1 00:00:02,840 --> 00:00:05,120 Speaker 1: My name is Lily Maddon and I'm a proud Arunda 2 00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:10,160 Speaker 1: Bunjelung Calcuttin woman from Gadigol Country. The Daily oz acknowledges 3 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:12,399 Speaker 1: that this podcast is recorded on the lands of the 4 00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:15,960 Speaker 1: Gadighl people and pays respect to all Aboriginal and Torres 5 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:18,919 Speaker 1: Strait Island and nations. We pay our respects to the 6 00:00:18,920 --> 00:00:22,120 Speaker 1: first peoples of these countries, both past and present. 7 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:25,240 Speaker 2: Before we begin. If you want to discuss anything raised 8 00:00:25,239 --> 00:00:27,760 Speaker 2: in this episode, you can ring one three yarn that's 9 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:30,960 Speaker 2: one three nine two seventy six. They can connect you 10 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:33,960 Speaker 2: with an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander crisis supporter twenty 11 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:41,160 Speaker 2: four to seven. Good morning and welcome to the Daily os. 12 00:00:41,240 --> 00:00:44,120 Speaker 2: It's Wednesday, the eighth of February. I'm Sam, I'm Zarah. 13 00:00:44,320 --> 00:00:46,600 Speaker 2: There's been a lot of talk in recent weeks about 14 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:49,280 Speaker 2: crime and alcohol use in Alice Springs. 15 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:51,680 Speaker 3: A crime crisis in the Northern Territory town. 16 00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:52,680 Speaker 2: There is going to be. 17 00:00:52,760 --> 00:00:56,880 Speaker 4: Tragedy in Alice Springs, and I think there'll be vigilante responses. 18 00:00:57,040 --> 00:01:00,360 Speaker 4: Please say. The troubles have escalated in the past six 19 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:04,000 Speaker 4: months after a fifteen year alcohol ban was lifted. 20 00:01:04,360 --> 00:01:07,000 Speaker 2: The latest news is that the Northern Territory government has 21 00:01:07,120 --> 00:01:09,720 Speaker 2: announced alcohol bans in central Australia. 22 00:01:09,800 --> 00:01:13,000 Speaker 5: We're creating a circuit breaker and implementing temporary dry zones 23 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:16,640 Speaker 5: until communities can develop and vote on the alcohol management plans, 24 00:01:16,959 --> 00:01:19,040 Speaker 5: the community alcohol plans. 25 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:19,840 Speaker 6: They want to see. 26 00:01:20,040 --> 00:01:21,920 Speaker 2: In today's deep Dive, we're going to look at what 27 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:24,839 Speaker 2: led to this decision and some of the context behind 28 00:01:24,880 --> 00:01:27,720 Speaker 2: the move. But first, Aarah, what is hitting the headlines 29 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:28,240 Speaker 2: this morning. 30 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:35,800 Speaker 7: The Reserve Bank of Australia the RBA has increased the 31 00:01:35,840 --> 00:01:38,360 Speaker 7: CACHE rate again, so it's now moved from three point 32 00:01:38,440 --> 00:01:41,360 Speaker 7: one percent to three point three five percent. It is 33 00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:44,760 Speaker 7: the ninth consecutive increase and the first of this year. 34 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:48,480 Speaker 7: RBA Governor Philip Lows said inflation is quote expected to 35 00:01:48,520 --> 00:01:51,760 Speaker 7: decline this year but remains very high. He said he 36 00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:53,920 Speaker 7: expects further increases over the months ahead. 37 00:01:56,400 --> 00:01:59,840 Speaker 2: Meanwhile, to the terrible scenes in Turkey and Syria, and 38 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:02,760 Speaker 2: the Australian government has pledged ten million dollars in aid 39 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:05,640 Speaker 2: to those two countries following the earthquakes earlier this week, 40 00:02:05,880 --> 00:02:08,760 Speaker 2: Prime Minister Anthony Abernezi said, like all of the world, 41 00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:11,040 Speaker 2: our thoughts and condolences are with the people in this 42 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:12,840 Speaker 2: region who are suffering at this time. 43 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:18,440 Speaker 7: Writer and human rights activists Beruz Bashani has called for 44 00:02:18,480 --> 00:02:22,960 Speaker 7: a Royal commission into Australia's treatment of asylum seekers. Bashani, 45 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:26,560 Speaker 7: who spent six years in Australian detention centers, said in 46 00:02:26,600 --> 00:02:29,760 Speaker 7: Parliament yesterday that the people of Australia have the right 47 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:32,960 Speaker 7: to know what the government both political parties have done 48 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:35,120 Speaker 7: in offshore and on short attention. 