Northern Territory communities struggling with spiking crime after mandatory alcohol bans lapsed are likely to return to being dry.
A report sparked by a crime spree in Alice Springs has been handed to the federal and NT governments and is set to be discussed in Canberra on Thursday.
Media outlets are reporting that it recommends the territory legislate alcohol restrictions while communities take the time to come up with alcohol management plans before they can choose to opt out of the bans.
NT Chief Minister Natasha Fyles blamed the former federal coalition government for its heavy-handed action against Indigenous communities, including blanket alcohol bans.
"Communities have said to us, 'We don't want to opt-in (to alcohol bans), we're sick of alcohol being a race-based issue'," she told reporters in Canberra ahead of a meeting with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
"We put in place legislation that did provide that ability for dry communities to continue - a number of communities reverted to being dry."
The Central Australian Aboriginal Congress has called for alcohol bans while communities are consulted about whether they wish to stay dry.
It says an opt-out rather than an opt-in model should then be adopted.
The NT government last week moved to restrict the sale of alcohol in Alice Springs amid a surging youth crime crisis that has left many in the community calling for federal intervention.
NT Attorney-General Chansey Paech said the government "coming over the top and continuing to oppress people and tell them what is good for them does not work", referring to Howard-era interventions.
Ms Fyles has also proposed running a ballot in central communities as a litmus test for whether there is an appetite for alcohol intervention.
"Ensuring that we do hear from the whole community, not just perhaps the vocal few, that was where the idea of a ballot came forward," she said.
Ms Fyles said police numbers and investment had increased under the NT Labor government, but her attorney-general added that more Commonwealth investment was needed to help support Indigenous empowerment.
Alice Springs Mayor Matt Paterson said alcohol bans shouldn't be a permanent fixture, but were a welcome first step.
"I want to be clear that I'm not suggesting that it be forever, and so I'm glad to see that (the report) does quote the alcohol management plans," he told Sky News.
Opposition frontbencher Karen Andrews said more police on the ground needed to be considered by the federal government.
"We do know that there has been a significant uptick in issues once alcohol bans were lifted," she told Sky News.
"The Albanese government is fairly and squarely accountable for the issues that are arising now. They have sat on their hands for months."
