1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,720 Speaker 1: Now, we did get a statement from the Northern Territory 2 00:00:02,759 --> 00:00:05,520 Speaker 1: government a bit earlier this morning saying that takeaway liquor 3 00:00:05,559 --> 00:00:09,000 Speaker 1: outlets trading in the Northern Territory can now access government 4 00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:13,640 Speaker 1: support to engage crowd control services during its permitted liquor 5 00:00:13,720 --> 00:00:17,160 Speaker 1: operating hours. So the crowd control assistance granted is going 6 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:21,079 Speaker 1: to provide immediate financial support to take away liquor outlets 7 00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:24,639 Speaker 1: who are experiencing anti social behavior within their premises or 8 00:00:24,680 --> 00:00:29,040 Speaker 1: have been impacted by crime. And this announcement follows on 9 00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:33,400 Speaker 1: it was obviously initially announced about a week or so ago, 10 00:00:33,680 --> 00:00:39,080 Speaker 1: following on from the tragic situation which saw the death 11 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:41,640 Speaker 1: of Declan Lavity now joining me on the line to 12 00:00:41,680 --> 00:00:44,560 Speaker 1: talk a little bit more about this crowd control funding 13 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:48,519 Speaker 1: and how it's potentially going to work. From Hospitality NT 14 00:00:48,760 --> 00:00:51,800 Speaker 1: the CEO, Alex Bruce, Good morning to you, Alex. 15 00:00:52,680 --> 00:00:54,240 Speaker 2: Good morning kety Alex. 16 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:57,720 Speaker 1: These takeaway liquor outlets trading in the Northern Territory now 17 00:00:57,760 --> 00:01:02,360 Speaker 1: able to access crowd control services or to engage this 18 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:03,320 Speaker 1: support service. 19 00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:07,600 Speaker 3: How's it going to work from your perspective, It's. 20 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:10,080 Speaker 2: A bit of good news today. We know that no 21 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:13,960 Speaker 2: one measure is going to magically fix it. But this 22 00:01:14,160 --> 00:01:16,520 Speaker 2: was one that some of the industry went to government 23 00:01:16,520 --> 00:01:20,880 Speaker 2: on very early on after unfortunately that tragic outcome at 24 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:25,720 Speaker 2: airport BWS. And it's important to know that there's a 25 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:28,800 Speaker 2: bit of a difference between a static security guard and 26 00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:30,760 Speaker 2: you can think that you've seen some of those in 27 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:33,160 Speaker 2: and around the shopping centers, in and around some of 28 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:36,839 Speaker 2: the corporate chained bottle shops in the past and still continuing. 29 00:01:37,319 --> 00:01:40,720 Speaker 2: Crowd controllers are something that our late night venues, you know, 30 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:43,920 Speaker 2: the old bounces the industry very professional and come a 31 00:01:43,959 --> 00:01:47,960 Speaker 2: long way since then. But yeah, you'd come into contact 32 00:01:47,960 --> 00:01:50,360 Speaker 2: with our crowd controllers along Mitchell Street at a late 33 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:54,400 Speaker 2: late late night a venue. So it's people that are 34 00:01:54,480 --> 00:01:58,000 Speaker 2: highly trained in verbal de escalation, you know, always that 35 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:02,360 Speaker 2: is the preference to the talk out of aggressive situations 36 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:05,760 Speaker 2: when faced with a customer that's out of control. But 37 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:09,480 Speaker 2: also they are equipped with those skills to man handle 38 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:11,880 Speaker 2: you out of venues. You know, you could just think 39 00:02:11,919 --> 00:02:14,160 Speaker 2: of some of those you may have seen later at night. 