Some Katherine retailers say Temporary Beat Locations (TBL) have “killed” their businesses.
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Five Rivers Supermarket owner David Scorgie said the strict booze laws have kept people out of town.
“It is shocking,” Mr Scorgie said.
“The government has driven business out of town with the temporary beat locations.
“All it has done is move the problem to Darwin, it has cleaned up Katherine for sure, but now there is less foot traffic in town,” he said.
Mr Scorgie said he believes the police presence in bottle shops has contributed to the decline of Katherine’s CBD.
“The only way businesses will survive is with foot traffic,” he said
“The major foot traffic in town is the Indigenous population, but the Aboriginal dollar has been driven out of town.
“When BDR comes back in it will be interesting, I am banking on it bringing back business, but only time will tell,” Mr Scorgie said.
Malcolm Roney owner of Betta Home Living agreed that TBL’s had played some part in business decline in town.
“Everything is a domino effect, cops in bottle shops means there aren’t as many people in town,” Mr Roney said.
Manager of Indy C Bev Van Wyk said she is concerned for the future of retailers in Katherine.
“It is not good for the town, it has a lot to do with police and them stopping people with alcohol, it has stopped people from coming into town,” Ms Van Wyk said.
There are more than 20 liquor licences in Katherine and police currently supervise six outlets selling retail supplies.
The Northern Territory grog laws have been a political battle ground in Katherine for the last few years.
Labor introduced a Banned Drinkers Register in 2011 only to have it scrapped by the CLP a year later in favour of Temporary Beat Locations.
Now the NT Labor Government are reinstating the BDR on September 1 and will leave it up to police to decide what to do about TBLs.
“Territorians hated that the chaotic CLP Government scrapped the BDR and they want it returned because it worked – we have listened and taken action,” Chief Minister Michael Gunner said earlier this year.
The Government made an election commitment to have the BDR register in place in its first year of power.
“The BDR supported police in stopping alcohol-related crime and anti-social behaviour and its return will make a difference,” Mr Gunner has said.
“Police previously described it as one of the best tools for combating anti-social behaviour.”
Community leaders, including Katherine Mayor Fay Miller, have previously warned the government from tinkering with the grog laws she claims has “cleaned up” Katherine.
“This has cleaned up the town and helped bring the tourists back,” she has said.
Community Consultations began this week for the government’s Alcohol Policy and Legislation Review.
Consultations will take place in Katherine on July 19.
Health minister Natasha Fyles is urging Territorians to have their say on alcohol policy and legislation at the public meetings being held across Central Australia and the Top End over the coming months.
“This is a whole-of-Territory issue and we need to hear from all sectors to develop the best policies possible,” she said.
For the current schedule of community consultations go here.
To view the Issues Paper go here.