The Northern Territory Liquor Commission has implemented stringent new drinking regulations in Alice Springs, targeting over twenty pubs and bars in a decisive effort to curb alcohol-related violence and criminal activity. These controversial measures, which took effect this week, restrict the service of full-strength alcoholic beverages to specific hours on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
Details of the New Alcohol Service Rules
Under the revised licence conditions, impacted venues are now only permitted to serve full-strength alcohol between 11:30 am and 3:00 pm on those three mid-week days. Crucially, this service is conditional upon customers ordering a full meal alongside their drinks. The restrictions apply to more than twenty licensed establishments across the outback town, which boasts a resident population of nearly 35,000 and welcomed approximately 792,000 visitors in 2024.
Additional Security Measures and Existing Controls
The liquor commission has also recommended that several popular venues, including Todd Tavern, The Rock Bar, Bojangles Saloon & Restaurant, and Uncles Tavern, introduce on-site identification systems. These systems aim to prevent individuals subject to banning orders from being served alcohol. These new rules supplement existing limitations on takeaway alcohol sales, which are already confined to a five-day window from Wednesday through Sunday.
Community and Industry Reaction
The imposition of these regulations has sharply divided the Alice Springs community. Hospitality NT, the industry body representing venues, strongly criticised what it termed "unprecedented restrictions." Chief executive Cathy Simmonds highlighted the operational challenges, stating that varying conditions for twenty licences simultaneously is unprecedented and will necessitate extensive staff retraining due to the day-to-day inconsistency of the rules.
Conversely, many local residents and community organisations have expressed support for the measures. In submissions during the consultation period, advocates argued that the proposals are targeted and minimally invasive, using existing technology and research to address the problem while limiting inconvenience to the general public. One long-term resident described the variations as "an effective way of providing guardrails around alcohol consumption."
Official Statements and Historical Context
Northern Territory Police have cautiously welcomed the restrictions. Southern Commander James Gray-Spence noted that police submissions explored various risk controls to reduce alcohol-related harm, with observations confirming a trend of increased incidents between Wednesday and Friday, as reported by other businesses.
Liquor Commissioner Russell Goldflam acknowledged that submissions during the recent consultation were "sharply divided." In his decision, he stated that the commission is acutely aware that the underlying causes of the identified problems are beyond its power to address, and that its role is limited to varying licence conditions.
This intervention follows less than two years after local youths were subjected to a 20-day night-time curfew in response to a spate of violent incidents in Alice Springs. The new drinking rules represent the latest in a series of ongoing efforts to mitigate alcohol-related harm in central Australia, balancing public safety concerns with the economic interests of the hospitality sector.
