Property Council wants public drunk laws reviewed

A peak business body is urging the NT government to change grog laws to reduce anti-social behaviour. Do you agree?

PROPERTY Council NT has called for the Territory’s Liquor Act to strengthen provisions against anti-social behaviour.

NT executive director Ruth Palmer said crime, public drunkenness and anti-social behaviour were highly visible and damaging.

“At the moment, people do not feel safe and we know that this is not an isolated night time issue,” Ms Palmer said.

“Unfortunately, this behaviour occurs at all hours and across the entire Territory.”

Ms Palmer has written to Chief Minister Natasha Fyles directly with her proposal.

In a statement to the NT News Ms Fyles said said the Government is using a number of measures to reduce the impact of itinerancy including increasing Larrakia Nation patrols and extending sobering-up shelters.

Ms Palmer said public intoxication was a disincentive to job-attraction and retention campaigns such as the Territory government’s Global Workforce Attraction Campaign.

The latest NT Police figures show a 53.3 per cent increase in commercial break-ins and a 14.1 per cent increase in property damage this year.

“How can we promote the Territory’s liveability when people are constantly confronted by this inappropriate behaviour?” Ms Palmer said.

“Furthermore, anti-social behaviour and public intoxication is increasingly visible to the

public.

“We have previously requested that this information and statistics be published in public

reports to increase transparency. With increased reporting and statistics, we can come up

with more effective solutions.

“Today we have called on the Territory government to immediately prioritise policies that

reduce incidences of crime, public intoxication, and property desecration, including the

issue of human waste.

“In addition, we believe that the government must re-examine 2019 policy changes made to

the NT Liquor Act that previously addressed public intoxication.

“At the time of its removal from the NT Liquor Act in 2019 and as quoted to the NT News, it was removed because ‘a health response is the preferred response to alcohol issues rather

than criminalisation’.

“To drive this conversation, we need input from Traditional Owners, elders, land councils,

Indigenous corporations, government and stakeholders.

“By working together and having genuine grassroots conversations, we can come up with

real solutions to deliver outcomes.

“Ultimately, the community and industry will fall behind the government’s policy, if it is

achieving results.”

Ms Fyles said every Territorian deserves the right to feel safe “and this kind of behaviour is completely unacceptable”.

“These are complex issues that we continue to address through a multifaceted approach, including increased Larrakia Nation patrols, extending the sobering up shelter, ongoing support for alcohol and rehab services, the return to country program – and an increased police and security presence on our streets,” she said.

“Since becoming Chief Minister I have listened to the community and invested $2 million into the Public Order Response unit for Darwin, Palmerston and Alice Springs, along with work beginning on establishing a Secondary Supply Reference Group which will have cross agency representation from Police, Territory Families, Housing and Communities and NT Health. This group will work with local governments and peak bodies to develop strategies around alcohol harm minimisation.

“There is no single answer to this problem, but we will continue to work with the community, businesses, local and non-government agencies and aboriginal organisations to find solutions.”