More alcohol bans set to be added to Darwin's drinking laws

Darwin's bottle shop security guards are next in line to be armed with capsicum spray, under the Territory government's proposed liquor laws.

Transcript

00:00 The heat is on as summer approaches, with the NT government set to turn up the temperature

00:06 on liquor laws.

00:07 I know these will cause some disruption to people, it's a bit of a pain, but this is

00:11 about making sure we protect our community and make the tough decisions to do so.

00:16 Sweeping new changes, acting on a review of alcohol policy from earlier this year.

00:22 And if this means increasing the number of people on the BDR, then that's what we'll

00:26 do.

00:27 Included in the government's proposed changes, a new police power to ban people from drinking

00:31 for seven days, to be issued to anyone found acting disorderly or anyone found to be consuming

00:38 alcohol within two kilometres of a licensed premises or anywhere alcohol is banned.

00:43 In addition, from December, Darwin bottle shops will open from noon for a six to eight

00:48 week trial period to allow police to focus resources elsewhere.

00:52 These opening hours will be beneficial for our operations and ultimately protecting vulnerable

00:58 people in our community.

01:00 And security guards on Darwin bottle shops will now follow in the footsteps of transit

01:04 safety officers, arming themselves with capsicum spray.

01:08 There are really strong measures in there that won't be misused and that territories

01:12 are safe but it's being used for the right reason.

01:14 These laws will be rushed through parliament this week, likely with the support of the

01:18 opposition, but the COP say Labor is implementing these ideas far too late.

01:24 What's frustrating is that it's taken us months, months to actually see this come to

01:29 fruition.

01:30 With just three days of sittings left this year, territory parliament this week is likely

01:35 to be dominated yet again by alcohol and crime.

01:39 [BLANK_AUDIO]