NT Government To Implement Floor Price On Alcohol

Wednesday 28 February 2018 @ 1.23 p.m. | Legal Research

The Northern Territory Government (NT Government) announced in a Media Release that in response to a wide-ranging alcohol review commissioned by former NT Supreme Court Chief Justice Trevor Riley (author of the Riley Review), the Territory would implement a minimum $1.30 floor price per standard drink for all alcoholic beverages.

This announcement means that the Territory will become the first Australian jurisdiction to put a floor price on alcohol.  For more background, see our previous TimeBase article on the Riley Review and the introduction of new liquor bills to the NT Parliament.

Background

The Riley Review recommended a higher floor price of $1.50, but NT Attorney-General Natasha Fyles hopes to have the lower price in place by 1 July 2018.

Speaking to the Media, Ms Fyles said:

“$1.30 doesn't affect the price of beer but it will get rid of that cheap wine, we see wine that costs less than a bottle of water… and that is just not acceptable … A bottle of wine has on average around seven alcohol units per bottle, so it's $1.30 per unit of alcohol. That would put a bottle of wine around $9, $10, so you won't see that $4 and $5 bottle of wine."

Proposed Changes to NT Legislation

Ms Fyles said the NT Liquor Act (the Act) was "ad hoc and not fit for purpose" and would be rewritten over the coming year, and that a blood alcohol limit of 0.05 would be introduced for people operating boats.  There is currently no drinking limit for skippers, making the NT the only Australian jurisdiction without one:

"This is a failure to protect families and children from reckless skippers and the Territory Government makes no apologies for addressing it. Territorians can still enjoy a drink on the water and can still enjoy a drink overnight on a vessel, but they cannot pilot a boat while under the influence."

The Government is also looking at expanding the Banned Drinkers Register from takeaway outlets to late-night venues.

Praise for NT Government Action

Dr John Boffa of the People's Alcohol Action Coalition (PAAC) has long campaigned for many of the changes, and praised the Government for its "world-leading" action.

Dr Boffa said:

"The cheapest you can get alcohol for now in Darwin is 30 cents a standard drink, so this is a dollar more a standard drink — that's a big change. Of course, it's not going to touch the price of beer; the cheapest a carton on beer sells for is about $1.48 a standard drink… at $1.30 cheap wine will still be the preferred drink of heavy drinkers."

Country Liberals Party Opposition Leader Gary Higgins also said he broadly supported the Government's move and felt an approach to alcohol policy should be de-politicised:

"Our view was we should fall in line with everything that's in the Riley Report … They said they'd adopt everything that was in there… While I would have liked to see the Riley $1.50, I can live with $1.30."

NT Has Highest Alcohol Consumption Rate In Australia

The Riley Review noted that the NT had the highest per-capita rate of alcohol consumption in Australia, one of the highest in the world, and the highest rate of hospitalisations due to alcohol misuse. Forty-four per cent of Territorians drink at a risky level at least once a month, compared to a quarter of people nationally.

The Review made 220 recommendations, of which the NT Government supported all but one -  refusing to ban Sunday liquor trading - with 186 of the recommendations to be implemented in full, with in-principle support for a further 33 recommendations.

Making Voluntary Liquor Accords Law

There are already some alcohol restrictions in place in Alice Springs and Tennant Creek, but they are voluntary liquor accords that are unenforceable, which the Government is seeking to formalise.

Tennant Creek Facing Further Restrictions

Director-General of Licensing at NT Government, Cindy Bravos has acted to further restrict the sale of takeaway alcohol in Tennant Creek, effective 28 February 2018. For the next seven days the restrictions will apply to the six venues currently licensed to sell takeaway alcohol, being:

  • Tennant Creek Hotel;
  • Goldfields Hotel;
  • Headframe Bottle Shop;
  • Sporties Club Incorporated;
  • Tennant Creek Golf Club Incorporated; and
  • Tennant Creek Memorial Club Incorporated.

Ms Bravos said her decision was in response to widespread concerns about the significant increase of alcohol related offences, particularly domestic violence incidents, in Tennant Creek over the past four weeks.

In a Media Release of 27 February 2018, Ms Bravos said:

 “Licensing NT has an important role in supporting the right of all Territory residents to live in a safe community. For the next seven days takeaway sales will only be available between 3pm and 6pm Monday to Saturday and all takeaway sales will be banned on Sunday. There will also be limits on the amount of takeaway alcohol that can be purchased per person per day. These restrictions will be in place for seven days. I will then assess their effectiveness and the options available for implementing longer term measures if the restrictions prove to be successful in reducing the levels of harm associated with the consumption of alcohol in Tennant Creek.”

TimeBase is an independent, privately owned Australian legal publisher specialising in the online delivery of accurate, comprehensive and innovative legislation research tools including LawOne and unique Point-in-Time Products. Nothing on this website should be construed as legal advice and does not substitute for the advice of competent legal counsel.

Sources:

Creating Generational Change – Roadmap To Tackle Alcohol Abuse – NT Media Release

Licensing - Further restrictions on sale of takeaway alcohol in Tennant Creek – NT Media Release

Northern Territory to be first jurisdiction in Australia with minimum floor price on alcohol – abc.net.au

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