The Northern Territory Chief Minister has denied responsibility for a surge in alcohol-related harm and violence in Central Australia after the lifting of long-term grog bans.
The Stronger Futures laws came to an end on July 17, making liquor legal in dozens of Aboriginal living areas for the first time in 15 years.
Natasha Fyles blamed the federal government for the intervention-era restrictions ceasing.
"It wasn't our change in policy — it was the federal Coalition government's change in policy," she told ABC Radio Alice Springs on Wednesday.
"There was a Commonwealth piece of legislation that ceased."
In Alice Springs, domestic violence and alcohol-related assaults increased by 48 per cent over the 12 months to October, according to the latest NT Police crime statistics.
There were 266 assaults recorded in the township in October — the highest monthly total in at least eight years.
Ms Fyles said her government had made strides towards addressing the challenges caused by alcohol in the Northern Territory.
"Where is the question to the former Coalition Commonwealth [government], who walked away from this," she asked.
"We deal with what we can — we've got interim legislation, we've got the BDR (banned drinkers register), we've got a floor price, we've got risk-based licensing.
"But I don't think it's fair to place blame when it was not our legislation that ceased."
NT's Chief Minister said she was particularly focused on tackling alcohol-related harm in Alice Springs, which has borne the brunt of the escalation in crime.
"For communities and town camps, some have chosen to not have any alcohol," she said.
"We are encouraging communities to look at the fact that they can sign up and have a two-year period of no alcohol whilst they work out an alcohol management plan.
"Then they can decide whether they allow takeaway [alcohol service] ... [or] look at a licensed venue within their community."
Communities and town camps can opt in to be a dry community until January 31, 2023.
Alice Springs Mayor Matt Paterson has challenged Ms Fyles's position on legislating alcohol policy, saying it was not fair to blame previous governments.
"[Ms Fyles'] government can make laws, parliaments make laws, so they can change that law," he said.
"We're here now, you can blame whoever you want, but the fact is I'm in local government, things that go wrong — you can't blame other people, because we're responsible now.
"At some point, you've got to stop blaming former governments, and then if you're in charge, you can make the laws — make the laws."
Mr Paterson believes the current alcohol restrictions are not working and is urging the chief minister to "go back to the drawing board".
He said the NT government's response to the end of the Stronger Futures legislation was "clearly rushed".
"We had 10 years to come up with a solution — we didn't do it, and then it was just on our doorstep," the mayor said.
"Stronger Futures was there for 10 years — it could have been there for two more while we put plans and processes in place.
"If it wasn't around an election time it would have been extended, but Alice Springs was again used as a political football."
Earlier this week, NT Police Acting Commander for Central Australia Kirsten Engels came out in support of greater restrictions on the supply of alcohol, saying "we don't need to reinvent the wheel".
She said it was "impossible" not to link a spike in domestic violence incidents in Alice Springs and the ending of the bans.
"I regularly speak to my people on the street, and they tell me that the alcohol-fuelled assaults are not abating," she said.
"We've been gathering stats ... they settled for a little bit, and now they seem to be taking off in the wrong direction.
"We are correlating domestic and family violence with an increase in alcohol for sure."
Alcohol laws in the Northern Territory are currently under a three-year review by the NT government, with consultation opening earlier this week.
