NT Liquor commission review into Alice Springs Brewing Co limits hours for takeaway beer sales

The NT’s liquor commission has ruled it is “in the public interest” for a brewery to continue take away alcohol sales on banned days – a move an alcohol action group wants changed. Find out why.

Alice Springs Brewing Co. Picture: Gera Kazakov

A Red Centre alcohol action group is demanding a brewery “rectify an anomaly” and stop selling take-away beers on days when bottle shops are shut in the Red Centre – despite a review by the Northern Territory Liquor Commission finding the continuation of sales was in “the public interest”.

On September 25, the NT Liquor Commission published its findings into a review of the Alice Springs Brewing Co liquor license, requested by the People’s Alcohol Action Coalition.

PAAC spokesman Dr John Boffa wanted the licence of the brewery reviewed as a “loophole” allowed for beer to be purchased and taken home on Monday and Tuesday – the same day all other bottle shops are shut in Alice Springs.

“This licence is undermining both the takeaway free days and the stronger futures legislation ... we were hoping (the review would) rectify the anomaly,” he said.

John Boffa. Picture: Gary Ramage/News Corp Australia

“We have take-away free days which have been immensely successful.”

PAAC has objected to the brewery since it was first proposed in 2018.

Mr Boffa said PAAC had been to the brewery and witnessed “line-ups” for alcohol purchases on Monday and Tuesday.

However, when asked for photographic proof, he said the coalition did not take photos of the “line-ups” as it was “tricky”.

In the Liquor Commission decision notes – delivered by former PAAC member and current NT Liquor Commission chair Russell Goldflam – the commission found the brewery “conducts about 70 takeaway liquor sales per day on Mondays and Tuesdays”.

“That is about 3.5 per cent of the town’s daily takeaway liquor sales each week between Wednesday and Saturday,” Mr Goldflam’s decision reads.

The commission found “it is in the public interest to allow the licensee to continue to sell takeaway liquor on Mondays and Tuesdays” but chose to vary the hours take-away purchases could be made.

Monday to Friday, the brewery can sell take-away beers from 3pm to 7pm, while from Sundays it can start selling from 12pm until 7pm.

On Saturday, take-away beers can be purchased from 11am to 8pm.

Alice Springs Brewing Co owner Kyle Pearson. Picture: Gera Kazakov

Alice Springs Brewing Co director Kyle Pearson said his brewery “will continue to operate its liquor license to a high standard within confines of the Liquor Act and the law – as we have always done”.

“We would like to highlight the fact that at no time were we accused of any wrong doing and that the commission’s subsequent investigation based on evidence from licensing and the police also showed no evidence of wrong doing,” he said.

Alcohol Policy minister Steve Edgington said “the independent Liquor Commission determined that the Alice Springs Brewing Co selling take-away drinks on Monday and Tuesday would not cause further harm”.

“I will be consulting with stakeholders on Alice Springs’ alcohol restrictions as part of our wider look at alcohol policy to ensure we get the most effective measures in place for the Territory,” he said.

Originally published as NT Liquor commission review into Alice Springs Brewing Co limits hours for takeaway beer sales