Long wait on booze review
A MAJOR review of Queensland’s controversial alcohol management plan for indigenous communities remains in bureaucratic limbo more than three years after it was announced.
The State Government in January 2016 launched a major review of the alcohol management plans, which restricts how much alcohol can be sold, brought into, or consumed in communities.
More than 42 months on, the State Government has yet to provide a firm date on when the review will be complete.
Frustrated Palm Island Mayor Alf Lacey said he just wanted a decision made and focus put on other important matters in the community.
“Cabinet and the Labor Government really needs to get its act together, in terms of coming up with a decision,” he said. “It’s been years and we still haven’t arrived at a policy position in terms of how to move forward together.”
Cr Lacey said the island was looking for “flexibility” not “open slather”. Palm Island’s current AMP limits the amount of alcohol that can be brought into the community to 30 cans of light or midstrength beer.
The proposed changes don’t include increasing the volume of alcohol allowed to be brought into the community but if approved would allow drinks such as mid-strength pre-mix spirits and cider to be consumed on the island.
A spokesman for Deputy Premier and Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships Jackie Trad said the review was being informed by community engagement and was expected “to be finalised in the coming months”.
However, Ms Trad in June 2018 said the review was expected to be finalised “by early 2019”.
“Future approaches will be developed in partnership with Palm Island and other local communities, based on what works best for them,” the spokesman said.
Traeger MP Robbie Katter, whose electorate includes the indigenous community of Mornington Island, said Ms Trad had dropped the ball and allowed symptoms of the alcohol ban like the consumption of dodgy home brew and illicit drugs to fester.
“Don’t hold your breath (on the review being completed soon), you’ll asphyxiate,” he said.
Opposition Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships spokesman Dr Christian Rowan said it was “not surprising” Queensland was the only state to not be on track for a single Closing the Gap target.