49 00:02:36,280 --> 00:02:38,960 Speaker 2: And today's good news. More than half of new US 50 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:42,520 Speaker 2: electric generating capacity in twenty twenty three will be solar, 51 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:46,080 Speaker 2: and that's according to the US Energy Information Administration. In 52 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:48,760 Speaker 2: twenty twenty three, the most new solar capacity will be 53 00:02:48,880 --> 00:02:55,639 Speaker 2: in Texas and California. The Northern Territory government has announced 54 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:59,320 Speaker 2: it will impose alcohol bands in Central Australia. This isn't 55 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:01,639 Speaker 2: the first time restrictions have been rolled out in some 56 00:03:01,720 --> 00:03:06,120 Speaker 2: antique communities, but after some restrictions expired in July last year, 57 00:03:06,520 --> 00:03:10,120 Speaker 2: reports of rising crime have reignited the alcohol band debate. 58 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:13,600 Speaker 7: As with any complex issue, I think that it's important 59 00:03:13,639 --> 00:03:16,320 Speaker 7: to look at the history, and in this case, the 60 00:03:16,360 --> 00:03:19,000 Speaker 7: history of how these alcohol bands have actually been rolled 61 00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:19,720 Speaker 7: out in the past. 62 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:21,440 Speaker 6: Because this isn't a new thing, is it. 63 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:21,680 Speaker 1: No. 64 00:03:21,919 --> 00:03:24,720 Speaker 2: The use of alcohol restrictions in the NT goes back 65 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:28,000 Speaker 2: decades and there were as many as fifty First Nations 66 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:31,760 Speaker 2: communities which had alcohol banned or restricted by nineteen eighty six, 67 00:03:32,320 --> 00:03:35,000 Speaker 2: but the wider restrictions were imposed by the federal government 68 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:38,400 Speaker 2: in two thousand and seven under a policy called the Intervention. 69 00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:41,560 Speaker 8: So a number of major measures to deal with what 70 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:44,960 Speaker 8: we can only describe as a national emergency in relation 71 00:03:45,080 --> 00:03:49,200 Speaker 8: to the abuse of children in Indigenous communities in the 72 00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:50,960 Speaker 8: Northern Territory. 73 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:54,200 Speaker 2: Six hundred Australian Defense personnel was sent into the territory 74 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:57,840 Speaker 2: to provide logistical support. There was also a whole raft 75 00:03:57,840 --> 00:04:00,960 Speaker 2: of reforms introduced on top of the ambition of alcohol 76 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:04,160 Speaker 2: in some areas. This was then Prime Minister John Howard 77 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:06,280 Speaker 2: who announced the Intervention measures. 78 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:09,800 Speaker 8: Will ban the sale, the possession, the transportation, the consumption 79 00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:14,720 Speaker 8: and broader monitoring of takeaway sales across the Northern Territory. 80 00:04:15,040 --> 00:04:18,080 Speaker 2: Outside of the NT. There were protests in response to 81 00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:22,000 Speaker 2: these measures, and the policies drew widespread criticism, including from 82 00:04:22,080 --> 00:04:23,640 Speaker 2: the Australian Human Rights Commission. 83 00:04:23,960 --> 00:04:26,599 Speaker 7: So you're talking there of what sounds like an opposition 84 00:04:26,760 --> 00:04:28,440 Speaker 7: to this intervention policy. 85 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:30,200 Speaker 6: What ended up happening to it? 86 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:32,640 Speaker 2: When Kevin Rudd and the Labour Party ie government later 87 00:04:32,680 --> 00:04:35,040 Speaker 2: that year in two thousand and seven, there were some 88 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:37,880 Speaker 2: minor changes to the way the intervention was legislator but 89 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:42,640 Speaker 2: we didn't see a halt to the entire program. Then, 90 00:04:42,839 --> 00:04:45,640 Speaker 2: in twenty twelve, the legal basis for the intervention was 91 00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:48,279 Speaker 2: due to expire. We then had the Gillard government in 92 00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:51,599 Speaker 2: power and her government introduced the Stronger Futures in the 93 00:04:51,640 --> 00:04:56,039 Speaker 2: Northern Territory Act and this continued alcohol restrictions in the NT. 94 00:04:56,440 --> 00:04:59,880 Speaker 2: Those laws expired in July of last year, and communities 95 00:04:59,880 --> 00:05:02,920 Speaker 2: had two paths. Either they reverted to restrictions that were 96 00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:05,719 Speaker 2: in place before the intervention, or if there were no 97 00:05:05,800 --> 00:05:09,080 Speaker 2: restrictions already in place, they went to an opt in system. 