Comments on: Gapview knocked back a second time on extended hours for Masters Games grog trade

By: Hal Duell

Hal Duell — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 03:10:50 +0000

That’s a good final point in Russell Guy’s last post (October 10, 2012 at 8:01 am). He says (or so I read it) that the Byron Youth Service is asking tourists to work with them in understanding their community problem.
Why does the NT Tourist Commission, or whatever they are calling themselves these days, and whether they are based in Alice or in Darwin, not adopt the same approach? Instead of worrying that restrictions will negatively impact on tourists’ enjoyment, rather ask them for their help.
Most tourists visit us to see Central Australia, to have an “outback experience”. Very few visit to drink until they fall down, and those few we don’t need and can no longer afford.
Blind Freddy can see the effects of alcohol on our streets, and asking for help would show both maturity and courage. It would certainly be better than the current head-in-the-sand attitude in which we pretend that the problem is down to a few unruly drunks, but otherwise everything is hunky-dory.
We all know it is most definitely not hunky-dory. If the Tourist Commission has still to figure that out, then they want sacking and replacing with someone a bit more perceptive.

By: Paul Parker

Paul Parker — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 03:04:11 +0000

Congratulations to NT Liquor Commission and Beswick community for enabling responsible consumption. Need see more outlets replacing take-away licenses with responsible consumption on premises.
Our courts regularly apply penalty to individuals who behave inappropriately. Problems related to individual’s intoxication best resolved in the courts.
Taliban seeks avoid judicial processes which protect everyone’s rights and responsibilities.

By: Russell Guy

Russell Guy — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 22:31:55 +0000

Erwin, In relation to the Gapview knock-back, readers may also like to know that the Woolworth’s-owned Dan Murphy’s Liquor Chain licence application in Byron Bay’s CBD, in a Cinema Complex, for which they confidently paid a 25 year lease up-front, has been denied by the NSW Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority (ILGA) for similar reasons given by the NT Licensing Commission.
With social concerns in a tourist market like Alice Springs, local State MP, Don Page remarked: “This is the right decision and I am pleased that the independent body has come to the same conclusion that police, the local community and myself all came to … the concerns included the proposed location in the CBD and the high rate of alcohol-related assaults that have been occurring in Byron Bay.”
According to the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics, the Byron Local Government Area recorded almost four times as many alcohol-related, non-domestic violence assaults as the statewide average.
One local newspaper reported that “during the licence application, a wide-cross section of the community, including church leaders, police, politicians, school teachers and teenagers gave passionate addresses to the panel for over five hours” (Echo. 9/10/12).
Byron Youth Service has taken the lead to change the binge drinking culture in Byron – and Australia – with its “Cringe the Binge” campaign, citing the town as a “microcosm of all the negative impacts of binge drinking – drink driving, multiple fatalities, sexual assault, street violence, brawls, domestic violence and trauma, anxieties and depression, and the early initiation of young people into alcohol consumption”.
They are also asking tourists to work with them in understanding their community problems.

By: Russell Guy

Russell Guy — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 20:18:45 +0000

Steve, you may have had the most voters in the Council elections, but you didn’t have a majority. In this issue, you are outnumbered, even in these pages. Face it, the town wants and needs a change in liquor supply regulation, not just an expensive, so-called rehab “solution.”
Robyn Lambley’s talking about a mix of supply and rehab, even Terry Mills hasn’t ruled out supply restrictions and their political stablemate Nigel Scullion is against the re-introduction of alcohol into remote communities, because “it has never worked.”
Your “tax-payer” logic has never convinced me because the alcohol industry makes a profit while I pay for the 25% of alcohol-related car accidents Australia-wide and the white youth-binging emergency admissions etc, due to responsible serving of alcohol so that you can go to your fridge and get on the sauce after work, supposedly, or as you say several times in yr posts, “probably.”
Your 97th no-brainer is another reminder that you’re increasingly becoming a lone ranger on the need for alcohol supply regulations. Take the Gapview knock-back as a sign of a of law and order town future.

