Gavin Edwards sues Brent Potter for right to enjoy wine with ‘woman who acts as wife’

The man claimed his ‘right to share a bottle of wine with the woman that at times acts as my wife without the need to hold an approved licence’ had been infringed by former minister Brent Potter.

Former Alcohol Minister Brent Potter has had a legal victory over a claim of ‘trespass by way of debt’ following changes to the NT’s Liquor Act. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

A man who tried to sue the former Alcohol Minister for “the right to share a bottle of wine with the woman that at times acts as my wife” has fallen at the first hurdle.

Gavin Edwards filed suit against Brent Potter in the Darwin Local Court claiming “trespass by way of debt” after being forced to perform the “labour” of handing over his ID at the bottle-o.

“It began as a bill for the labour that I’d done for the man in April 2024 that has now escalated to a trespass because I have noticed this man four times, yet he did not provide the required compensation,” he told the court on Tuesday.

Judge Stephen Geary pointed out the requirement to provide ID was “a valid law” and while no one was forced to buy alcohol, “if you want to buy alcohol you have to comply with the law”.

But Mr Edwards claimed “the codes, acts and statutes don’t apply if you don’t sign up to it”.

“I chose to accept the order so I’ve gone along with it and said ‘Yes, I will do that’, I’ve accepted the order, I’ve given my requirements for compensation for accepting the order,” he said.

“The stakes are very high with this because you have to hand over your ID, first of all you have to get ID, maintain that ID.

“You have to hand it over, come into the public by handing it over, so you lose your privacy and then you lose your security because you’re giving your personal details out so the stakes are very high.”

In throwing out the claim on Tuesday, judge Stephen Geary said ‘I don’t see any cause of action whatsoever’. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Mr Edwards said he believed his claim was “simple and straightforward as a claim of trespass by way of debt by I, a man, against Brent Potter, a man, using facts and evidence”.

“I also want to note, as a man, I have rights, I have a right to live in the private and maintain the privacy life,” he said.

“I have the right to share a bottle of wine with the woman that at times acts as my wife without the need to hold an approved licence and having our privacy and security compromised”.

But after perusing his statement of claim Mr Geary said “I don’t see any cause of action whatsoever” and it was “also frivolous and possibly vexatious”.

“The Liquor Act permits the minister to establish a patron ID system for certain liquor licences to utilise in order to determine whether a person’s prohibited from purchasing alcohol,” he said.

Mr Geary “summarily dismissed” the case while ordering Mr Edwards to pay the government’s costs.