Chief Minister Natasha Fyles must admit she got it horribly wrong and apologise to Central Australians living in fear because she refused to listen, according to Shadow Minister for Alcohol Policy Gerard Maley.
Mr Maley said the Riley Review, in 2017, warned that Alcohol Management Plans (AMPs) needed to be in place when Stronger Futures ended.
“The Chief Minister was Minister for Alcohol Policy at that time but she ignored the advice of her own inquiry,” he said.
“Worse than doing nothing, the Chief Minister introduced legislation in May to affirmatively end the alcohol bans.
“If there’s any truth in what Natasha Fyles said yesterday about AMPs sitting on a desk in Canberra, the question is why weren’t they ready to go before Stronger Futures ended.
“But we’re being led to believe consultation, which normally takes up to a year, is all going to happen in a single week.”
Having turned on the rivers of grog last year, Labor is now expected to backflip on their policy, switching from an opt-in stance to opt-out of alcohol restrictions for those communities being devastated by the sudden influx of grog.
Shadow Minister for Youth and Territory Families Joshua Burgoyne said the alcohol restrictions Labor announced for Alice Springs yesterday were very similar to measures imposed on Tennant Creek.
“They didn’t work in Tennant Creek and they won’t work in Alice Springs,” he said. “Liquor restrictions won’t make things better in the long term. People can still drink in pubs and still buy takeaway alcohol.
“The short-term restrictions will increase crime and break-ins as people seek out alcohol on the days they can’t legally purchase it.
“The only solution now is for Labor to admit they got it wrong on Stronger Futures and police numbers, and put more police on the ground where they are visible and can prevent crime.”
ENDS