Northern Territory Chief Minister Natasha Fyles has announced that alcohol bans will be reinstated in central Australia.
They will prevent the sale of alcohol to Aboriginal people living in town camps and remote communities.
The move was recommended in the snap review of alcohol laws ordered by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in response to a spike in crime and alcohol-fuelled violence.
Key events
Live updates
That's all for this afternoon's live blog
By Tom Williams
Thanks for joining us as we walked through the NT Government's announcement.
You can keep up-to-date with other news on the ABC's website, by subscribing to our mobile alerts, and by watching News Channel or listening to local radio here.
Report handed to government says long term work will be needed
By Tom Williams
In her report on proposed actions for alcohol-related harm in central Australian communities, Dorrelle Anderson writes that any "initial respite" created by these newly announced measures should be seen as "an opportunity to engage constructively with residents on medium to long term aspirations for alcohol management".
"A failure to seriously address the underlying drivers of alcohol misuse and youth crime will mean these harms will continue to return year after year, as people find new ways to access and consume alcohol, or turn to other harmful products such as hand sanitiser," she writes.
"We cannot continue to accept the levels of domestic and family violence leading to assaults on women who are presenting with horrific facial injuries, broken bones, fractured skulls and in some tragic situations even death.
"The children who have been spoken to have unanimously voiced their hatred of alcohol and the harm it inflicts on their families. Their simple aspirations are to live in a 'normal place', have jobs when they are older and be able to support their families with basic needs.
"We need to listen to the most vulnerable in our community and act with urgency to address the current crisis but also tackle the extreme poverty and social disadvantage causal factors amongst this cohort."
The two main recommendations from the report on central Australia
By Tom Williams
Here are the two "immediate actions" recommended by Central Australian Regional Controller, Dorrelle Anderson, in her report on central Australia which the NT Government has released today.
"1. The NT Government make urgent amendments to the Liquor Act 2019 that will see town camps and nearby remote communities return to alcohol free areas, with a clear path forward if the community wishes to introduce responsible drinking options, upon the development of a Community Alcohol Management Plan.
"2. The NT and Commonwealth Governments continue to work together to deliver needs based funding to the relevant service providers in the Northern Territory as a matter of priority, so that the cycle of intergenerational trauma and disadvantage can truly begin to be broken."
PM warns the opposition not to politicise NT issues
By Tom Williams
Now that Central Australian Regional Controller Dorrelle Anderson's report has been publicly released, Anthony Albanese says he hopes the Liberal Party will "participate constructively".
"There is nothing to be served by trying to politicise these issues," he says.
"What we need to do is work together — together, all of us — to achieve better outcomes for the most disadvantaged group in Australian society — First Nations people.
"That is what my government is committed to doing."
PM says further investment hopes to create 'lasting improvements in people's lives'
By Tom Williams
The prime minister says the federal government's additional $250 million of investment in central Australia is aimed at creating "lasting improvements in people's lives".
"That will include improved community safety and cohesion through more youth engagement and diversion programs along with improved CCTV and lighting," he says.
"We will improve job creation. It will include on-country learning. Importantly, preventing and addressing issues caused by Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders.
"Better services, investing in families and increased domestic violence services."
He says the additional resources won't solve issues overnight, but are important.
PM says all governments 'could have done better'
By Tom Williams
Speaking about today's announcement during Question Time in Canberra, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says all governments "could have done better" by Australia's Indigenous people.
"This is about intergenerational disadvantage. It is about a lack of employment services, a lack of community services, a lack of educational opportunity," he says.
"The truth is that all governments could have done better. All governments — Labor, Liberal, Northern Territory, here in Canberra, could have done better."
