Leading Indigenous administrator — and co-chair of the Joint Council on Closing the Gap — Pat Turner has called for the immediate release of Dorrelle Anderson's report on alcohol restrictions in the Northern Territory.
The report was delivered to the territory's chief minister, Natasha Fyles, and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese yesterday. The ABC understands the report has recommended the Northern Territory government "urgently" legislate amendments to its liquor act to impose alcohol restrictions in Central Australia, including town camps.
In an interview with ABC's 7.30, Ms Turner criticised the limited time that Ms Anderson was given to deliver her recommendations and cautioned against "knee-jerk reactions" from government.
"The appointment of Dorrelle … to produce a report on the alcohol restrictions in a few days is totally inadequate … and I urge the Northern Territory and Commonwealth government to release it immediately to the public, not to sit on it," Ms Turner said.
While acknowledging alcohol wasn't the only factor behind the unrest and anti-social behaviour in Alice Springs, Turner condemned the Northern Territory government's decision to allow the lifting of alcohol restrictions in communities.
"I think that it was a hasty move on the part of the Northern Territory government, and I think a very foolish one … Rather than having to opt-in to stay dry, they should have left it open to communities to stay dry and then write to the government and say, 'We want to be a wet community', rather than the other way around."
The prime minister announced Dorelle Anderson's appointment as Northern Territory Regional Controller during a visit to Alice Springs last week, commissioning her to consult with communities about the reintroduction of alcohol restrictions and an opt-out system, and report back by February 1.
At the same time, Anthony Albanese detailed almost $50 million in spending on services and programs to improve safety in the town.
Ms Turner told ABC's 7.30 it was time to "sit down and work out a fair dinkum strategy" to address ongoing problems with housing, infrastructure and education, and for joint, long-term investment from both levels of government.
In the short term, Ms Turner is arguing for the reintroduction of alcohol restrictions.
"There have to be restrictions while we've got this crisis, because things really have to be bought back in to order to give safety and security to all of the people all across the Northern Territory, but especially those who are, you know, being impacted so badly in Alice Springs," she explained.
Communities need 'greater investment'
Born and raised in Alice Springs, Ms Turner was a welfare officer in the town in the 1970s. She says the violence and crime that's erupted there is the "culmination of decades of neglect" by successive territory and federal governments.
Having spent her career working to improve the health and welfare of Indigenous Australians, Ms Turner says policy-makers' failure to engage with First Nations people — as well as chronic underinvestment in housing and services — have led to the intractable problems besetting Alice Springs.
She says effective cooperation, more money and giving Aboriginal people a say in how and where it's spent are fundamental to any solution.
"We need greater investment. I do get frustrated with the Northern Territory government but, in this case, I certainly know that they have nowhere near the resources required to do all of the things that need to be done in the territory without Commonwealth support," she said.
"So what the governments have to do is listen to what we've been saying, and have us at the decision-making table. And the sooner they do that, the better."
Watch 7.30, Mondays to Thursdays 7.30pm on ABC iview and ABC TV
