A senior Northern Territory police officer says the force is "very concerned" about the upcoming end of federal legislation that restricts access to alcohol in some of the NT's Indigenous communities.
The bans came into force during the Commonwealth's NT Emergency Response – known as the NT Intervention – in 2007, and have continued under the Stronger Futures legislation since 2012.
Those laws expire this year, meaning the only alcohol restrictions that will continue in the Territory are those covered by the NT Liquor Act.
The 32 town camps, 12 remote communities and 215 homelands subject to the soon-to-end bans have until July 16 to opt in to continue them for two more years.
Acting Superintendent Rob Engels said NT Police had been "very active in voicing our concerns" about the impacts on the communities going forward.
The federal government has not said whether it will extend the legislation; the NT government said it was certain the bans would come to an end.
Acting Superintendent Engels said police were still working through what the end of the restrictions would mean for police.
He also said it was unclear how it would affect the police auxiliary officers who monitored Central Australian bottle shops.
'Bugger-all' notice
Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT) chief executive John Paterson said the sector had been given "bugger-all notice" on the changes, which he said would have "enormous" impacts.
Mr Paterson said AMSANT had concerns about the "hasty" transition process, saying consultation with stakeholders was urgently needed.
He said he could see a future where the alcohol bans were lifted, but that "we've got to have good regulations".
The NT government has extended other aspects of Stronger Futures legislation for two years, including what food is to be available in remote communities and rules around school attendance.
Chief Minister Michael Gunner said the alcohol restrictions, in their current form, were racist.
Mr Paterson accused the NT government of "rushing" the legislation through parliament without due consideration.
He said he had written to federal and Territory ministers and requested the alcohol bans be given the same grace period to allow Aboriginal organisations to prepare.
"Withdraw it, pause it, until we get a good process, community engagement strategy in place and those negotiations and have the relevant stakeholders."
