Election 2022: NT Labor smashed for ‘disgraceful’ bush booze laws

A coalition of Aboriginal groups and the police union has condemned as ‘disgraceful’ the NT’s new alcohol laws that will let people in dry communities get back on the grog.

NT Chief Minister Natasha Fyles. Picture: Glenn Campbell

A coalition of Aboriginal organisations, welfare and justice groups and the police union has condemned as “disgraceful” and “disgusting” the Northern Territory’s new alcohol laws that will let ­people in dry communities get back on the grog from July.

Alcohol is banned in more than 400 Territory outback towns, camps and other areas under measures introduced as part of the Howard government’s NT Emergency ­Response, which was extended by federal Labor’s Stronger Futures legislation.

But the Stronger Futures laws are due to expire on July 17, and Canberra and Darwin are at loggerheads over who is to blame for not preparing to replace them.

The NT government this week passed legislation requiring dry areas without pre-Stronger Futures restrictions to opt in to alcohol bans after July. Experts say most are unprepared to do so.

North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency CEO Priscilla ­Atkins accused the Labor government of “open(ing) up the floodgates” to drinkers.

“Our hospitals are full, our domestic violence rates are the highest in the nation and rising, and the justice system is clogging up,” she said. “What the NT government has done will add to that harm. It’s absolutely disgusting.”

Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance NT boss John Paterson demanded the government ­ensure “no takeaway alcohol can be newly accessed” without a negotiation process.

NT Council of Social Services head Deborah Di Natale called the “rushed” passage of new laws “disgraceful”. Association of ­Alcohol and other Drugs Agencies NT chief Peter Burnheim said the government had “completely ignored members of the community that will be affected”.

Danila Dilba Health Services chief Rob McPhee warned the changes were “a step in the wrong direction” towards the “devastating impacts of alcohol”.

NT Police Association president Paul McCue argued passing the legislation “goes completely against what the government claims to be achieving in relation to reducing alcohol-related harm”.

Northern Territory Chief Minister Natasha Fyles blamed the federal government for the changes. She said the Stronger Futures legislation was “race-based policy targeting Aboriginal Territorians with little or no ­engagement of consultation”.

“The federal Liberal government, which is responsible for the Stronger Futures legislation, notified the Territory at the 11th hour that it would be walking away and leaving the NT government to clean up its mess,” she said. “This government has accordingly acted quickly and responsibly to prepare for the common­wealth walking away. This government will not support continuing the mandatory restrictions and obligations of the intervention.”

Local Government Minister Chansey Paech said prohibition “does not work” and instead “pushes people to the extreme”.

“It encourages people to consider other harmful options such as drinking on the outskirts of a town, community, homeland or town camp near busy roads, or our people are driven to find alternative sources of alcohol such as sanitiser or mouth wash,” he said.

Federal Indigenous Australians Minister Ken Wyatt said Ms Fyles “has not got her facts right”, adding that discussions about sunsetting the Stronger Futures legislation began in April 2021 and were well documented.

“It seems that on the eve on an election, they’ve chosen to play politics. It’s disappointing. It demonstrates the new Chief Minister has no idea what’s happening in her own government,” he said. “I suggest (she) tends to the business before her rather than look to score cheap political points.”

A spokesman for Ms Fyles said about 112 major communities were covered by so-called General Restricted Area provisions, meaning in those places alcohol bans would remain in force.