Today, the governments of Australia and the Northern Territory unveiled a historic package for Central Australia that would boost community safety, address alcohol-related damage, and provide young people more possibilities.
The Australian government and that of the Northern Territory will keep collaborating with the Central Australian community to find longer-term solutions to the problems the region is experiencing.
Alcohol limitations alone won’t address the fundamental reasons of antisocial behavior, researchers and community leaders have noted. The problems are intricate and have grown over many years.
Next week, the Northern Territory Government will introduce laws to tighten alcohol regulations and turn towns, camps, and communities back into dry zones. Community Alcohol Plans will be prepared by the community and must then be approved by the Director of Liquor Licensing under the new legislation, which will be implemented locally. The Community Alcohol Plan must receive the backing of 60% of the electorate in order for a community to opt out of a dry zone.
Local communities will have the option of choosing to remain dry or specific limits that work for them.
The Australian Government will invest $250 million on a strategy for A Better, Safer Future for Central Australia in order to address the decline in services and investment over the past ten years in particular. This strategy will center on:
More juvenile participation and diversion programs will improve community safety and cohesion.
In order to replace the failed Community Development Program, there must be job creation, particularly in the communities surrounding Alice Springs (CDP).
preventing and dealing with the problems brought on by fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, including improved response from the legal and medical institutions.
investing in families, such as through enhancing domestic violence programs and better supporting parents and elders.
Taking care of culture and nation can increase school attendance and completion rates.
The suggestions of the Central Australian Regional Controller, Dorrelle Anderson, have guided these decisions by the governments of the Northern Territory and Australia.
Canberra has made far too many decisions about Central Australia. This time, the Australian government will adopt a novel strategy by first hearing from local communities.
The announcements made today complement the $48 million in community safety investments announced by the Australian government on January 24. Those investments included:
$14.2 more will go toward high-profile police and legal operations that target grog running, increase the number of people who check if licenses are being followed, and beef up security in public areas.
In order to provide young people somewhere to go at night and improve the effectiveness of the night patrol program, which will soon get underway to help get young people off the streets, $5.6 million will be allocated for more emergency housing and safe spaces.
$2 million to expand domestic violence programs through the Tangentyere Women’s Family Safety Group.
$25 million will be used to extend funding for safety and community services, which is currently slated to expire in June 2023, in order to give providers and their staff assurance and guarantee that this work is carried out.
The Northern Territory’s major investment by the Australian government will be carried out in collaboration with the local population. Because the neighborhood can provide the best solutions.
In accordance with the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, the Australian Government will collaborate with the local community, organizations, the Central Australian Regional Controller, the Northern Territory Government, businesses, and local government.
