Katherine has been named as one of the six test towns for the Banned Drinkers Register.
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Attorney-General Natasha Fyles said to make sure the system is ready the software would be tested from mid-August.
“Nhulunbuy, Groote Eylandt, Katherine, Tennant Creek, Alice Springs and Milikapiti will be the first to trial the new software," Ms Fyles said.
The NT government has also decided using old scanners for the Banned Drinkers Register (BDR) is not a good idea.
“Recent testing of the software with the Territory’s older model scanners discovered unacceptable scanning performance times,” Ms Fyles said.
“To combat this we are bringing forward a planned roll out of new devices across the Northern Territory.
“We have listened to concerns from stakeholders around the impacts of scanners on their business and we’ve taken action to make sure we find the best solutions possible.
“A new mobile solution is being developed for the Territory’s 28 drive through bottle shops and will be in place for the September 1 roll out of the BDR.”
Opposition Leader Gary Higgins said the BDR must be implemented alongside other initiatives to ensure success.
“The Banned Drinker Register should be part of a suite of measures to reduce problem drinking in the Territory, and should not be introduced at the expense of positive measures such as positioning police at bottle-shops that have a proven record of reducing alcohol related harm and crime,” Mr Higgins said.
Machinery has started to be rolled out ahead of the September 1 return of the BDR.
Ms Fyles said scanning devices needed to operate the BDR will be rolled out to take away alcohol outlets across the Territory starting in Nhulunbuy.
“The former CLP government failed Territorians when they scrapped the BDR in 2012 and failed to implement anything in its place," Ms Fyles said.
“We know that 70pc of the alcohol sold in the NT is take away, that’s why we are bringing back the BDR to ban problem drinkers from buying take away alcohol and redirect them to rehabilitation.”
This week officers from Licensing NT will be visiting venues in:
- Nhulunbuy
- Jabiru
- Adelaide River
- Dundee
- Daly River
- Darwin River
- Wagait Beach
- Kakadu
- Alice Springs
The government will spend more than $17 million to bring back the Banned Drinkers Register and rehabilitate problem drinkers.
Under the BDR, customers must show photo ID to purchase takeaway alcohol and, and those blacklisted won't be be able to purchase.
Katherine MLA Sandra Nelson said alcohol plays a role in many people’s social and recreational lives and most Territorians drink responsibly.
“But we have all had the unfortunate experience of witnessing the harms that come from excessive alcohol consumption,” Ms Nelson said.
“Whether it be problem drinkers with anti-social behaviour in our parks, alcohol-related crime such as break-ins at shops, domestic violence, car accidents and serious injury, and even tragically death, alcohol is the biggest social issue facing our community.
“All takeaway liquor licensed venues will require you to show photo identification to purchase alcohol,” she said.
For more information on the BDR, read here.
Ms Nelson said the government has initiated a review of alcohol policies and legislation.
“The review is headed by former Chief Justice Trevor Riley, leading an Expert Advisory Panel seeking to hear from people across the Territory,” Ms Nelson said.
“I would like to encourage the everyone in the Katherine electorate to participate in the review by making a submission to the Expert Advisory Panel or attending the next public forum.”
The next public forum will be held at GYRAAC on July 25 from 10am-2pm.