The legislation, which was passed by parliament late on Tuesday, will replace alcohol bans in Aboriginal communities imposed by the Howard Government during the NT Intervention.

The NT Government says its amended laws will give communities "greater power" to choose whether they want alcohol restrictions to end when the commonwealth laws end in July.

But, according to a statement co-signed by organisations including The Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance of the NT (AMSANT), North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA), Northern Territory Council of Social Service (NTCOSS), Danila Dilba Health Service (DDHS), and the NT Police Association, the laws were rushed through without "proper consultation."

"Even before Commonwealth legislation was introduced 15 years ago, restricting alcohol sales in Aboriginal Communities, many remote communities were already dry as General Restricted Areas," the statement reads.

"Now, without proper consultation, new laws passed by the NT Parliament [Tuesday night] will see free access to take-away alcohol for people living in more than 400 APAs as of the 17th July 2022."

AMSANT chief executive Prof. John Paterson called on the NT Government to halt any new access to takeaway alcohol before an "open transparent negotiation process" takes place.

"This is disappointing legislation from the NT Government and the process around it has been shameful. We want a commitment from the Northern Territory Government to include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the development of any future legislation that impacts our communities," he said.

"Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people must be consulted on the laws affecting us."

Danila Dilba Health Service chief executive Rob McPhee said the legislative changes will have a negative impact on already stretched frontline health services.

"Alcohol-related harm contributes to high rates of antisocial behaviour, assaults, crime, domestic and family violence, and road fatalities," he said.

"We know the devastating impacts of alcohol in our community and this decision is a step in the wrong direction. We urge the government to engage with our sector and with communities in a genuine way before this goes any further."

NAAJA chief executive Pricilla Atkins said communities that want to allow alcohol to return need to have strong management plans in place before "the floodgates are opened."

"The impact this will have on Territorians will be absolutely devastating. We already have so many problems related to alcohol," she said.

"Our hospitals are full, our domestic violence rates are the highest in the nation and rising, and the justice system is clogging up.

"What the NT Government has just done will add to that harm. It's absolutely disgusting."

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