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Member for Robertson, Dr Gordon Reid, has spoken against a Bill introduced to the House of Representatives that he described as an attempt by the federal parliament to override the Northern Territory’s “ability to legislate for itself”.
“There is absolutely no doubt that the people in Alice Springs and in the Territory right across Central Australia are doing it tough,” Dr Reid said, speaking in response to a Bill introduced by Northern Territory Senator Jacinta Price to reintroduce the NTs alcohol bans (the Northern Territory Safe Measures Bill).
“Federal legislation, however, is only going to disempower local people. The bill makes the minister responsible for approving alcohol management plans that communities develop. This approach would mean that ultimate decision-making for alcohol management plans for communities in the Northern Territory are made in Canberra,” he said.
“We want the Commonwealth and state and territory governments to work in partnership. We want them to work together.
“We want the community to be driving solutions, because we need solutions. We need solutions for harm minimisation and we need solutions for alcohol—in particular, for the health problems relating to alcohol.
“I can talk about alcohol-associated organ damage—particularly to do with the heart: arrhythmias; cardiomyopathy, where the heart grows and it’s unable to pump properly and pump blood to vital organs; high blood pressure.
“If we talk about the brain, we’re talking about stroke and about something called Wernicke’s encephalopathy, where the brain is in a constant state of delirium.
“We can talk about cirrhosis and hepatitis of the liver, and pancreatitis. The health problems associated with alcohol are absolutely catastrophic, and that’s why the community needs to be driving these solutions.
“Now, Senator Price’s approach is in contrast to the approach announced by the Northern Territory.
“They are proposing that the community alcohol plans be approved by the independent Northern Territory Director of Liquor Licensing and then be voted on by the community themselves.
“Communities wishing to opt out of alcohol restrictions will require a 60 per cent approval vote for the community alcohol plan to be accepted and for the restrictions to cease.
“Under the Northern Territory model, decision-making is within the community. As I said before, federal legislation will only disempower local people. This is a much better option, as it addresses the immediate problem while empowering communities to make their own decisions.
“That has not been the case in times gone by. The approach of this government has always been and continues to be focused on outcomes, not playing politics with the issue, as we can see from those opposite and as we can see from those in the other place.
“The Commonwealth has announced additional funding support for the Northern Territory to work on these longer-term social and economic issues, and in particular to address the decline in service and investment that happened over the last decade under the watch of those opposite.
“The Australian government will invest $250 million in a plan for a better, safer future for Central Australia.
“This plan is going to focus on improved community safety and cohesion through more youth engagement and diversion programs.
“It’s going to focus on employment and job creation, particularly in those communities that surround Alice Springs, including urgent changes as part of replacing the failed Community Development Program.
“It’s going to focus on better services by improving health services to address a lot of those alcohol related issues with alcohol associated organ damage and fetal alcohol syndrome.
“Fetal alcohol syndrome, as some members may not be aware, can lead to poor concentration, behavioural issues, learning difficulties and speech and language changes.
“Then there are also abnormal facial features and physical deformities that occur—small palpebral fissures affecting the eyes; a smooth philtrum, which is the bit above the upper lip; micrognathia, or a small jaw, causing problems with speech and eating; and microcephaly, which is unusually small development of the head.
“We are preventing issues such as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder by investing in the health system.
“We’re investing in families, including by better supporting elders, better supporting parents, boosting domestic violence services and, in particular, on-country learning, improving school attendance and completion through caring for culture and caring for country.
“This package is in addition to the $48 million investment in community safety announced by the Australian government, the Albanese Labor government, on 24 January this year.
“Those opposite have left the Northern Territory in a state of disrepair, and it’s now time that we get to work and fix it.”
