APH Inquiry into the harmful use of alcohol

CLANT has made this Submssion to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Indigenous Affairs Inquiry into the harmful use of alcohol in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, including these Recommendations:

• This inquiry urge the Northern Territory Government to reinstate the Banned Drinkers Register
• This Inquiry urge the Northern Territory Government to immediately provide access to data compiled by the NT Police and Department of Health which would enable the effect of the abolition of the Banned Drinkers Register to be independently evaluated
• This Inquiry support the tiered volumetric taxation of alcohol, as recommended by the Henry Review.
• This Inquiry urge the Northern Territory Government to fix a floor price for the purchase of alcohol.
• This inquiry urge the Northern Territory Government to take the following measures in relation to the Alcohol Mandatory Treatment scheme:
  • Amend the AMT Act to:
    • guarantee legal representation for people appearing before the AMT Tribunal
    • remove all criminal sanctions for breaching AMT tribunal orders
    • clarify and limit the exercise of police powers of apprehension for the purposes of the operation of the AMT scheme
    • provide effective judicial review of decisions made in the assessment phase of the AMT scheme
  • Institute an independent evaluation of the AMT scheme and Act
• This inquiry urge the Northern Territory Government to abolish the Alcohol Protection Order scheme.
• This Inquiry invite the NT Police to explain the legal basis on which police exercise their powers under the Temporary Beat Locations program.
• This Inquiry urge the Northern Territory Government to immediately provide access to data compiled by the NT Police and Department of Health, including data in relation to the cost of maintaining the program, which would enable the Temporary Beat Locations program to be independently evaluated.