98 00:05:09,600 --> 00:05:11,600 Speaker 6: Okay, So then what happened from there? 99 00:05:12,040 --> 00:05:14,560 Speaker 2: So, according to the Anti Government, eighty eight of the 100 00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:18,920 Speaker 2: ninety six officially recognized First Nations communities returned to or 101 00:05:19,000 --> 00:05:20,240 Speaker 2: opted into bands. 102 00:05:20,640 --> 00:05:22,680 Speaker 6: Okay, so that is a large majority. 103 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:25,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, But fast forward to now and there's been a focus, 104 00:05:25,680 --> 00:05:29,200 Speaker 2: especially in recent weeks on communities and town camps around 105 00:05:29,240 --> 00:05:31,880 Speaker 2: Alice Springs which have not had bands put in place, 106 00:05:32,360 --> 00:05:34,640 Speaker 2: and there's been reports of people even moving to these 107 00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:38,640 Speaker 2: communities and camps to access alcohol. And what we've seen 108 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:41,560 Speaker 2: is a significant spike in crime in Alice Springs and 109 00:05:41,600 --> 00:05:45,360 Speaker 2: this includes assault, domestic violence, and property damage. The Northern 110 00:05:45,440 --> 00:05:49,280 Speaker 2: Territory Police statistics show a sharp rise in several offenses 111 00:05:49,360 --> 00:05:51,599 Speaker 2: last year. And the stats they have is up to 112 00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:55,240 Speaker 2: November of twenty twenty two. Alcohol related assault in our 113 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:59,440 Speaker 2: springs increased fifty five percent and domestic violence increased fifty 114 00:05:59,440 --> 00:06:03,560 Speaker 2: four percent. We saw increases in breakin's, vehicle theft, and 115 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:07,560 Speaker 2: property damage. Sexual assault was the only crime category to 116 00:06:07,600 --> 00:06:10,200 Speaker 2: have fallen in this period, and that fell by ten percent. 117 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:12,680 Speaker 2: So all of this led some to suggest that the 118 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 2: overall rise in crime was a result of the alcohol 119 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:16,640 Speaker 2: bans having ended. 120 00:06:16,920 --> 00:06:19,840 Speaker 7: Okay, So then how did this story re enter the 121 00:06:19,839 --> 00:06:22,479 Speaker 7: federal political space, the stuff that we've been hearing in 122 00:06:22,520 --> 00:06:23,400 Speaker 7: recent weeks. 123 00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:26,159 Speaker 2: Well, the first move was taken by opposition leader Peter 124 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:28,520 Speaker 2: Dudden towards the end of last month. He called for 125 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:30,480 Speaker 2: renewed federal intervention in the NT. 126 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:34,080 Speaker 4: There is going to be tragedy in Alice Springs, and 127 00:06:34,400 --> 00:06:38,960 Speaker 4: I think there'll be vigilante responses because people just the 128 00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:41,240 Speaker 4: police are throwing the hands up in the air. They're 129 00:06:41,279 --> 00:06:44,480 Speaker 4: overwhelmed with the amount of work. It's completely unacceptable. 130 00:06:44,640 --> 00:06:47,160 Speaker 2: He also called on the Prime Minister Anthony Albernezi to 131 00:06:47,279 --> 00:06:48,760 Speaker 2: visit Alice Springs. 132 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:50,880 Speaker 4: And the Prime Minister should have been there by now, 133 00:06:50,960 --> 00:06:53,440 Speaker 4: but he should go tomorrow and I would be very 134 00:06:53,440 --> 00:06:54,520 Speaker 4: happy to travel. 135 00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:56,200 Speaker 2: With him, and the PM agreed to go. 136 00:06:56,600 --> 00:06:59,680 Speaker 3: The Prime Minister has jetted into Alice Springs after days 137 00:06:59,680 --> 00:07:03,919 Speaker 3: of pressure over a crime crisis in the Northern Territory town. 138 00:07:04,160 --> 00:07:06,599 Speaker 2: The PM and the Chief Minister for the NT met 139 00:07:06,640 --> 00:07:09,440 Speaker 2: with various stakeholders on that trip in Our Springs and 140 00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:12,960 Speaker 2: immediate alcohol restrictions were implemented for a three month period. 