Mr BARRETT - 2015-12-02
In my electorate, alcohol-related harm is a serious issue. Itinerants walk around Moulden Terrace, often causing problems. Many of my constituents are concerned about this. Can you outline what initiatives are being implemented to address alcohol-related harm, including crime and violence, in the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. I expect a great deal of shrillness from the other side of the Chamber because they do not like good news, good policies or good initiatives.
The CLP government is an advocate for the importance of self-responsibility, encouraging each community to drive local solutions to local problems. That is unlike Labor, which would see all of the initiatives that have been proven to work scrapped to the detriment of the safety and wellbeing of Territorians. This goes to show they have always been soft on crime. Let us look at voluntary liquor accords.
An example of this is an initiative taken by the CLP government to implement the Northern Territory’s first packaged liquor accord, which commenced a three-year trial period in August this year in Darwin city, Parap and Stuart Park. The accord puts in place restrictions surrounding the sale of takeaway alcohol, specifically targeting cheaper, high-volume packaged liquor products, such as cask wine. It is a voluntary agreement between licensees and stakeholders, including NT Police, the City of Darwin and Licensing NT. One of these strategies is the sale of one cask per person per day and only between 12.00 pm and 7 pm.
An initiative like this will see local stakeholders heavily involved in addressing issues of alcohol-related harm on a local level, achieving far more effective outcomes with a sense of community ownership and achievement.
I mentioned at the beginning of this what I expect to come from the other side. They do not like hearing good news; they do not like policies that work. I can understand that because most of their policies when they were in government did not work. They must like that sort of stuff. They feel right at home with policies that increase debt and do not work. These initiatives are working. They are improving the social fabric of communities previously suffering from alcohol-related harm and violence.
Ms Walker: Crime is up in Palmerston and Darwin.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nhulunbuy!
Mr STYLES: The shrill cries coming from the other side show they do not want to hear it. It indicates they do not want other people to hear it either. All they do is interrupt the good news flowing from this side of the Chamber.
Through these initiatives the Country Liberal government is empowering communities to work collaboratively to address their unique alcohol-related issues to benefit all Territorians. Labor would see initiatives such as these dumped as part of their soft-on-crime stance.
We congratulate those groups, and the CLP will continue to ensure they get the support they deserve. You cannot trust Labor members to support the initiatives that work because they are consistently soft on crime. They support gaols over hospitals, and support soft-on-crime policies.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I advise of the presence in the gallery of CDU Liaison Librarians undertaking professional development. On behalf of honourable members, welcome to Parliament House. I hope you learn something about cataloguing this afternoon.
Members: Hear, hear!
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. I expect a great deal of shrillness from the other side of the Chamber because they do not like good news, good policies or good initiatives.
The CLP government is an advocate for the importance of self-responsibility, encouraging each community to drive local solutions to local problems. That is unlike Labor, which would see all of the initiatives that have been proven to work scrapped to the detriment of the safety and wellbeing of Territorians. This goes to show they have always been soft on crime. Let us look at voluntary liquor accords.
An example of this is an initiative taken by the CLP government to implement the Northern Territory’s first packaged liquor accord, which commenced a three-year trial period in August this year in Darwin city, Parap and Stuart Park. The accord puts in place restrictions surrounding the sale of takeaway alcohol, specifically targeting cheaper, high-volume packaged liquor products, such as cask wine. It is a voluntary agreement between licensees and stakeholders, including NT Police, the City of Darwin and Licensing NT. One of these strategies is the sale of one cask per person per day and only between 12.00 pm and 7 pm.
An initiative like this will see local stakeholders heavily involved in addressing issues of alcohol-related harm on a local level, achieving far more effective outcomes with a sense of community ownership and achievement.
I mentioned at the beginning of this what I expect to come from the other side. They do not like hearing good news; they do not like policies that work. I can understand that because most of their policies when they were in government did not work. They must like that sort of stuff. They feel right at home with policies that increase debt and do not work. These initiatives are working. They are improving the social fabric of communities previously suffering from alcohol-related harm and violence.
Ms Walker: Crime is up in Palmerston and Darwin.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nhulunbuy!
Mr STYLES: The shrill cries coming from the other side show they do not want to hear it. It indicates they do not want other people to hear it either. All they do is interrupt the good news flowing from this side of the Chamber.
Through these initiatives the Country Liberal government is empowering communities to work collaboratively to address their unique alcohol-related issues to benefit all Territorians. Labor would see initiatives such as these dumped as part of their soft-on-crime stance.
We congratulate those groups, and the CLP will continue to ensure they get the support they deserve. You cannot trust Labor members to support the initiatives that work because they are consistently soft on crime. They support gaols over hospitals, and support soft-on-crime policies.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
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Visitors
Visitors
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I advise of the presence in the gallery of CDU Liaison Librarians undertaking professional development. On behalf of honourable members, welcome to Parliament House. I hope you learn something about cataloguing this afternoon.
Members: Hear, hear!
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016