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| Northern Territory alcohol plan could revive banned drinkers' register | Northern Territory alcohol plan could revive banned drinkers' register |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| An alcohol management policy released by the Northern Territory government appears to leave open the door to a return of the banned drinkers’ register – a policy ditched by the Country Liberal party after taking office in 2012. | An alcohol management policy released by the Northern Territory government appears to leave open the door to a return of the banned drinkers’ register – a policy ditched by the Country Liberal party after taking office in 2012. |
| The banned drinkers’ register (BDR) was in place for only nine months under the previous Labor government, and required all purchasers of alcohol to have their identification scanned against a database of problem drinkers. | The banned drinkers’ register (BDR) was in place for only nine months under the previous Labor government, and required all purchasers of alcohol to have their identification scanned against a database of problem drinkers. |
| Related: Murrumu: one man's mission to create a sovereign Indigenous country inside Australia | Related: Murrumu: one man's mission to create a sovereign Indigenous country inside Australia |
| The CLP government scrapped the policy claiming it did not work, despite criticism of their decision by health bodies and both sides of federal government. | The CLP government scrapped the policy claiming it did not work, despite criticism of their decision by health bodies and both sides of federal government. |
| On Tuesday the NT government unveiled a plan for the central desert town of Alice Springs designed to reduce alcohol-related harm through integrated approaches, particularly among the Indigenous population. | On Tuesday the NT government unveiled a plan for the central desert town of Alice Springs designed to reduce alcohol-related harm through integrated approaches, particularly among the Indigenous population. |
| Among its recommendations was a “point of sale identification system to enforce supply restrictions, APOs, prohibition orders, [and] alcohol-related DVOs”. | Among its recommendations was a “point of sale identification system to enforce supply restrictions, APOs, prohibition orders, [and] alcohol-related DVOs”. |
| The measure was to be developed as an alternative to the current “point of sale interventions” – previously known as “temporary beat locations” – should they no longer be sustainable. | The measure was to be developed as an alternative to the current “point of sale interventions” – previously known as “temporary beat locations” – should they no longer be sustainable. |
| Point of sale interventions (Posi) see police officers stationed at bottle shops and has been seen as very effective in curbing antisocial behaviour in small towns where there are fewer outlets, but requires a large amount of police resources. | Point of sale interventions (Posi) see police officers stationed at bottle shops and has been seen as very effective in curbing antisocial behaviour in small towns where there are fewer outlets, but requires a large amount of police resources. |
| Labor has vowed to bring the BDR back should it win the August election, and the issue is now shaping up to form a large part of campaigning for both parties amid community concern about antisocial behaviour and violence. | Labor has vowed to bring the BDR back should it win the August election, and the issue is now shaping up to form a large part of campaigning for both parties amid community concern about antisocial behaviour and violence. |
| Labor spokeswoman for alcohol policy, Natasha Fyles, said the strategy was “simply the BDR”, and it was clear the Alice Springs community wanted it. She called for it to be rolled out across the Territory to stop problem drinkers just being moved on to somewhere else, as Darwin was experiencing, she said. | |
| Fyles also told local radio that comments from Chief minister Adam Giles on Tuesday that homeless problem drinkers in Darwin needed to “piss off” back to their communities highlighted that he didn’t have a plan to tackle rates of antisocial behaviour. | |
| “If you’re not tackling alcohol issues you can’t tackling the alcohol related violence,” she said. | |
| However, the minister for licensing, Peter Styles, told Guardian Australia the strategy was not a BDR. | However, the minister for licensing, Peter Styles, told Guardian Australia the strategy was not a BDR. |
| “We’re looking at other models … but [point of sale intervention] is the thing which has worked seriously,” said Styles. “All they’ve done is if say if someone’s going to take the [point of sale interventions] away they need to come up with a system which will work. | “We’re looking at other models … but [point of sale intervention] is the thing which has worked seriously,” said Styles. “All they’ve done is if say if someone’s going to take the [point of sale interventions] away they need to come up with a system which will work. |
| “We’re not taking point of sale interventions away.” | “We’re not taking point of sale interventions away.” |
