The minimum alcohol unit price report reveals a reduction in booze-related harm

Three years after the Territory made an Australia-first decision to increase the floor price of alcohol, the impact on our health - and business - can be revealed.

The introduction of a minimum unit price for alcohol has been heralded a success by the Northern Territory Government.

But leaders in the hospitality industry are calling for it to be removed.

The three-year evaluation report into the minimum price of $1.30 per standard drink was released on Thursday, with the recommendation to keep it in place as is.

It found the policy had been overall effective in reducing the amount of alcohol-related harm.

Since 2018 there has been a 25.8 per cent decrease in alcohol-related assaults, a 37.6 per cent decrease in alcohol-related hospital admissions in Alice Springs and a 24.2 per cent decline in Tennant Creek.

Across the Territory a 19.4 per cent reduction in alcohol related hospital presentations was recorded per capita.

As the price per standard drink increased on cheap items like wine, it was said more people bought spirits instead.

It was noted that this evaluation took into account other measures, such as the Banned Drinkers Register and Police Auxiliary Liquor Inspectors which were introduced around the same time.

Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said it was a positive sign that alcohol-related harm was being reduced but more would still be required to be done.

“There is not one single solution in the Northern Territory that will overcome the alcohol problems that we face,” she said.

“The minimum unit price is just one component of our broad alcohol reforms, but this evaluation shows it does have a place here in the Territory.”

“While we acknowledge there is still more work to do across the Territory, this evaluation is a good indication that we are on the right track.”

However Hospitality NT chief executive Alex Bruce said the evaluation was “disappointing” and the introduction of the floor price had seen negative consequences as well.

“Today’s report is disappointing and appears to have been sanitised in an effort to sit on the fence,” he said.

“We know the floor price has seen a transfer of customers from cask wine to bottled wine and spirits.”

Hospitality NT chief executive Alex Bruce wants the minimum alcohol floor price scrapped. Picture: Che Chorley

“The Riley review recommended the floor price as a stop gap measure ahead of a national approach — given that hasn’t happened and unintended consequences have seen more harm than help we believe the time is right to for the government to scrap the floor price.”

He said hospitality staff were dealing with the fallout from the higher prices on a daily basis.

“Our staff cop abuse from caravanners when they first cross a border and their chosen cask of wine is three times the price they last paid,” he said.

According to the report there was no impact on tourism or the NT economy however there was evidence that some consumers were purchasing more alcohol at stores in the immediate vicinity of the Northern Territory border, such as Mt Isa and Kununurra.