Luke Gosling (Solomon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

For the honourable member that just spoke before me, it is as if they had not been in government for 10 years. It was as idiotic as the member for Fadden railing about our stewardship of this economy that we are obviously picking up after 10 years of decline under those opposite. So let's just be real here.

The bill by the Northern Territory CLP senator and federal legislation are just not necessary. It's public knowledge that the Minister for Indigenous Australians has been talking with and working with the Northern Territory government for months, as has the member for Lingiari, who has been a strong voice in Alice Springs on these issues not just now; they've been a strong voice for the Territory since well in the past.

It was a decision of the former coalition government, those opposite, around the stronger futures legislation that it expire on 17 July. Let's get a bit real. It happened before this parliament even met under the Albanese government. The former coalition government had years and years to plan for what to do when the legislation lapsed and, with it, the alcohol management restrictions in the NT. But they didn't plan for a transition, they didn't come up with a plan in partnership with the NT government and they didn't work to support families and communities in the NT. So that was the situation that those on this side, in the Albanese government, inherited on taking office.

Crime and antisocial behaviour has been an issue in Alice Springs for decades, like it has been in many other places in our nation, for all sorts of complex and layered reasons to do with the process of colonisation, disempowerment and intergenerational trauma. But those opposite want to politicise this at every opportunity. The claim that these problems have only existed for the past six months is idiotic, disingenuous and wrong. Like other states and territories across Australia, the Northern Territory government has responsibility for alcohol policy and regulation, and they are bringing forward legislation in the legislative assembly this week to revert town camps and remote communities to dry zones.

This new legislation will follow a local decision-making process where communities will develop their own community action plans. Communities that want to opt out of a dry zone will need 60 per cent of the population to vote in support of the community alcohol plan. Local areas will be able to choose to remain dry or select tailored restrictions which work for them. This community-led approach is crucial—and, frankly, what should have happened in the first place.

The last thing the Territory needs is another federally imposed intervention, because we all know how the last one went. I wasn't someone working from afar; I was up close with that intervention, and I can tell you that the lack of consultation by the Howard government at that time led to a reduction in capacity in our communities. The blanket labelling of Australian men in the Territory as alcoholics and abusers did so much damage. It stripped communities and the Northern Territory government's capacity, and now we're looking at the children of the intervention. Again, it's this notion of intergenerational trauma that I think escapes those opposite. These kids have grown up in communities that are now powerless and traumatised, and they've never been given a proper chance to take responsibility, to have a say over their own lives.

The Northern Territory government has demonstrated that they are now taking responsibility and have the power to act. On 25 January, the Chief Minister outlined a number of measures to address antisocial behaviour and crime, including one sale of alcohol per day, per person, following industry guidance. Alcohol-free days are Mondays and Tuesdays for take aways; and there are limited hours for the sale of alcohol, between 3 and 7 pm, except on Saturdays.

What we know is that in the Territory alcohol restrictions are only part of the solution. There is so much that we need to do and that our government will do in cooperation with the NT government—and that is social and economic drivers of community development.

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