Katherine News
Target Problem Drinkers
Licensees in Mataranka are being hit by the Henderson Government's inability to crack down on problem drinkers across the Territory.
Member for Katherine Willem Westra van Holthe and Shadow Licensing Minister Peter Styles said a decision to bring alcohol restrictions in Mataranka in line with those in Katherine sets into play a troubling precedent.
Earlier this month, the Licensing Commission approved an application by police to restrict the sale of takeaway alcohol in Mataranka to between 2pm and 8pm – in line with restrictions already in place in Katherine.
Previously, the Mataranka Hotel, Mataranka supermarket and Mataranka Homestead bottle shops were allowed to trade between 10am and 10pm.
'During the Commission's hearing last month, police gave evidence that people were taking taxis the 200km round trip between Mataranka and Katherine to purchase alcohol up to 4 hours ahead of the scheduled licensed opening in Katherine,' Mr Westra van Holthe said.
'To penalise the licensees in Mataranka, not to mention the thousands of tourists that pass through the town every week, is a misdirected move that fails to address the underlying problems of alcohol in the community.
'You only need to look at the main street of Katherine to see how alcohol restrictions have failed.
'There are still similar levels of itinerancy and anti-social behaviour now as there were before the restricted takeaway hours were introduced. If there has been a change in the drinking patterns of itinerants, it's not immediately obvious to the untrained eye.'
Country Liberals Licensing spokesman, Peter Styles, says the Licensing Commission's decision highlights the Henderson Government's failure to address the underlying issues of alcohol in the community.
'The Government has failed to deal with the problem drinkers, and instead targets responsible drinkers,' Mr Styles said.
'Instead of making habitual drunks undergo mandatory rehabilitation, or sending them to prison farms to dry out, Labor introduces a blanket ban on alcohol hours that affects the livelihoods of Territory businesses.
'Changing the rules to cater for problem drinkers isn't the way to manage alcohol policy.'
2009-09-23