40 00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:17,480 Speaker 2: So as a temporary measure, it is just a three 41 00:02:17,480 --> 00:02:21,920 Speaker 2: month stop gap that the government's committed to backdated to 42 00:02:22,160 --> 00:02:25,280 Speaker 2: the data that announcement on that Wednesday, the first week 43 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:29,679 Speaker 2: after the tragedy through till thirtieth of June. So they've 44 00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:32,560 Speaker 2: opened the grant today, which is good. They had been 45 00:02:32,560 --> 00:02:34,640 Speaker 2: able to tell us ahead of time, you know, have 46 00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:37,160 Speaker 2: some certainty please go out there, and anyone that wants 47 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:40,079 Speaker 2: to do that to provide the support and safety to 48 00:02:40,520 --> 00:02:42,919 Speaker 2: their staff and their customers go forth, because it would 49 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:45,919 Speaker 2: be backdated to the announcement of the Chief Minister on 50 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:49,440 Speaker 2: that Wednesday morning. So they've wanted that, which is really good. 51 00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:52,680 Speaker 2: And so you're already seeing more presence in and around 52 00:02:52,680 --> 00:02:56,320 Speaker 2: our networks. Obviously, every different business makes their own decisions 53 00:02:56,320 --> 00:03:00,359 Speaker 2: in that regard, but yeah, hopefully we can instill some 54 00:03:00,360 --> 00:03:04,880 Speaker 2: some safety and and calm down, you know, the legitimate 55 00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:07,640 Speaker 2: concerns that our staff and customers have had with some 56 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:10,560 Speaker 2: of the horrific incidents that were leading up to that 57 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:12,400 Speaker 2: very very horrible outcome. 58 00:03:12,639 --> 00:03:15,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, I hadn't sort of realized that it was a 59 00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:17,920 Speaker 1: situation where it wasn't just like that static security that 60 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:21,480 Speaker 1: stands outside, but more so, like you've said, there those 61 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:25,040 Speaker 1: that are that are trained in crowd control, Alex, I 62 00:03:25,080 --> 00:03:27,720 Speaker 1: guess the question that you know that that for some 63 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:30,480 Speaker 1: of those outlets. They might be wondering at this point 64 00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:33,840 Speaker 1: is how much money is going or how much you know, 65 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:37,440 Speaker 1: are they eligible to sort of apply for in terms 66 00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:40,560 Speaker 1: of you know, financials or even in terms of the 67 00:03:40,720 --> 00:03:41,880 Speaker 1: hours I suppose. 68 00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:46,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, all the details are on the department's website now 69 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:49,920 Speaker 2: only if you just Google search you know, crowd control 70 00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:53,280 Speaker 2: Assistant grant, it does come up. It went live this morning. 71 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:55,920 Speaker 2: I don't really want to talk numbers, but it's all 72 00:03:55,960 --> 00:03:57,600 Speaker 2: there for anyone that wants to have a look at it. 73 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:01,360 Speaker 2: Because a lot of the smaller venues may probably will 74 00:04:01,360 --> 00:04:05,600 Speaker 2: outsource to private security firms. So you know that there's 75 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:07,240 Speaker 2: a bit of commercial about what it is, but it's 76 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:10,320 Speaker 2: there in terms of transparency for your listeners about what 77 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:13,680 Speaker 2: the hourly support is, what kind of businesses are eligible, 78 00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:17,080 Speaker 2: which ones aren't, And the activity is very much about 79 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:19,200 Speaker 2: and you'll have to prove that you're putting them on. 80 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:22,440 Speaker 2: It's about when the bottle shops are open, when the 81 00:04:22,480 --> 00:04:25,680 Speaker 2: takeaway service is open. It's not to protect the assets 82 00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:28,840 Speaker 2: after hours from break ins. That's something else. 83 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:31,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, right, So it is just literally the hours that 84 00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:34,760 Speaker 1: you're open so that you can make sure that staff 85 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:36,360 Speaker 1: and indeed customers are safe. 86 00:04:37,279 --> 00:04:37,679 Speaker 2: Correct. 