The NT Government has plans to roll out Tennant Creek-style alcohol restrictions in other NT communities, it has been claimed.
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According to Araluen MLA Robyn Lambley, the government has indicated it intends to introduce a range of radical new alcohol restrictions for Alice Springs, similar to those currently in place in Tennant Creek.
In a letter sent to all Alice Springs take away liquor licence holders by the NT Liquor Commission notice was given that similar “varied conditions regulating take away sales for 19 liquor licences in the Barkly region” will now be considered for Alice Springs.
The letter goes on to say that with the Barkly experience in mind, a review of take-away liquor licence conditions in Alice Springs will be conducted with submissions closing on September 28, 2018.
“Notice of this review has not been made public yet and submissions close in just three weeks. It appears that the Gunner Government does not want Alice Springs people to know what they are up to,” Mrs Lambley said.
“Introducing the same extreme alcohol restrictions as Tennant Creek will come as a blow to the whole town,” she said.
“Alice Springs is a town 10 times the size of Tennant Creek. What might be accepted to some extent in Tennant Creek, will not be accepted by the people of Alice Springs. These extreme alcohol restrictions will damage our national and international reputation as a tourist destination, damage our economy and make the 99% of drinkers who drink responsibly very, very angry,” Mrs Lambley said.
“Add these new restrictions to the BDR and the Alcohol Floor Price and you have the ultimate “nanny state” where the Gunner Government is telling us all what we can drink, how much we can drink and when we can drink it. So much for population growth, this socially regressive approach to alcohol policy will send people packing.
“It is time the Gunner Government targeted the problem drinkers instead of penalising everyone.”
Current alcohol restrictions in Tennant Creek (being considered for Alice Springs)
You can only buy takeaway alcohol from Monday through to Saturday between 4pm and 7pm.
You can't buy more than one of the following per day:
- 30 cans or stubbies of mid strength or light beer
- 24 cans or stubbies of full strength beer
- 12 cans or bottles of ready to drink mixes
- one two litre cask of wine
- one bottle of fortified wine
- one bottle of green ginger wine
- two 750 ml bottles of wine
- one 750 ml bottle of spirits.
Chris McLennan
ACM national rural property writer based in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria. Career journalist. Multi award winner.
ACM national rural property writer based in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria. Career journalist. Multi award winner.
