The Fyles Labor government opened the floodgates for alcohol-fuelled violence in Alice Springs with more than a dozen alcohol-related assaults recorded in the first full week after the grog started to flow into dry communities.
Stronger Futures legislation, first implemented a decade ago, banned alcohol from some Central Australian communities for 10 years.
Shadow Minister for Territory Families, Joshua Burgoyne said the ban was set in place for a defined time, giving the Northern Territory ample opportunity to work with communities and implement alternative measures.
“Despite having 10 years to prepare and against all advice, Labor chose to sit back and let the ban lift without anything of significance to replace it,” he said.
“There is no question Labor has blood on their hands here and now we have the figures to show the damage Labor’s inaction has caused.”
Compared with the same time for the previous year, apprehensions for serious harm incidents were up 700%, alcohol-related incidents up 300%, and assaults involving alcohol up an eye-watering 1300%.
Mr Burgoyne said the results were stark, even taking into account the rise in crime and anti-social behaviour over the past year.
In the first week after the floodgates opened, Alice Springs recorded 14 alcohol-related assaults, compared with just one in same week the previous year,” he said.
“But when you look at the immediate impact, there was an instant doubling, with only six alcohol-related assaults in the last full week before the floodgates opened.
“The Fyles Labor government has been trying to tell us there wasn’t an increase in alcohol-related violence after the lifting of the ban, but the government’s own figures tell a different story.
“In contrast, the figures for Darwin, which was not affected by the ban, did not change compared to the week before the ban being lifted nor the same week the previous year.”
There also was a concerning increase in levels of domestic violence, with 13 apprehensions for DV assaults in the week after the ban ended, compared with 9 in the week before and five in the same week last year.
Arrests for serious assault resulting in injury were eight in the week following the ban lifting, compared with 3 in the week before and one in the same week last year.
There was a total of 25 alcohol-related arrests in the week following the ban lifting, compared with 15 the week before and just six for the same week last year.
The figures come from the government’s answer to written questions from the Opposition more than a month ago.
In answers to other questions, police informed Territorians of the success they have had in Alice Springs with their recent operation in destroying 229 litres of liquor over six days.
ENDS