Mr MILLS - 2010-08-19
In the Attorney-General’s media release on 31 July …
Ms Lawrie: Why don’t you ask me the question then?
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr MILLS: If you were not so rude as to interrupt and followed through you would understand. Hold on!
In the member’s media release on 31 July 2010 titled ‘New Report on Alcohol Consumption Welcome’, the Attorney-General listed the failed Alcohol Courts as one of the measures Labor has successfully used to combat alcohol abuse in the Territory.
During 2009, how many Territorians were taken into protective custody, and how many people successfully completed a treatment program ordered by an Alcohol Court?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. The number of people taken into protective custody will be available in the Police annual report, as they are available every year. I do not have those details with me of the specifics of how many people are treated by the Alcohol Court. What I will say is we have a comprehensive agenda being further developed by the Minister for Alcohol Policy.
If we look at Alice Springs, in the last few years we have banned 4 L and 5 L cask wine. A person is only permitted to purchase one 2 L cask of wine or one bottle of fortified wine a day, and only between 6 pm and 9 pm. That has seen a reduction of 85% in the sales of cask wine in Alice Springs in one year. That is an enormous reform which has seen a significant reduction in serious violence – a 21% reduction in violence.
The ID system introduced in June 2008 has seen an extraordinary number of people who had already purchased their limit for the day turned away from purchasing more grog. All takeaway venues are required to have camera surveillance, and we have begun the process to buy back three takeaway liquor licences in Alice Springs.
This is a multifaceted issue; there is no silver bullet to reduce alcohol-related harm; we need to have this debate as a community. The Alcohol Courts are one part of a suite of measures which have been developed and will build on, as a government, to reduce alcohol-related harm in the Territory - unlike the opposition which has a policy in Alice Springs of increasing the availability of alcohol. This will directly lead to more harm, more assaults, and more desperate people being taken into desperate situations in Alice Springs.
Ms Lawrie: Why don’t you ask me the question then?
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr MILLS: If you were not so rude as to interrupt and followed through you would understand. Hold on!
In the member’s media release on 31 July 2010 titled ‘New Report on Alcohol Consumption Welcome’, the Attorney-General listed the failed Alcohol Courts as one of the measures Labor has successfully used to combat alcohol abuse in the Territory.
During 2009, how many Territorians were taken into protective custody, and how many people successfully completed a treatment program ordered by an Alcohol Court?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. The number of people taken into protective custody will be available in the Police annual report, as they are available every year. I do not have those details with me of the specifics of how many people are treated by the Alcohol Court. What I will say is we have a comprehensive agenda being further developed by the Minister for Alcohol Policy.
If we look at Alice Springs, in the last few years we have banned 4 L and 5 L cask wine. A person is only permitted to purchase one 2 L cask of wine or one bottle of fortified wine a day, and only between 6 pm and 9 pm. That has seen a reduction of 85% in the sales of cask wine in Alice Springs in one year. That is an enormous reform which has seen a significant reduction in serious violence – a 21% reduction in violence.
The ID system introduced in June 2008 has seen an extraordinary number of people who had already purchased their limit for the day turned away from purchasing more grog. All takeaway venues are required to have camera surveillance, and we have begun the process to buy back three takeaway liquor licences in Alice Springs.
This is a multifaceted issue; there is no silver bullet to reduce alcohol-related harm; we need to have this debate as a community. The Alcohol Courts are one part of a suite of measures which have been developed and will build on, as a government, to reduce alcohol-related harm in the Territory - unlike the opposition which has a policy in Alice Springs of increasing the availability of alcohol. This will directly lead to more harm, more assaults, and more desperate people being taken into desperate situations in Alice Springs.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016