”

Mr Wyatt thanked the NT government for its commitment to amend the Liquor Act, “and to lead community-based consultation to determine what aspirations or wishes community have with respect to alcohol”.

The letter was sent to NT Aboriginal Affairs Minister Selena Uibo, in March 2022. Picture: Che Chorley

When the legislation expired on July 17, the Northern Territory government implemented a system that allowed the town camps and smaller Indigenous communities affected by the legislation to “opt-in” if they wanted to remain dry.

In recent weeks the government has faced fierce criticism over this decision, after a subsequent increase in alcohol-related harm and property crime, particularly in Alice Springs.

On Monday Chief Minister Natasha Fyles announced her government would reverse its position and reinstate the alcohol bans.

Communities and town camps would then be given an opportunity to vote on whether they wanted alcohol to return, but only after they have an alcohol management plan approved by the Director of Licensing and only if 60 per cent of residents vote in support.

Sky News obtained the letter after revealing former Prime Minister Scott Morrison had told a joint party room meeting the Coalition should support a private members bill put forward by Northern Territory Country Liberal Party Senator Jacinta Price to reinstate the Stronger Futures Legislation.

Ms Fyles said Mr Morrison and his government had walked away from remote Territorians.

“His cabinet refused to look at alcohol management plans,” she said.

“His words mean very little now. His actions speak volumes and will do so for decades to come.”

Matt Cunningham is the Sky News Northern Australia Correspondent