‘There is a big problem with the government’s alcohol policy’: Doubt cast on effectiveness of alcohol floor price

INCREASES in grog-related hospital presentations in the Top End have cast doubt on the effectiveness of the NT Government’s alcohol floor price

INCREASES in grog-related hospital presentations in the Top End have cast doubt on the effectiveness of the Territory Government’s alcohol floor price.

The latest data – obtained by the NT News – shows alcohol-related emergency department presentations at Royal Darwin and Palmerston Regional hospitals have increased in each of the two full years since the floor price was introduced.

Opposition and Independent politicians say the data was further proof the floor price was a failure, following sharp increases in alcohol-fuelled assaults and domestic violence over the past 12 months.

The combined alcohol related Emergency Department (ED) presentations to Royal Darwin Hospital (RDH) and Palmerston Regional Hospital (PRH).

“There is a big problem with the government’s alcohol policy right throughout the Northern Territory,” Araluen Independent MLA Robyn Lambley said.

But Alcohol Policy Minister Natasha Fyles said the government was committed to the policy, saying coronavirus stimulus payments had contributed to the increases.

“When we started to roll out those measures based off the Riley Review we started to see a significant decrease in alcohol-related presentations and alcohol-related assaults,” she said.

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“We have seen those numbers increase over the last year but we’ve also got a correlation with additional payments coming into our community.”

Researchers have previously said the figures from Darwin and Palmerston give the best indication of the effectiveness of the floor price as other measures to combat alcohol abuse – such as Police Auxiliary Liquor Inspectors – have not been in place in these areas.

In the 12 months before the floor price was introduced (October 2017-September 2018) there were 3574 alcohol-related hospital presentations in Darwin and Palmerston.

That number increased to 3771 in the first full year after the floor price began (October 2018-September 2019) – a rise of more than 5.5 per cent.

Alcohol Policy Minister Natasha Fyles said the government was committed to the policy, saying coronavirus stimulus payments had contributed to the increases. Picture: Glenn Campbell

In the next 12-month period (October 2019-September 2020) there were 4222 grog-related presentations – a further increase of 11 per cent on the previous year.

These figures include combined totals for the Royal Darwin Hospital and Palmerston Regional Hospital, which opened in August 2018.

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Researchers had previously hailed the success of the floor price, pointing to massive decreases in cask wine sales with little evidence that was being replaced by other products.

But hoteliers and police have since reported a sharp increase in people buying other products.

“From 1st of October 2018 it was pretty clear that there was a drop in casked wine sales but that moved to an increase in bottle wine and spirits, particularly Bundy Rum,” Hospitality NT chief executive Alex Bruce said.