Ms WALKER - 2010-02-18
Can you update the House of the levels of alcohol-fuelled crime in the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy for her question. It is a critically important question when you look at the underlying causes of the assaults and, indeed, the dysfunction we have across our society. In the Territory, 59% of our assaults involve alcohol; 51% of assaults involve domestic violence. It is clear that if you are not tackling alcohol abuse, then you are not tackling crime, such as crimes perpetrated against children. The majority of Territorians enjoy drinking, and the government understands this.
We are committed to protecting people from those drinkers who are doing the wrong thing and wrecking it for everyone. We have an approach which is multi-faceted; it targets all aspects of alcohol abuse, including supply issues, right through to rehabilitation issues. Under the Henderson government, there are now over 300 treatment and sobering-up beds in the Territory.
Problems with alcohol differ from region to region, and different solutions are required to reflect what is occurring at the local level. That is why we are rolling out alcohol management plans. I have agreed with both the Lord Mayor of Darwin, and the Mayor of Palmerston, to work together to establish an alcohol management plan for Darwin and Palmerston.
In contrast to this cooperative approach, earlier this week we saw the Leader of the Opposition out there attacking, attempting to monster the Palmerston City Council and its Mayor for looking at an alcohol management plan. As the Mayor of Palmerston said earlier this week: ‘… Terry has been against it all the way through …’. We know the CLP’s approach to alcohol is to pour more fuel on the problem; sell more alcohol. When we know that 59% of assaults are alcohol-related they want to open up the rivers of grog and put more fuel on the problem. They have no new ideas, and they certainly have no credibility when it comes to reducing violent crime across our community.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy for her question. It is a critically important question when you look at the underlying causes of the assaults and, indeed, the dysfunction we have across our society. In the Territory, 59% of our assaults involve alcohol; 51% of assaults involve domestic violence. It is clear that if you are not tackling alcohol abuse, then you are not tackling crime, such as crimes perpetrated against children. The majority of Territorians enjoy drinking, and the government understands this.
We are committed to protecting people from those drinkers who are doing the wrong thing and wrecking it for everyone. We have an approach which is multi-faceted; it targets all aspects of alcohol abuse, including supply issues, right through to rehabilitation issues. Under the Henderson government, there are now over 300 treatment and sobering-up beds in the Territory.
Problems with alcohol differ from region to region, and different solutions are required to reflect what is occurring at the local level. That is why we are rolling out alcohol management plans. I have agreed with both the Lord Mayor of Darwin, and the Mayor of Palmerston, to work together to establish an alcohol management plan for Darwin and Palmerston.
In contrast to this cooperative approach, earlier this week we saw the Leader of the Opposition out there attacking, attempting to monster the Palmerston City Council and its Mayor for looking at an alcohol management plan. As the Mayor of Palmerston said earlier this week: ‘… Terry has been against it all the way through …’. We know the CLP’s approach to alcohol is to pour more fuel on the problem; sell more alcohol. When we know that 59% of assaults are alcohol-related they want to open up the rivers of grog and put more fuel on the problem. They have no new ideas, and they certainly have no credibility when it comes to reducing violent crime across our community.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016