Debates Day 2 - Wednesday 17 May 1995
Parliamentary Record 10
Debates for 7th Assembly 1994 - 1997; ParliamentNT; Parliamentary Record; 7th Assembly 1994 - 1997
1995-05-17
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Debates
Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory
Darwin
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DEBATES - Wednesday 17 May 1995 Northern Territory Police Force and Alice Springs Town Council who, over decades, have shown a great deal of patience and professionalism in attempting to tackle the problem. However, I believe it is also worth while saying that the drinkers in the Charles and the Todd riverbeds are not the sole offenders. The urban areas of Alice Springs offer a snapshot of the problem. The meetings I have initiated in Alice Springs have involved police management, the Arremte Council, the Tangentyere Council, the Office of Aboriginal Development, the Alice Springs Town Council and other interested groups. The meetings have focused on bringing together all of those groups to enable a united approach to be formulated. An officer from the Office of Aboriginal Development is chairing this group which is reporting to me. I receive minutes of its meetings. This united approach by those groups and the police will see results. It is a combined approach involving all parties, not the police alone, because many of the matters have no connection with the role of the police. The police are not involved in picking up litter or preventing people from camping. Many groups have to be involved in overcoming this problem and the council is but one. However, this is one area where the council will be able to contribute a little more. I believe the people who are employed under the scheme mooted by the minister should be local Aboriginal people, the people in whose traditional country the scheme is being implemented. However, it has to be part of a united approach and, contrary to the mad ravings of members opposite, it will be a united approach. It is appalling that their approach to this initiative has been to bag it. It is appalling that they cannot see far enough ahead to appreciate the advantages of having more people involved in the approach to antisocial behaviour. I have concerns about the supply of the alcohol which leaves people in such an intoxicated state. I have examined further options that could be available to enable better monitoring of the sale and supply of alcohol in an attempt to place the onus back on the people who operate the takeaway facilities. How can we get them to monitor their own premises better? One step that springs to mind is the possibility of requiring in some areas, as a condition of a licence, that the management install video-recording equipment to monitor its takeaway sales area. Any intoxicated person who approached the counter would be recorded and that record would provide evidence of an offence. It would provide the management with a better tool with which to control its premises, and it might put considerable pressure on staff not to ignore the obligation that the law places on them in relation to the sale of alcohol to drunken persons. Mrs Padgham-Purich: Why should the white fellow pay more and more for it? Mr MANZIE: The whole community is paying at the moment. This antisocial behaviour does not affect one class or group only. It affects all of us. There has to be an approach that involves as many people as possible. It must be acknowledged that those who sell alcohol have a responsibility. There are laws in place and, in some cases, those laws are being flouted in terms of the sale of alcohol to people who are intoxicated. We have all seen it happen or have seen the results. We need also to examine possible changes in relation to the 2 km law. I support the ministers proposal to draft changes to the legislation to broaden the powers of confiscation 3236