Remote communities and town camps across central Australia will revert to being dry zones following the passing of legislation under the NT's Liquor Act on Tuesday.
The reintroduction of strict alcohol bans follows a turbulent period in the region sparked by alcohol-fuelled crime in Alice Springs and surrounding areas.
Last week NT Chief Minister Natasha Fyles and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the measures would come into effect following crisis meetings, visits from national cabinet, snap restrictions on alcohol sales, and recommendations in a report from Central Australia Regional Controller Dorelle Anderson.
Ms Fyles, also the Minister for Alcohol Policy, has repeatedly cited community interest and consultation as factors informing the latest measures, contrasting her approach with the interventionist policies under Stronger Futures legislation for over a decade, ending in July, 2022.
The expiry of Stronger Futures set opt-in framework, allowing for the continuation of dry-zones in communities choosing to remain under the policy.
The latest measures centre around an opt-out scheme, allowing individual areas to lift the restrictions provided Community Alcohol Plan's are developed and approved by 60% of the local community and the NT Director of Liquor Licensing.
A release from the Chief Minister's office said of the 96 major communities across the Territory, 88 would experience no change under the latest legislation.
"Following action taken last month, we have continued to listen to local communities and expert advice and are now further strengthening alcohol restrictions. This is a new approach," Ms Fyles said.
"It is community led with local decision making at its core and will be coupled with a major investment in the hard work of addressing the cause of crime."
"These restrictions are time-limited, providing us the space to invest in new, smarter, long-term reforms required to break the cycle of alcohol, crime and disadvantage. People in the Territory want safer communities now. They also want us to address the issue at its source so that our communities are also safer in the future."
The NT Government has marked their intent to address underlying issues of disadvantage across central Australia and their particular impact on Indigenous people, echoed by a chorus of leading community voices, organisations and politicians.
On the same day Mr Albanese and Ms Fyles flagged a return to blanket alcohol restrictions, an additional $250 million package directed at a range of issues was announced.
"We already have a world-leading alcohol harm reduction framework aimed at reducing the demand for alcohol, reducing the supply of alcohol, and reducing the harm caused to Territorians from the misuse of alcohol," Ms Fyles said on Tuesday.
"Now we are investing with the federal government to break the cycle of crime with major new investments that improve community safety, tackle alcohol-related harm, and provide more opportunities for young people.
Together, these measures will go a long way in delivering better services, better opportunities and better outcomes for everyone – especially First Nations Territorians."
