Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Minister for Alcohol Policy, Gerard Maley, says the growing rates of alcohol-fuelled abuse, harm and crime across the Territory proves the Gunner Labor Government has no desire to address its policy failures.
“NT Labor’s ‘set and forget’ policy mentality is creating more crime and more victims. What we’ve seen at the Fannie Bay IGA – violent assaults and serious criminal damage in just a few days – is absolute proof of this. Tragically, this is just a snapshot of what Territorians are exposed to on a daily basis.
“Fannie Bay IGA is smack bang in the middle of Michael Gunner’s electorate and we haven’t heard a peep from the Chief Minister about how he plans to address his crime and alcohol policy failures.
“The latest NT crime statistics show, year on year to December 2021, almost to 4,300 people were victims of alcohol-related assault across the Territory. That’s almost 12 people a day.
“Since Labor came to power there has been a 170% increase in alcohol-related assaults in Palmerston alone. It’s evident by the crime stats that the BDR is not being used as effectively or strategically as it could be – and the minimum floor price is useless.
“Within six months of coming to power, the Gunner Labor Government scrapped the one measure that was focused on supporting chronic alcoholics: Alcohol Mandatory Treatment.
“With such astonishing rates of alcohol-related crime, harm and violence, why isn’t the Gunner Labor Government measuring the impact of its alcohol policies? Any measures that are implemented need to be evaluated to see they’re working – and if they’re not they need to be reassessed, as a priority.
“The CLP would launch an immediate review of the BDR and scrap the minimum floor price. These are bandaid solutions – and will never make an impact if the root cause of chronic alcohol addiction isn’t being addressed and treated. “The Gunner Labor Government is staring down the barrel of a $9 billion debt and NT Labor can’t afford to be spending money on policies that don’t work,” said Mr Maley.
ENDS