Proposed Banned Drinkers Register use for Barkly pubs a cause for concern

THE latest proposal by the Northern Territory Liquor Commission, that if adopted would require hotel licensees to check a person’s ID every time they buy a drink at the bar, is a cause for concern.

• Barkly publicans question proposed liquor laws that would target only three venues
• Barkly pubs could be required to scan your ID for a beer under new Liquor Commission proposal

THE latest proposal by the Northern Territory Liquor Commission, that if adopted would require hotel licensees to check a person’s ID every time they buy a drink at the bar, is a cause for concern.

At this stage the proposal only applies to three Barkly venues.

Under the proposed rules, the Tennant Creek Hotel, Goldfields Hotel and the Elliott Hotel will have to use the Banned Drinker Register at the bar each time someone buys a drink.

All three venues have a large Indigenous clientele.

There has been no explanation why these places have been singled out although the licensees have their suspicions why.

Under the proposed new liquor rules, the Tennant Creek Hotel, Goldfields Hotel and the Elliott Hotel will have to use the Banned Drinker Register at the bar each time someone buys a drink.

MORE NT NEWS EDITORIALS

NT Govt should consider reopening the Darwin watch house to alleviate pressure on Palmerston

Why aren’t we enforcing testing for people who arrived from hot spots since January 2?

Mitchell St pedestrian mall discussions need to start while Six Tanks incident is still fresh

The fear is it will only be a matter of time before the proposed Liquor Commission rules are forced on to other regional centres.

We’ve seen it before where these experiments to contain alcohol consumption have been implemented first in a small regional centre and then used as a model for the whole of the Territory.

The Banned Drinker Register is already clunky and time consuming.

Making bar staff check a person’s ID every time they go to the bar to buy a drink will only make it worse.

NT NEWS sizzling new deal: Get all your news for just $5 a month

Can you imagine the problem it would create in pubs, bars and clubs in Darwin?

The Northern Territory government must make it clear whether it supports the Banned Drinker Register in Barkly pubs and across the Territory.

Follow @TheNTNews