Alice Springs has been grabbing headlines as alcohol abuse dominates communities in the north of Australia.
Northern Territory Police recently released statistics reporting a massive 54 per cent increase in both alcohol-related assaults and domestic violence in Alice Springs over the past year. The town of 26k residents has reputedly seen something of a mass exodus, amid home invasions, car thefts and assaults.
Social media has displayed videos of alcohol-fuelled anti-social behaviour in towns in Western Australia and NT; young people in Alice hurling racial abuse, spitting and assaulting pub patrons, people chasing miscreants seen stealing, and youths donned in ankle monitors spraying graffiti on roadside walls as they throw rocks at cars.
Alcohol consumption is seen as a major factor in the violence. Some retailers have agreed to remove one-litre bottles of spirits from shelves, and there are reports of home break-ins seeking alcohol in the early hours of the morning.
Under Territory law, the police commissioner can suspend liquor licences for 48 hours in special circumstances.
On the basis that multiple alleged domestic violence attacks took place or were facilitated on the premises, two of Iris’ collection of Alice Springs pubs were closed in recent months due to what police said were threats to “public safety”.
Initially, the Gap View Hotel’s bottle shop was forced to close for 48 hours in January by the NT Liquor Commission, for reportedly failing on occasions to use the Territory’s Banned Drinkers Register (BDR) scanner.
Shortly after, the heaving Todd Tavern had its liquor licence suspended for 48 hours, again related to alleged incidents of domestic violence at the premises.
It meant both drive-through bottleshops in Alice, both owned by Iris, were unable to trade on a Saturday.
Iris declined to comment on the situation in the region.
Police have stressed they will strictly enforce all conditions for sale of alcohol under a liquor licence.
One Alice Springs resident, whose video post has been widely shared on social media, says the public problems are a daily reality for residents. She laments that police are all but powerless to stop the young offenders and “struggle to apprehend anyone”. The narrative speaks of the chaos starting by 7pm and going all night, making her feel “sick to my stomach”.
Factors include the recent repeal of the Stronger Futures laws, which included blanket alcohol bans. This is the focus of an ongoing federal parliamentary inquiry, and the final report next month may recommend a reversal of the cessation.
Aboriginal health groups, police and local governments are critical of the end of alcohol bans, which they see as part of the current problems.
Reforms were passed in December by the Labor Federal Government that made the Territory Australia’s first jurisdiction to raise the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 12. Now, children under 12 engaging in behaviour normally considered an offence will instead be subject to therapeutic programs and psychological assessments.
Critics of the reform, such as ‘Action for Alice’, say the change is bringing car-loads of under-12s, driven to town by adults to “do all the crimes”.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and NT Chief Minister Natasha Fyles made an emergency visit to Alice to announce new restrictions on alcohol purchases in response to the recent increase in crime, and Attorney-General Chansey Paech explained that the “evidence is clear” that the earlier a child enters the justice system, the more likely they are to reoffend.
“I never regret walking away from racist policy,” Paech, also Minister for Justice, Arts, Culture and Heritage, said of the reform.
“Racist policy is not going to solve social issues in this town, it’s only going to perpetuate the issues.”
Paech criticised the critics, who he says knew about the Stronger Futures end date for nine years and said nothing. He told NT News punitive measures are not a deterrent for 10 and 11-year-olds and it’s time we did better.
“In fact, it is more likely to increase behavioural problems and reoffending.
“It’s time to get smarter on our youth justice approach and break the cycle of youth crime. We’re asking Territorians to come on a journey with us. We’ve heard loud and clear that the old system is not working.”
Kate Worden, NT Minister for Police and Families said in a statement it will complement work already being undertaken by the Territory government, Traditional Owners, experts and community members to implement long-term, smart solutions proven to “break the cycle of crime and build stronger, safer communities”.
Meanwhile, around 1,600km west is the remote WA mining town of Laverton. It registers a 2021 population of nearly 1,200 people, but this is heavily skewed by FIFO workers of the mining industry. Around 200 residents identify as Aboriginal and the town has 14 police.
It’s said there is a countdown to midday, when the bottleshop opens, with potentially dozens of people waiting to get in.
In 2018 Laverton became the site of a federal government cashless debit card, which dictated welfare payments and could not be used to gamble or buy alcohol. The trial ended last October and has reportedly seen a “mass exodus”, and the town’s problems have escalated again amid no governmental support, despite massive mining royalties coming out of the region.
Wongatha elder Janice Scott told the ABC she is sad to see that the youth don’t really care about their culture, just “causing havoc”, and that alcohol is to blame. Indigenous leaders such as Scott are calling for tougher liquor restrictions. She says alcohol and drugs have become their ‘sacred thing’.
The only pub and bottleshop in Laverton is the Desert Inn Hotel, run by Rob Wedge, which has taken the initiative to introduce temporary restrictions on takeaway sales and monitor the number of purchases by an individual. Wedge says restrictions affect everybody, not just those that cause the trouble in town.
A range of issues are cited affecting people in these communities, most significantly to do with housing, employment, health and a lack of opportunities.
And in terms of alcohol abuse, there is also recognition that it can be a symptom of intergenerational trauma. Scott pleads that the cycle needs to be broken, so the young people can see the problems with alcohol as not being normal.
Marty Seelander, CEO of the Pakaanu Aboriginal Corporation, echoes that some form of “strategic planning” is needed in the communities to help overcome systemic issues.
“If people have no hope and purpose they turn to alcohol, and people have to understand that alcohol is a symptom of the problem,” said Seelander.
