Fears easing kava rules will be open to abuse

The Indigenous Affairs Minister and Northern Territory fear opening up access to kava will harm Aboriginal communities.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison drinks kava during a traditional ceremony of welcome with Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama in Suva, Fiji, yesterday. Picture: AAP

Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion and the Northern Territory government have warned against opening up access to kava in Aboriginal communities, as Scott Morrison promotes a new trial to relax import rules imposed on the Pacific Island drink.

The Australian has confirmed kava bans in the Territory and Western Australia will remain in place amid concerns the drink could be widely abused in vulnerable communities.

Australians are allowed to ­import up to 2kg for personal use but some states have prohibited the popular Pacific brew, which is derived from a plant root.

NT Acting Health Minister Eva Lawler said taking a hard line against kava was necessary to keep Territorians safe.

“We promised … we would make our communities safer and continuing to police a ­restriction on kava is an important part of this for some regions,” she said. “Kava has the potential to cause significant health and social issues, as we have seen in remote Territory communities in the past.”

Health Minister Greg Hunt will work with the relevant ministers and agencies to formulate the new ­arrangements for kava, in­cluding how much more kava can be imported and how long the trial will last. WA has relaxed its ban on kava but Premier Mark McGowan wants more details on the kava trial before further changes.

Senator Scullion said in 2014 the 2kg rule was being misused and destroying Aboriginal communities. “It destroys lives, and often takes lives, and I think on balance it’s time that we move to reconsider this leakage in our intention to prevent kava from coming to this country,” he told The Australian at the time.

His spokesman said yesterday he supported Pacific Islanders importing kava for personal use, but still did not support it being available in indigenous communities.