Cape York community: Leaders resist bid to sell grog in dry area

Councillors in a remote Cape York community have spoken out against plans by the mayor to reopen the town’s tavern.

Mayor Derek Walpo. Picture: Dominic Geiger

All four councillors from the remote Cape York community of Aurukun have spoken out against plans by the mayor to reopen the town’s tavern for a one-off event that will allow the legal sale of alcohol for the first time in a decade.

In a letter sent to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships Minister Jackie Trad this week, the councillors said they did not support any event that would make alcohol available in Aurukun.

Locals have expressed concerns that the reintroduction of alcohol could lead to a resurgence in drunken brawling in the street and domestic violence.

The shire, on the western side of the cape, was among the first of 19 indigenous communities in Queensland to be subject to an ­alcohol management plan in 2009 which prohibited the possession of alcohol.

Mayor Derek Walpo, who says prohibition is not working, is behind the bid to re-open the council-owned Three Rivers Tavern to a maximum of 200 people for a three-hour event on a Saturday afternoon.

He believes the trial event will be a way for the town of 1200 to learn to drink responsibly.

Mr Walpo says similar controlled events in other indigenous communities have been successful.

Under the proposal, attendees would be limited to six mid-strength drinks per person and would be required to purchase a meal during the evening.

In a letter sent to Ms Trad’s ­office on Tuesday, councillors Ada Woola, Vera Koomeeta, Doris Poonkamelya and Edgar Kerindun warned against any event and called on the government to support their stance.

“We as commissioners and councillors do not support any event that will see alcohol available in any form in Aurukun … until our community members can show they are responsible and mature enough to resolve the continued issues created by alcohol,” the letter said.

The councillors said the community has more pressing issues that need to be fixed.

“Domestic violence, children not attending school and assaults, to name just a few — we cannot believe that time and money is even going into this topic of ­alcohol when there is so much other work that needs to be done in Aurukun,” they said.

“Please support us in making this happen.”

Prohibition in the community has led to an underground sly grog market in which a can of beer can sell for $10 and a 700ml bottle of rum for $350.

Before the blanket ban on alcohol, the Three Rivers Tavern, which has been kept in good condition, sold $2.3 million in beer a year, with half of the revenue going back to the council.