87 00:04:38,720 --> 00:04:39,400 Speaker 3: I'm just trying to. 88 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:41,919 Speaker 1: Open that website now, Alex, But it sounds as though 89 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:45,080 Speaker 1: this will be something I'm assuming that is welcomed to 90 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:46,760 Speaker 1: buy those takeaway out let's. 91 00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:48,440 Speaker 3: What's the feedback been so far? 92 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:53,440 Speaker 2: Oh, pretty good from the data the announcement two weeks ago. 93 00:04:53,520 --> 00:04:55,760 Speaker 2: You know, we've been fielding calls every day saying when 94 00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:58,720 Speaker 2: can we get more detail about this? So we're happy 95 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:00,400 Speaker 2: that it's out there. We're happy that it's out there 96 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:03,560 Speaker 2: before Easter, and you know, we do appreciate when we 97 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:05,840 Speaker 2: spoke to you probably a week or so a bit 98 00:05:05,839 --> 00:05:09,120 Speaker 2: more plus on this. You know, there was an announcement 99 00:05:09,240 --> 00:05:11,400 Speaker 2: very quickly by the government. It was something that they 100 00:05:11,400 --> 00:05:14,640 Speaker 2: could do quite immediately, but then obviously appreciate that then 101 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:16,960 Speaker 2: they have to put it into the agencies and they 102 00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:18,599 Speaker 2: have to do all the right work to make sure that, 103 00:05:18,640 --> 00:05:21,120 Speaker 2: you know, all the due process, and this is tax 104 00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:22,440 Speaker 2: payers money at the end of the day, you know, 105 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:23,720 Speaker 2: we've got to make sure that it's got the right 106 00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:26,039 Speaker 2: riggor around it. So, you know, we would have liked 107 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:29,039 Speaker 2: to see this out sooner, but we're happy that it 108 00:05:29,120 --> 00:05:31,599 Speaker 2: is one of the measures. I don't want people to 109 00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:34,000 Speaker 2: think that we're hanging a hat on this solely and 110 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:38,000 Speaker 2: you are seeing as I kin, that original press release 111 00:05:38,040 --> 00:05:41,159 Speaker 2: on that Wednesday threw a lot of thought bubbles out 112 00:05:41,160 --> 00:05:44,080 Speaker 2: there that the government was willing to work on. And 113 00:05:43,640 --> 00:05:46,400 Speaker 2: now now there's mad work by many people behind the 114 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:49,800 Speaker 2: scenes to put bones on the scale, to put meat 115 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:50,800 Speaker 2: on the skeleton. You know. 116 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:53,599 Speaker 1: Yeah, well, and I'm just looking now, So forty five 117 00:05:53,640 --> 00:05:57,039 Speaker 1: dollars an hour for each contracted crowd controller over the 118 00:05:57,080 --> 00:06:02,080 Speaker 1: next next few months. Those elegia businesses obviously grocery stores 119 00:06:02,080 --> 00:06:05,120 Speaker 1: with liquor licenses, bars and clubs with attached bottle shop 120 00:06:05,120 --> 00:06:08,760 Speaker 1: and takeaway liquor outlets as well. Alex has been discussion 121 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:12,599 Speaker 1: about whether we should actually have palis on bottle shops 122 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:15,400 Speaker 1: in the top end like we see in Central Australia. 123 00:06:15,520 --> 00:06:16,920 Speaker 3: What do you make of that discussion? 