By: Hal Duell

Hal Duell — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 15:27:42 +0000

@Steve
As you say: “There is only one way out of Ground Hog Day Hal! That is by doing something to break the cycle.”
I do so agree! And we could break the cycle of having a steady supply of inexpensive take-away grog available in Alice Springs by bringing in a day off, a day off for me and for you and for all the town.
The binge drinkers and their families and neighbors would also get a day off.
Are there really that many desperate alcoholics among them? I question that, but if there are, why must we pander to them?
And as for repeating myself …

By: Steve Brown

Steve Brown — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 08:38:13 +0000

Hal repeating your argument over and over at every opportunity doesn’t make it any more convincing it simply turns it from being an argument into irritating propaganda. Perhaps it about time you gave us a day off Hal, I’m sure most of us heard you the first time let alone the 97th! A day off solves nothing and greatly exacerbates the issues. What happens on your day off ? Firstly normal every day Joe hard working tax paying probably only buys his Alcohol on one day of the week probably pay day He’s not effected by the day off because He’s got beer in the fridge, and will drink it any bloody time he chooses. So that leaves the ones you want a rest from Hal, Problem drinkers, alcoholics, you name it, now they do know that the “Day Off”, is tomorrow because to them it does matter, a great deal. So what do they do about it? They go out and buy, beg or steal twice as much Booze as they would normally consume in a day getting ready for the day off! Being alcoholics, once having all that extra alcohol they simply cant resist drinking it, so on the night before the day off you get a huge upsurge in noise fighting partying which cumulates the next day when all the booze has worn off in some very grumpy drinkers, facing the horrors, in desperate need of a drink. who then go looking for it probably in your house while your having your day off snooze Hal In short Hal when you are dealing with addicts of any kind things remain at their calmest when there is no threat or fluctuation in supply. Your calling for a day off because you want a rest from noise and fighting or so you say, “Well Hal”, we have laws against those things wouldn’t it make a hole lot more sense to campaign for those laws to be properly enforced than doing some roundabout fiddling with alcohol supply which is going to result in bedlam greater levels of division anger assaults murders domestic violence noise because your telling raging alcoholics they cant have what they so desperately want, because “you”, want some peace and quiet! Do you really think they’re going to let you have that without perhaps just a little payback? There is only one way out of Ground Hog Day Hal! That is by doing something to break the cycle. Its time to subject our drunks to life changing rehabilitation introduce sensible seven day a week trading hours and to put the naive and simplistic restriction propaganda away where we’ve just put the Labor Party who propagated it, On the Scrap Heap!

By: Bob Durnan

Bob Durnan — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 08:04:31 +0000

Thanks Hal, you have expressed very well what many people are feeling.

Re Dave’s comments (David Chewings Posted October 9, 2012 at 11:00 am):
The decision by the Licensing Commission on this matter is not related in any way to the NTER, federal laws or anything other than the Licensing Commission’s pre-NTER (and still current) obligation to consider the application under its powers and responsibilities as outlined by NT legislation.
The current restrictions applying to the Gapview and other Alice Springs licences are entirely the result of NT decisions under NT laws, and mainly consist of a package of regulation reforms which took effect in October 2006, with some further provisions resulting from the NTG’s Enough is Enough legislation, which until recently included requirements relating to the BDR.
The Licensing Commission’s responsibilities include the requirement to consider the overall wellbeing of the community when making decisions about licensing matters.

By: Hal Duell

Hal Duell — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 06:24:18 +0000

The Commission expressed its view that “the potential risk to community amenity, social harmony and well-being” outweighed “the inconvenience encountered by visitors and contestants to the Masters Games wishing to purchase takeaway alcohol”.
That would have to be one of the most positive comments from a government agency that I have read in a long time. Now it needs to be extended to tourists and visitors in general, not just those who are coming to compete in the Masters Games.
To rephrase it – community amenity, social harmony and well-being trump any inconvenience felt by visitors to Alice Springs.
So true, and not before time.
Now let’s have a day off. Sundays are still considered somewhat special, and as most of the take-away outlets are already closed on that day, why not go all the way and close the rest of them?

By: David Chewings

David Chewings — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 01:30:28 +0000

Gapview knocked back a second time on extended hours on Masters Games grog trade by Kieran Finnane.
I am a little surprised that Gapview management expect any special treatment under the current laws that govern the intervention.
Ray and Dianne, as experienced publicans, are savvy enough to realise just how permanent the intervention policies are.
These horrid policies would be reinforced, in the unlikely scenario that Tony Abbott becomes our leader in 2013, by a costly return of Mal Brough, the army and his mates in the Federal police force.
Do you think that this would benefit Centralia?
David Chewings
aka THE lone dingo