Ms FYLES - 2012-10-24
In the Little Children are Sacred report it says:
A remote area paediatrician said also in the report:
Why are you ignoring the vulnerable by having an election to reintroduce full-strength beer to communities?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the new member for Nightcliff for her question. Child protection is very closely linked to alcohol consumption, particularly in the Northern Territory - that is no secret - and this government is committed to alcohol reform from top to bottom.
What we have seen over the last 10 years, particularly in the case of Alice Springs which was used as a guinea pig for alcohol reform by the opposition, the former government, is a great many different initiatives put in place which have not hit the mark - they have not worked.
My colleagues, the members for Greatorex, Stuart, Namatjira, and Braitling, are the experts because we have been subjected to the failed alcohol reforms of the former government for many years. The new member for Nightcliff - and I will go easy on her – said, ‘Goodness me, what is going on here?’ The answer to your question, member for Nightcliff, is within your group over there, because you have failed as a group to protect children; you have failed to implement alcohol reforms that have worked
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! It goes to relevance. The question was: why is she having an election to return grog to the communities after the Little Children are Sacred report pointed out that would be the worst thing to do for children? So, the issue is relevance. Why is she proposing an election to return grog to the communities?
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, could you get to the point?
Mrs LAMBLEY: The decision to return or introduce alcohol to remote Aboriginal communities or any remote communities in the Northern Territory will be the decision of the communities.
- There is a strong association between substance abuse, particularly alcohol, and the sexual abuse of our children.
A remote area paediatrician said also in the report:
- The right for children to be safe and healthy is far greater than the right to drink yourself into oblivion.
Why are you ignoring the vulnerable by having an election to reintroduce full-strength beer to communities?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the new member for Nightcliff for her question. Child protection is very closely linked to alcohol consumption, particularly in the Northern Territory - that is no secret - and this government is committed to alcohol reform from top to bottom.
What we have seen over the last 10 years, particularly in the case of Alice Springs which was used as a guinea pig for alcohol reform by the opposition, the former government, is a great many different initiatives put in place which have not hit the mark - they have not worked.
My colleagues, the members for Greatorex, Stuart, Namatjira, and Braitling, are the experts because we have been subjected to the failed alcohol reforms of the former government for many years. The new member for Nightcliff - and I will go easy on her – said, ‘Goodness me, what is going on here?’ The answer to your question, member for Nightcliff, is within your group over there, because you have failed as a group to protect children; you have failed to implement alcohol reforms that have worked
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! It goes to relevance. The question was: why is she having an election to return grog to the communities after the Little Children are Sacred report pointed out that would be the worst thing to do for children? So, the issue is relevance. Why is she proposing an election to return grog to the communities?
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, could you get to the point?
Mrs LAMBLEY: The decision to return or introduce alcohol to remote Aboriginal communities or any remote communities in the Northern Territory will be the decision of the communities.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016