Some of your thoughts
By Tom Williams
Alcohol is a symptom, not the main problem. Where’s the funding to improve town camp housing? NT gov are the landlords and if any other landlords in Australia allowed their properties to deteriorate for lack of repairs and maintenance to that degree, they’d be prosecuted. Start fixing some of the real issues alongside alcohol policy
- Alice resident
Residents of all backgrounds are dispersed throughout Alice Springs, and Aboriginal residents live beyond just town camps . This once again divides the town by focussing on a small sub-set of the population who are by default being labelled the problem when many town camp residents are not mixed up with alcohol or crime at all. How does this new announcement help residents living in other parts of Alice abstain from alcohol, or help the youth crime issue?
- Susan
A few thousand people live in town camps. Fyles says decisions about alcohol need to be made by the the whole community but she’s missed the point. The whole ALICE community should be involved, not simply town camp residents
- Confused
Watch: NT chief minister's announcement
By Tom Williams
Here is video of the moment NT Chief Minister Natasha Fyles announced the plan to reinstate alcohol bans in central Australia:
Natasha Fyles has finished her press conference
By Tom Williams
The NT chief minister's press conference went for slightly less than half an hour, and has just wrapped up.
Here's a wrap of what was announced:
- Alcohol bans will be reinstated in central Australia, preventing the sale of alcohol for people living in town camps and remote communities
- Community alcohol plans will be developed, and communities that want to opt-out of dry zones will need 60 per cent support
- The federal government has committed an extra $250 million to improve services in central Australia
You can read more detail on the plans right here:
Fyles says NT Government will continue to update rules in the future
By Tom Williams
"We need to be agile … we'll make changes into the future," she says.
"[Alcohol] is a legal product, but it causes so much harm."
Alcohol management plans will need 60% of residents' support
By Tom Williams
Natasha Fyles says alcohol management plans will be developed by each community, with 60 per cent of residents needing to vote in support if restrictions are to be lifted.
"We've heard loudly and clearly that the matter and decision of alcohol on community needs to be one that is made by the entire community," she said.
"That is why we're creating a circuit breaker and implementing temporary dry zones until communities can develop and vote on the alcohol management plans."
The NT government had resisted calls to reimpose blanket bans, which it said were racist and ineffective.
Fyles says she knows some people will be disappointed by today's announcement.
"But it does provide a clear pathway allowing local leadership to come together around this issue and a clearly defined process," she says.
Chief Minister announces support package for Alice Springs and central Australia
By Tom Williams
Natasha Fyles says the federal and NT Governments have secured a support package for Alice Springs and central Australia.
She says the NT Government will bring forward legislation in the next sitting of Parliament to develop community alcohol plans, which will go to votes in local areas.
Temporary dry zones will also be set up until communities can vote on their alcohol plans.
She says the Federal Government has also agreed to $250 million in additional funding for central Australia, which will go towards things such as young engagement programs, job creation, improved services and support for on-Country learning.
She says current sale restrictions in Alice Springs will remain in place for now.
"No government has done more to address this issue, and we will continue to do so," she told a media conference.
Alcohol bans to be reinstated in central Australia
By Tom Williams
NT Chief Minister Natasha Fyles says alcohol bans will be reinstated in central Australia.
They will prevent the sale of alcohol to Aboriginal people living in town camps and remote communities.
The move was recommended in the snap review of alcohol laws ordered by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in response to a spike in crime and alcohol-fuelled violence.
Federal and NT governments said they have listened to communities
By Tom Williams
The Commonwealth and NT governments said last week that they would consider "next steps" in their next cabinet meetings.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he was open to immediate action if it was recommended in the report, while NT Chief Minister Natasha Fyles emphasised a wish to see a response to the crisis that goes beyond alcohol restrictions.
Here's what the PM and Chief Minister said last week after they received the report:
NT Chief Minister Natasha Fyles to speak in Darwin
By Tom Williams
Northern Territory Chief Minister Natasha Fyles is about to hold a press conference at Parliament House in Darwin, regarding Alice Springs.
It comes after the Commonwealth and NT governments received a report, which was to advise on whether alcohol bans should be temporarily reinstated to slow a spike in crime and alcohol-fuelled violence in central Australia.
The press conference is due to begin at 1:15pm AEST / 2:15pm AEDT.
Follow our live blog for the latest updates.
