NT government’s voluntary liquor licence buyback scheme could spell the end of up to 20 stores

There could soon be far fewer corner store bottle-os as a voluntary licence buyback scheme gets under way. Here’s how many shops have expressed interest in scrapping booze sales.

The NT could be set to lose up to 20 corner store bottleshops with as many as four in 10 in negotiations under the government’s voluntary buyback scheme.

The move was one of several new measures aimed at curbing crime and alcohol-fuelled violence in the wake of liquor store attendant Declan Laverty’s stabbing death in March.

Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said up to 20 of the Territory’s 51 grocery/grog shops had indicated interest in selling their licence back to the government.

“For four weeks the voluntary buyback scheme was open to nominations where grocery store licensees could express an interest for government to purchase their liquor licence,” she said.

Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said about 40 per cent of grocery store licensees had opted into negotiations to sell their licence back to the government. Picture: (A)manda Parkinson

“There has been a good response to the preliminary EOI with about 40 per cent of licensees registered to discuss the negotiation process further.”

Ms Fyles said the scheme was “evidence-based” and in the hands of the community.

“The Territory government is undertaking progressive alcohol reforms which focus on long-term change and local decision making,” she said.

The offers will be commercial in confidence, with the government not indicating how much taxpayer dollars might be spent on the scheme.

Winnellie Supermarket owner Wayne Morris said his liquor licence was essential to running his business.

Winnellie Supermarket owner Wayne Morris, whose store has been licenced for about 50 years, said it would be “impossible” to operate without one.

“All the small liquor licences were here before Coles or Woolworths or even the pubs,” he said.

“Every time someone comes in to buy liquor they’ll buy other things.

“You add in the chips, smokes, milk, meat and that’s about 40 per cent of your take-in.

“The government has not for one second taken into account the extra sales.

“To offer enough to make up for that … I don’t even know how they’d do that.”

BWS Airport Tavern, where Declan Laverty was fatally stabbed, has been closed since his alleged murder in March.

Mr Morris said he feared the licence buybacks would eventually become compulsory.

“That would be the death of every small supermarket,” he said.

“Without the complete offering it will drive our local customers to the chain stores because they will not be affected by the government buyback.”

Several other stores understood to be in discussions about a buyback said they could not comment as the deals were commercial in confidence.

It comes after the government brought in quarterly reporting for a 25 per cent cap on liquor sales, designed to prevent alcohol from being the primary product of grocery stores.

Ms Fyles has said some businesses became “pseudo takeaway outlets”, with the licence type no longer possible to obtain.