Leader of the Opposition – Lia Finocchiaro
In 2019 the Territory Labor Government quietly watered down public drinking laws that made it no longer an offence to consume alcohol in a public place. Fast forward almost four years later and Alcohol-related assaults have increased in the Northern Territory by over 50%.
Territory Labor removed the laws that were designed to protect Territorians.
Since then, the CLP has been calling for the strengthening of Police powers to combat the scourge of alcohol fueled violence and crime. Last month Labor voted down the CLP’s Liquor Legislation Amendment (Offences) Bill 2023 that incorporated vital recommendations detailed in Labor’s own Three Year Review of the Liquor Act 2019 – Legislative Assembly Summary Report.
The Territory Labor Government said no to:
- Restoration of the 2km Rule Offence: providing NT Police with the necessary legal framework to uphold and enforce this vital regulation.
- Expanded Police Powers: authority to not only search, seize and dispose of confiscated alcohol but also to issue fines.
- Mandatory Identification Requirement: Offenders are now obliged to provide identification upon request. Failure to comply empowers police to make an arrest.
- Integration with the BDR System: The introduced offence serves as a trigger for police to add offenders to the Behavioral Disruption Register (BDR).
- Enhanced Safety Measures: By reinstating this offence and granting police the authority to request identification, officers can proactively identify individuals with outstanding arrest warrants or domestic violence orders, and those on Bail.
At the time, local media reported that Chief Minister Fyles ‘said the CLP legislation would have brought little change to the way police operated.’
“It is against the law to drink in public in Darwin, Alice Springs, Katherine, Palmerston, Tennant Creek, the Darwin Waterfront Precinct and within 2km of any licensed premises,” she said.
But, yesterday Chief Minister Fyles back flipped and in making the Labor Government announcement conceded, “Strengthening police powers to tackling problem drinking helps to break the cycle of alcohol misuse, crime and disadvantage, and provides better protection for domestic and family violence victims, particularly women and children.”
The Fyles Labor Government’s delays and denial means Territorians will continue to pay the price under this Government.
Only the CLP has a plan to take back control of our streets, rebuild the Territory’s reputation and get our economy moving forward.
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