141 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:17,440 Speaker 2: Darrell Anderson was also appointed to investigate alcohol laws and 142 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:20,360 Speaker 2: her background is in reform relating to domestic, family and 143 00:07:20,400 --> 00:07:24,400 Speaker 2: sexual violence in the community. She's since published a report 144 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:27,960 Speaker 2: and that report recommended that the ANT government introduced further 145 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:30,480 Speaker 2: measures and that's what we've seen happen now now. The 146 00:07:30,520 --> 00:07:33,680 Speaker 2: PM and Chief Minister of the NT, Natasha Files, have 147 00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:36,440 Speaker 2: announced that they will bring forward legislation next week to 148 00:07:36,520 --> 00:07:40,360 Speaker 2: strengthen alcohol restrictions so that town camps and communities will 149 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:43,560 Speaker 2: revert to dry zones. There is also an opportunity for 150 00:07:43,600 --> 00:07:47,120 Speaker 2: communities wishing to return to alcohol availability to opt out 151 00:07:47,160 --> 00:07:49,880 Speaker 2: of these measures. But to do that, DANEDA develop a 152 00:07:49,920 --> 00:07:53,360 Speaker 2: community Alcohol Management Plan and for sixty percent of the 153 00:07:53,400 --> 00:07:55,840 Speaker 2: adult population to vote in support of it. Have a 154 00:07:55,880 --> 00:07:58,400 Speaker 2: listen to Files speaking to the media this week. 155 00:07:58,840 --> 00:08:02,840 Speaker 5: We've heard loudly that the matter and decision of alcohol 156 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:05,480 Speaker 5: on communities needs to be one that is made by 157 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:09,560 Speaker 5: the entire community. So Central Australia is the heart of Australia. 158 00:08:09,640 --> 00:08:12,800 Speaker 5: That is important and it is important for all of 159 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:16,600 Speaker 5: us as territorians to tackle these issues once and for all. 160 00:08:19,440 --> 00:08:20,880 Speaker 6: We'll be back right after this. 161 00:08:34,679 --> 00:08:36,960 Speaker 7: I was reading through some of the comments on a 162 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:40,160 Speaker 7: piece we uploaded about this story, and there were a 163 00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:42,360 Speaker 7: couple that all were around the same theme of this 164 00:08:42,520 --> 00:08:46,080 Speaker 7: feeling like a band aid response to what is a 165 00:08:46,160 --> 00:08:48,840 Speaker 7: deeper and more structural issue in the region. 166 00:08:49,360 --> 00:08:50,400 Speaker 6: Can you talk to that at all? 167 00:08:50,760 --> 00:08:50,880 Speaker 8: Well? 168 00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:54,240 Speaker 2: Darrell Anderson, the author of the report, PM Albanesi and 169 00:08:54,559 --> 00:08:58,199 Speaker 2: NT Chief Minister Natasha Files all emphasized that exact point 170 00:08:58,360 --> 00:09:01,640 Speaker 2: that alcohol abuse is a symptom of a broader problem. 171 00:09:02,200 --> 00:09:04,560 Speaker 2: If we delve into the report a little bit further. 172 00:09:04,760 --> 00:09:09,080 Speaker 2: Anderson acknowledged figures on domestic violence and alcohol related harm 173 00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:12,240 Speaker 2: we're alarming, but that they aren't new and are closely 174 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:15,960 Speaker 2: related to the disproportionate disadvantage that First Nations people face 175 00:09:16,040 --> 00:09:18,920 Speaker 2: at every level in society. She said that the failure 176 00:09:18,960 --> 00:09:22,600 Speaker 2: to seriously address these underlying drivers of alcohol misuse and 177 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:25,400 Speaker 2: youth crime is going to mean these harms will continue 178 00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:26,840 Speaker 2: to return year after year. 179 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:30,199 Speaker 6: So then is there a policy to address this well. 180 00:09:30,200 --> 00:09:32,640 Speaker 2: The government's announced a two hundred and fifty million dollar 181 00:09:32,679 --> 00:09:36,280 Speaker 2: plan called a Better Safer Future for Central Australia, and 182 00:09:36,320 --> 00:09:40,199 Speaker 2: this money will fund youth engagement, job creation, better services 183 00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:43,920 Speaker 2: and to address issues caused by fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, 184 00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:47,480 Speaker 2: among other things. So I guess it really remains to 185 00:09:47,480 --> 00:09:49,640 Speaker 2: be seen if these policies will really get to the 186 00:09:49,679 --> 00:09:53,360 Speaker 2: heart of what's happening in these communities and keep people safe. 187 00:09:53,360 --> 00:09:59,280 Speaker 2: In the meantime, if this episode brought up anything for 188 00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:00,839 Speaker 2: you that you want to talk talk about, you can 189 00:10:00,840 --> 00:10:04,520 Speaker 2: call one three yarn that's one three nine two seven six. 190 00:10:04,920 --> 00:10:07,040 Speaker 2: They can connect you with an Aboriginal or Torres Strait 191 00:10:07,120 --> 00:10:09,160 Speaker 2: Islander Crisis supporter twenty four to seven. 192 00:10:10,080 --> 00:10:12,360 Speaker 7: Thanks for joining us on the Daily Oz. If you 193 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:15,719 Speaker 7: learned something from today's episode, don't forget to hit subscribe 194 00:10:15,760 --> 00:10:19,080 Speaker 7: so there's a TVA episode waiting for you every weekday morning. 195 00:10:19,559 --> 00:10:22,240 Speaker 7: We'll be back again tomorrow morning, but until then, have 196 00:10:22,320 --> 00:10:24,960 Speaker 7: a brilliant day.