124 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:23,040 Speaker 2: Oh, look, it's difficult. There is nothing stopping pallies across 125 00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:27,240 Speaker 2: the network. It's not like it's exclusively just a regional solution. 126 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:30,120 Speaker 2: They've got the police have the powers under the Act 127 00:06:30,160 --> 00:06:33,800 Speaker 2: to do it territory wide. They obviously see biggest bang 128 00:06:33,839 --> 00:06:38,120 Speaker 2: for their buck getting complete coverage in towns like Catherine 129 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:41,359 Speaker 2: Tennant and Alice. It is the case that if you 130 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:45,920 Speaker 2: don't get full coverage in a town, they're largely ineffective. 131 00:06:46,000 --> 00:06:47,760 Speaker 2: So what I mean by that, you know, there's nine 132 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:51,440 Speaker 2: takeaway outlets in Alice Springs. If they only manage to 133 00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:55,599 Speaker 2: mount a guard of the bottle shops with police general duties, 134 00:06:55,600 --> 00:06:57,919 Speaker 2: if there aren't enough pallies on seven of those outlets, 135 00:06:58,360 --> 00:07:02,240 Speaker 2: the other two spike on the day whips around very quickly. 136 00:07:03,040 --> 00:07:06,560 Speaker 2: Now they're they're they're legal, they're they're they're passing the intops, 137 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:09,640 Speaker 2: they're passing the green screen BDR and they're getting served. 138 00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:13,160 Speaker 2: So it is a tricky one that I've seen the 139 00:07:13,240 --> 00:07:16,360 Speaker 2: Council's submission to the Liquor Act, and we did meet 140 00:07:16,400 --> 00:07:19,160 Speaker 2: with the mayor. He's right, and we're working through the issues. 141 00:07:19,200 --> 00:07:21,440 Speaker 2: We'll agree to disagree on many of them, but we 142 00:07:21,480 --> 00:07:23,920 Speaker 2: do want to be part of the part of the 143 00:07:23,960 --> 00:07:26,120 Speaker 2: solution and we know we've got a role to play 144 00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:29,000 Speaker 2: in that regard. So we're meeting with the Mayor and 145 00:07:29,320 --> 00:07:32,320 Speaker 2: Luccio out in Palmerston tomorrow as well, and we've been 146 00:07:32,320 --> 00:07:36,080 Speaker 2: feeding in our submissions to the Chief Men's Department, who's 147 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:39,240 Speaker 2: conducting the Liquor Act right now, the review, So you know, 148 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:41,440 Speaker 2: I think that is the appropriate way for us to 149 00:07:41,480 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 2: all on evidence based policy try and land some of 150 00:07:44,920 --> 00:07:47,720 Speaker 2: these things. But some of the commentary is just a 151 00:07:47,720 --> 00:07:50,160 Speaker 2: bit too simplistic. That gets thrown out right now, and 152 00:07:50,640 --> 00:07:55,239 Speaker 2: we'd prefer that mature conversation because I know your listeners 153 00:07:55,280 --> 00:07:59,559 Speaker 2: know this. You know, I feel like they keep tightening 154 00:07:59,560 --> 00:08:02,200 Speaker 2: the rules for supply. Clearly there are other issues, and 155 00:08:02,200 --> 00:08:04,520 Speaker 2: in fact those issues are getting worse. So we need 156 00:08:04,560 --> 00:08:06,680 Speaker 2: to run a ruler over everything. But I'm not here 157 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:08,440 Speaker 2: to throw stones in any of that. 158 00:08:08,640 --> 00:08:10,160 Speaker 3: Yeah, everybody, I guess you know. 159 00:08:10,240 --> 00:08:12,720 Speaker 1: The thing is at this point, everybody actually is genuinely 160 00:08:12,760 --> 00:08:15,760 Speaker 1: trying to work together to have some impact here because 161 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:18,600 Speaker 1: things have been so tough. And the fact is, you know, 162 00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:21,760 Speaker 1: if we're so many police officers down, how on earth 163 00:08:21,800 --> 00:08:25,520 Speaker 1: would we actually have Pallyis on bottle shops. It'd be 164 00:08:25,720 --> 00:08:29,520 Speaker 1: an incredibly difficult situation. But Alex, you know, the other 165 00:08:29,560 --> 00:08:31,960 Speaker 1: thing that's sort of been raised with us over recent 166 00:08:32,240 --> 00:08:35,600 Speaker 1: days and the last week or so is some of 167 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:37,640 Speaker 1: the measures that are coming into place. You know, if 168 00:08:37,640 --> 00:08:40,040 Speaker 1: things like the BDR and the floor price were working, 169 00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:43,760 Speaker 1: why do we need those measures. I mean, you and 170 00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:46,720 Speaker 1: I have spoken on numerous occasions about the BDR. Do 171 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:49,439 Speaker 1: you think there's going to be any kind of change 172 00:08:49,520 --> 00:08:54,440 Speaker 1: to the BDRs as that alcohol review, you know, as 173 00:08:54,480 --> 00:08:54,920 Speaker 1: they go. 174 00:08:54,880 --> 00:08:55,480 Speaker 3: Through all of that. 175 00:08:56,640 --> 00:08:59,520 Speaker 2: We hope so, and we think so, Katie, and you 176 00:08:59,520 --> 00:09:02,360 Speaker 2: know so years we've been saying, make the BDR better 177 00:09:02,720 --> 00:09:05,679 Speaker 2: or get rid of it. The tech solution has been 178 00:09:05,760 --> 00:09:08,320 Speaker 2: better in terms of processing time, so we don't have 179 00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:12,040 Speaker 2: as much concern about the time it takes as part 180 00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:14,480 Speaker 2: of our transaction when we're serving you in our bottle shops. 181 00:09:14,559 --> 00:09:18,360 Speaker 2: But you know, before we start calling for it to 182 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:21,480 Speaker 2: be expanded on premise or any other things, or it 183 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:23,400 Speaker 2: should be loaded with all these other things, they've got 184 00:09:23,400 --> 00:09:26,679 Speaker 2: to make it more better. The sobering up shilters that 185 00:09:26,840 --> 00:09:29,760 Speaker 2: do quite a good job. They've got lists that range 186 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:32,200 Speaker 2: into the hundreds and thousands almost of people that are 187 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:34,360 Speaker 2: banned from going to the sobering Up Shields because they've 188 00:09:34,360 --> 00:09:38,480 Speaker 2: been too violent there. And at the moment they don't 189 00:09:38,520 --> 00:09:41,679 Speaker 2: integrate the names on those lists with the BDR. You know, 190 00:09:41,720 --> 00:09:45,240 Speaker 2: some of this stuff is paid by numbers. Almost everyone's 191 00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:49,600 Speaker 2: got a role to play. NGO's government industry police. We've 192 00:09:49,679 --> 00:09:52,760 Speaker 2: just got to get back to doing it. And you know, 193 00:09:52,960 --> 00:09:54,840 Speaker 2: you talk about we need it to manage it, like 194 00:09:54,880 --> 00:09:57,360 Speaker 2: the crisis of the pandemic. I'm not sure about that 195 00:09:57,440 --> 00:10:01,199 Speaker 2: because because we focus solely on one issue for two 196 00:10:01,280 --> 00:10:04,760 Speaker 2: years to the exclusion of all others, that's contributed to 197 00:10:04,760 --> 00:10:07,079 Speaker 2: where we are. You know, like many balls have being 198 00:10:07,160 --> 00:10:10,120 Speaker 2: dropped because the focus hasn't been put on our space. 199 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:12,160 Speaker 2: At least I'm aware of that, and I think if 200 00:10:12,200 --> 00:10:14,400 Speaker 2: you look at all service delivery across government, you can 201 00:10:14,440 --> 00:10:17,000 Speaker 2: say that. So I look at it and I just say, look, 202 00:10:17,240 --> 00:10:19,480 Speaker 2: we've got to be honest about it all. There is 203 00:10:19,520 --> 00:10:21,520 Speaker 2: some stuff that needs to be picked up by others 204 00:10:21,520 --> 00:10:24,240 Speaker 2: in the space. It's not always the bottle shop to blame. 205 00:10:25,240 --> 00:10:29,080 Speaker 2: And we're up for that honest conversation. But then you know, 206 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:31,040 Speaker 2: it's not a one week issue. You've got to then 207 00:10:31,120 --> 00:10:34,480 Speaker 2: keep the Bunsen burner under these people, otherwise I'll go 208 00:10:34,520 --> 00:10:37,000 Speaker 2: back to just being biscuit eaters. Katie. 209 00:10:38,320 --> 00:10:40,679 Speaker 1: Oh, Alex, you always come through with the goods, mate, 210 00:10:40,679 --> 00:10:44,560 Speaker 1: with a few one liners there that our listeners enjoy. 211 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:49,679 Speaker 1: Alex Bruce, I always appreciate your time. Thank you very much, 212 00:10:49,720 --> 00:10:51,560 Speaker 1: for having a chat with us this morning and have 213 00:10:51,640 --> 00:10:52,319 Speaker 1: a great Easter. 214 00:10:53,360 --> 00:10:55,319 Speaker 2: Yeah you too. Ecuse Katie, thank you.