Sweeping booze bans to return to Alice Springs town camps

Alcohol bans have been reinstated in central Australia, preventing the sale of alcoholic beverages to Aboriginal people living in urban camps and remote communities.

Northern Territory Chief Minister Natasha Fyles says the Government will pass urgent legislation next week to reinstate the bans.

It comes after a recommendation for alcohol laws ordered by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese following a rise in alcohol-related crime and violence across the Northern Territory.

Alice Springs locals packed a town hall meeting to address community issues

“We have heard loud and clear that the issue and decision of alcohol in the community must be made by the entire community,” he said.

“That is why we are creating a circuit breaker and implementing temporary dry zones until communities can develop and vote on alcohol management plans.”

The bans can be lifted if 60 percent of residents vote in favor of an alcohol management plan, once it has been developed.

‘The new legislation will follow local decision-making processes, where community alcohol plans will be developed, communities wanting to make changes will go to a vote with 60 per cent of the population needing to agree and the licensing director needs to sign off. these plans,’ he said.

“I will take the legislation immediately to the Northern Territory parliament, when it meets for the first time this year, next week.”

“We’ve always said that if our policies don’t deliver the benefits we seek to our communities, we’ll be quick on these policies.”