NT chief minister and Jacinta Price clash after senator tables alcohol bans Bill for central Australia

Jarred Cross
Jarred Cross Published February 8, 2023 at 4.31pm (AWST)

Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has introduced a private member's bill in the senate to reinstate Stronger Futures-level alcohol bans.

The Country Liberal Party NT senator tabled her Northern Territory Safe Measures Bill on Tuesday, which she said "aims to keep all people in the Northern Territory safe in relation to the consumption of alcohol and exposure to alcohol-related harm and violence".

It follows Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and NT Chief Minister Natasha Fyles announcement of reinstated alcohol restrictions in remote communities and town camps across central Australia with an additional $250 million in funding to address underlying issues of disadvantage.

The move came after recommendations within the Regional Controller's report into the current alcohol-fuelled crime crisis in and around Alice Springs commissioned by the pair and delivered last week.

Ms Fyles maintained that the new prohibitions are not a return to interventionist NT Stronger Futures legislation dissolved in July 2022 after a decade in effect.

The measures fail to address aspects of the current state in central Australia according to Ms Price, falling short of paying attention to cries from the community.

"The Bill will introduce elements specific to reducing alcohol consumption and related harm, applied in the Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory Act 2012 (Stronger Futures) that ceased in 2022," Ms Price's explanatory memo reads.

"The Bill will put in place alcohol restrictions that will include declaration of alcohol protected areas, and the development of alcohol management plans, which will provide that supply of alcohol is regulated, mitigating illegal alcohol supply and providing a legal framework for prosecution."

The restrictions flagged by Ms Fyles and due for implementation from next week are said to focus on community-driven decision making.

Under blanket bans and dry areas individual communities can lift prohibitions after developing alcohol management plans and reaching a 60% agreement to opt-out.

Senator Price wants stricter approval systems in place, where the "relevant Commonwealth Minister" would have to sign-off on AMP's ensuring they meet a range of criteria.

The Stronger Futures Sunset Review, released in 2022, recorded just one AMP had been approved from a number submitted to the presiding Australian Government Minister.

She said a return to measures imposed during the interventionist period is one being sought for some time.

On Monday, Senator Price told the ABC faith in the NT government to oversee issues affecting the Territory is scarce amongst the local community.

In handing down her bill she outlined a need for federal governments to keep an attentive eye on matters.

"The Australian Government has a responsibility to ensure that the Northern Territory has consistency in law and order, and that punitive approaches are not taken by the Northern Territory Government that do not address the broader context of addiction and alcohol-related harm," she said.

"For a decade the Australian Government has intensely invested in the Northern Territory to address significant levels of need, specifically to improve the quality of life for Aboriginal Territorians.

"The management of alcohol consumption, reduction of alcohol-related harm was not realised within this period of time.

"This Bill will set a framework of accountability for alcohol management plans to be developed, with alcohol restrictions in place to protect our vulnerable communities."

On Wednesday the Aboriginal Peak Organisations NT, a formal alliance of major Aboriginal organisations including every land council in the Territory, rejected Senator Price's bill.

APO NT said the private member's bill did "nothing more than what has already been agreed to be implemented by the Prime Minister and Chief Minister".

Central Land Council chief executive Les Turner said "we need to move past politicians in Canberra and Darwin making decisions for our communities alone".

"Senator Price's proposed private members bill is just another example of politicians coming in over the top of our people. We are fed up with it, we have had enough of the political posturing and we have seen time and time again that it doesn't work for our communities," he said.

On that same day, the Guardian reported scathing comments sent to Senator Price from the Chief Minister, including claims "no consultation has occurred with either myself or the statutory bodies your Bill imposes further responsibilities on".

Ms Fyles also suggested the NT Liquor Commission referenced throughout the bill referred to a body "that does not exist".

Within the bill the body was defined as "the Commission (within the meaning of the NT Liquor Act)".

Ms Fyles is also said to have urged Ms Price to keep the matter out of Canberra.

"I'm sure we can both agree, that it is most appropriate to allow for the Northern Territory to legislate for itself in the NT Legislative Assembly, and not in Canberra, where the majority of the voices in such a debate will have limited experience or understanding of our community," Ms Fyles said, according to the Guardian.

The bill received a mixed response from senators present, some supportive of stricter bans while others backed the measures announced by the NT and federal governments on Monday.

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