| Styles said in towns such as Tennant Creek and Katherine the point of sale interventions had worked. A different system was needed in Darwin due to its size, he acknowledged, but said “generally overall” assaults were down. | Styles said in towns such as Tennant Creek and Katherine the point of sale interventions had worked. A different system was needed in Darwin due to its size, he acknowledged, but said “generally overall” assaults were down. |
| “As a former police officer, I can tell you the BDR didn’t work,” he said. | “As a former police officer, I can tell you the BDR didn’t work,” he said. |
| Statistics from the NT police force showed a 4% drop in assault rates (7.6% alcohol related) across the Territory in the 12 months to February, but a 23.5% increase (17.3% alcohol related) in Alice Springs. | Statistics from the NT police force showed a 4% drop in assault rates (7.6% alcohol related) across the Territory in the 12 months to February, but a 23.5% increase (17.3% alcohol related) in Alice Springs. |
| Dr John Boffa, spokesman for the People’s Alcohol Action Coalition (Paac), said the BDR-like alternative strategy could be used to achieve exactly the same results as the point of sale interventions, but cheaper. | |
| The point of sale interventions were “incredibly effective if it is implemented all day every day”, Boffa said, but in reality police resourcing meant there was only blanket coverage about half the time. | |
| A photo identification system which did the job of police while also potentially screening out problem drinkers would be “100% effective” and less of a strain on resources, he told Guardian Australia. | |
| Boffa said there was a “very strong correlation” between assaults and the interventions, pointing to a spike in assaults in 2015 – when interventions were “half-heartedly” in place – compared to the previous year when the policy was more heavily resourced. | |
| The primary concern for PAAAC was to make sure there was something in place – whether the interventions or the BDR. | |
| The alcohol management plan, developed by the Alice Springs Alcohol Reference Group (ARG), is the result of 12-18 months work with a number of stakeholder groups and the Alice Springs community. | The alcohol management plan, developed by the Alice Springs Alcohol Reference Group (ARG), is the result of 12-18 months work with a number of stakeholder groups and the Alice Springs community. |
| The chair of the ARG, Damien Ryan, said point of sale interventions were by far the most successful and effective policy implemented in the town and they weren’t seeking a BDR. | The chair of the ARG, Damien Ryan, said point of sale interventions were by far the most successful and effective policy implemented in the town and they weren’t seeking a BDR. |
| He told Guardian Australia they were “not playing with words”. | He told Guardian Australia they were “not playing with words”. |
| “It’s clearly stated in our plan today that we’re suggesting the only alternative to a point of sale intervention is if somebody can provide the sort of ID system we talk about [ in the plan],” he said. | “It’s clearly stated in our plan today that we’re suggesting the only alternative to a point of sale intervention is if somebody can provide the sort of ID system we talk about [ in the plan],” he said. |
| Ryan said he was happy to see this particular plan come to fruition after having worked on several over recent years, and that it was “clearly for the community of Alice Springs”, which also served as a supply centre for about 260 remote communities. | Ryan said he was happy to see this particular plan come to fruition after having worked on several over recent years, and that it was “clearly for the community of Alice Springs”, which also served as a supply centre for about 260 remote communities. |
| “Our real key goal is to start supply reduction, demand reduction, and harm reduction,” he said. | “Our real key goal is to start supply reduction, demand reduction, and harm reduction,” he said. |
| “They’re the really important points, but also the governance around it and how we’re going to monitor it over time.” | “They’re the really important points, but also the governance around it and how we’re going to monitor it over time.” |
| The AMP also outlined specific strategies to address alcohol misuse among younger people through education, health, and youth services, with goals to increase school attendance and reduce referrals to substance abuse programs and the justice system. | The AMP also outlined specific strategies to address alcohol misuse among younger people through education, health, and youth services, with goals to increase school attendance and reduce referrals to substance abuse programs and the justice system. |
| Giles said the most effective way to reduce alcohol related harm in the NT was to support each community to develop its own plans which “generate local solutions for local issues”. | |
| “Communities have different priorities that require different solutions and it is vital that strategies are tailored to meet these unique needs and circumstances.” | “Communities have different priorities that require different solutions and it is vital that strategies are tailored to meet these unique needs and circumstances.” |