Mr ELFERINK - 1999-04-27
In recent weeks, there have been media comments regarding the possible transportation of liquor into restricted areas in the Northern Territory. Can the minister advise what is the status with this particular issue?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I thank the member for MacDonnell for his question. This is a very serious issue. Members in the House would know that a number of communities in the Northern Territory have been declared dry areas under the Liquor Act, and that persons taking liquor into those particular communities without permission are performing an illegal act. And, further, that motor vehicles, or boats, or aircraft, used for that transportation can be seized on behalf of the Liquor Commissioner by the police and other authorities.
The Galiwinku community has requested, in recent times, that airlines and charter operators search passengers going on those forms of transport, and search freight, so that they can stop any liquor coming into the community. Certainly, Air North, I know, has written to a number of people, including myself, expressing concerns regarding what it perceives to be a fairly substantial increase in the trafficking of liquor into dry areas. Air North was proposing that a forum be held to discuss and consider how those trafficking issues could be resolved.
I instructed the chairman of the commission to meet with the CEO of Air North and other airlines, including Wimray, Air Frontier, Murin, MAF and Gunbalunya Air Charter as well as some of the barge companies, and I will just quote from a letter received by me from the CEO of Air North, following that meeting:
I believe the meeting yesterday was tremendously successful, with some major initiatives being resolved upon, and these include: The Northern Territory Liquor Commission will provide liquor inspectors, deputise, at the main terminal, Darwin Airport, for Air North flights, and at other airline terminals, including Wimray and Murin, to inspect freight coming through those terminals, and although every flight on every day will not be checked, most will, and will operate similar to the fruit fly quarantine inspections that were carried out last year.
In addition to this, MAF at Gove, for the member for Nhulunbuy, and TNT, Perkins Shipping and Tiwi Barge, in Darwin, will be given the opportunity to have their employees deputised, which will enable them to conduct searches of passengers’ baggage and freight that has been consigned. Further, NT Liquor Commission signage will be provided at each airstrip, clearly indicating the dry area status and the potential penalties for breaches of the Liquor Act,and similar signage will also be provided at various terminal facilities across the Northern Territory.
The present permit system will be overhauled, which will be replaced with a photo ID type, and persons wishing to have alcohol in permitted dry areas will have to produce their permits to enable the transport of liquor. NT Liquor Commission staff, in conjunction with staff from various aircraft and barge companies, will be available to travel to communities to spread the message about how serious we all are about this difficult issue and the potential penalties that can be imposed with illegal trafficking of alcohol into dry communities.
They will also be looking for illegal traffic of other substances, like kava. I would just like to place on the record my congratulations to the airline companies for their cooperative approach to this issue. It is something that we have been working on for a considerable time. We have been in contact with communities, airline companies and barge companies ...
Mr Stirling interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr BALDWIN: ... to resolve the issue. I’ve just told you what we’ve done.
Members interjecting.
Mr BALDWIN: Unlike the Labor opposition across the Chamber, those airline companies have been proactive in working together with the Liquor Commission for a result that will be, hopefully, the best result for everybody concerned and particularly those rural communities.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I thank the member for MacDonnell for his question. This is a very serious issue. Members in the House would know that a number of communities in the Northern Territory have been declared dry areas under the Liquor Act, and that persons taking liquor into those particular communities without permission are performing an illegal act. And, further, that motor vehicles, or boats, or aircraft, used for that transportation can be seized on behalf of the Liquor Commissioner by the police and other authorities.
The Galiwinku community has requested, in recent times, that airlines and charter operators search passengers going on those forms of transport, and search freight, so that they can stop any liquor coming into the community. Certainly, Air North, I know, has written to a number of people, including myself, expressing concerns regarding what it perceives to be a fairly substantial increase in the trafficking of liquor into dry areas. Air North was proposing that a forum be held to discuss and consider how those trafficking issues could be resolved.
I instructed the chairman of the commission to meet with the CEO of Air North and other airlines, including Wimray, Air Frontier, Murin, MAF and Gunbalunya Air Charter as well as some of the barge companies, and I will just quote from a letter received by me from the CEO of Air North, following that meeting:
I believe the meeting yesterday was tremendously successful, with some major initiatives being resolved upon, and these include: The Northern Territory Liquor Commission will provide liquor inspectors, deputise, at the main terminal, Darwin Airport, for Air North flights, and at other airline terminals, including Wimray and Murin, to inspect freight coming through those terminals, and although every flight on every day will not be checked, most will, and will operate similar to the fruit fly quarantine inspections that were carried out last year.
In addition to this, MAF at Gove, for the member for Nhulunbuy, and TNT, Perkins Shipping and Tiwi Barge, in Darwin, will be given the opportunity to have their employees deputised, which will enable them to conduct searches of passengers’ baggage and freight that has been consigned. Further, NT Liquor Commission signage will be provided at each airstrip, clearly indicating the dry area status and the potential penalties for breaches of the Liquor Act,and similar signage will also be provided at various terminal facilities across the Northern Territory.
The present permit system will be overhauled, which will be replaced with a photo ID type, and persons wishing to have alcohol in permitted dry areas will have to produce their permits to enable the transport of liquor. NT Liquor Commission staff, in conjunction with staff from various aircraft and barge companies, will be available to travel to communities to spread the message about how serious we all are about this difficult issue and the potential penalties that can be imposed with illegal trafficking of alcohol into dry communities.
They will also be looking for illegal traffic of other substances, like kava. I would just like to place on the record my congratulations to the airline companies for their cooperative approach to this issue. It is something that we have been working on for a considerable time. We have been in contact with communities, airline companies and barge companies ...
Mr Stirling interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr BALDWIN: ... to resolve the issue. I’ve just told you what we’ve done.
Members interjecting.
Mr BALDWIN: Unlike the Labor opposition across the Chamber, those airline companies have been proactive in working together with the Liquor Commission for a result that will be, hopefully, the best result for everybody concerned and particularly those rural communities.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016