Mr GUNNER - 2011-05-05
Can you please outline to the House the resources directed to tackling alcohol-related crime and increasing rehabilitation options to support the alcohol reforms in Budget 2011-12?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Fannie Bay for his question. In his electorate he understands that people are absolutely fed up with public drunkenness. They have said enough …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: They truly are a rabble. You start to answer a question and they all start to arc up with their interjections. They are divided, they spend their time in the backrooms arguing with each other, coming in here, rowing each other. They truly are a rabble.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: Sixty per cent of all assaults in the Territory are alcohol fuelled, 67% of domestic violence incidents across the Territory directly relate to crime.
As a government, we know if you are going to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour, you have to tackle grog. The alcohol reforms are targeted. They will turn the problem drinker off tap to stop the violence. We are targeting drinkers who are taken into protective custody three times in three months, or who commit alcohol-related crime and violence.
We have backed up the reforms with significant new funding to roll out the ID system, to support police to implement the bans, to establish an Alcohol and Other Drugs Tribunal and the SMART Court and, importantly, to increase treatment options. We have committed $67m over five years, including $34m for treatment options. Budget 2011-12 delivers the first tranche of that, $10.9m, including $5.2m to boost treatment capacity as these reforms roll out.
We will spend $3.2m to install the banned drinker register ID scanners in every takeaway liquor outlet across the Territory. The ID scanners are a critical tool to stop the flow of alcohol to banned problem drinkers, to ensure where a person is banned in one community they are banned Territory-wide. They are banned everywhere; they are off tap everywhere. There is $1.5m for police to implement the bans; $5.2m will go to more treatment and rehabilitation services across our regional centres for more treatment beds, counselling, after care, and outreach services to remote areas.
Compare this to the CLP which first believed there was a negligible link between violence and alcohol. I remind the member for Sanderson of that absolute corker. The CLP wants to open the rivers of grog in Alice Springs, despite their federal leader Mr Tony Abbott supporting alcohol restrictions …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Ms LAWRIE: As recently as last week, the CLP stated it does not have an alcohol policy. I quote from the shadow Health minister, Matt Conlan, on ABC TV:
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Treasurer, your time has expired. Order! Your time has expired.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Fannie Bay for his question. In his electorate he understands that people are absolutely fed up with public drunkenness. They have said enough …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: They truly are a rabble. You start to answer a question and they all start to arc up with their interjections. They are divided, they spend their time in the backrooms arguing with each other, coming in here, rowing each other. They truly are a rabble.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms LAWRIE: Sixty per cent of all assaults in the Territory are alcohol fuelled, 67% of domestic violence incidents across the Territory directly relate to crime.
As a government, we know if you are going to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour, you have to tackle grog. The alcohol reforms are targeted. They will turn the problem drinker off tap to stop the violence. We are targeting drinkers who are taken into protective custody three times in three months, or who commit alcohol-related crime and violence.
We have backed up the reforms with significant new funding to roll out the ID system, to support police to implement the bans, to establish an Alcohol and Other Drugs Tribunal and the SMART Court and, importantly, to increase treatment options. We have committed $67m over five years, including $34m for treatment options. Budget 2011-12 delivers the first tranche of that, $10.9m, including $5.2m to boost treatment capacity as these reforms roll out.
We will spend $3.2m to install the banned drinker register ID scanners in every takeaway liquor outlet across the Territory. The ID scanners are a critical tool to stop the flow of alcohol to banned problem drinkers, to ensure where a person is banned in one community they are banned Territory-wide. They are banned everywhere; they are off tap everywhere. There is $1.5m for police to implement the bans; $5.2m will go to more treatment and rehabilitation services across our regional centres for more treatment beds, counselling, after care, and outreach services to remote areas.
Compare this to the CLP which first believed there was a negligible link between violence and alcohol. I remind the member for Sanderson of that absolute corker. The CLP wants to open the rivers of grog in Alice Springs, despite their federal leader Mr Tony Abbott supporting alcohol restrictions …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Ms LAWRIE: As recently as last week, the CLP stated it does not have an alcohol policy. I quote from the shadow Health minister, Matt Conlan, on ABC TV:
- The Country Liberals at the moment as we approach the next election are formulating a rock-solid, watertight alcohol policy.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Treasurer, your time has expired. Order! Your time has expired.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016