The West Australian state government has been unapologetic in its pursuit of hard liquor restrictions. Indeed, this rejection comes despite an independent review finding mixed evidence on the effectiveness of these measures in reducing alcohol harm. Paul Papalia, the state’s Minister for Police and Road Safety, took credit for lower crime rates in some jurisdictions. In fact, he cited this drop as evidence that the new alcohol restrictions are doing their job. Yet, even as advocates celebrated the needed victory, concerns remain about persistent issues that threaten to undermine the policy’s long-term success.
Deloitte’s initial one-year report shows some promising results, particularly in the area of community safety. Yet even with challenges such as sly-grogging and no enforcement powers there are still large hurdles that plague the landscape. The report, Beyond the Clinic, focused on the gap in support services for those who feel the effects of these restrictions. Here are four critical questions that address the initiative’s sustainability.
Crime Rates and Community Impact
In places like Derby, those limits have had a huge effect. According to ABC News, this comes despite reports indicating that family and domestic violence-related offenses have decreased by more than 19 percent. In a statement, Papalia said that these results are positive but an important part of continuing the fight to protect communities.
“All the streets are empty and all the caravan parks are dead,” said Merome Beard, a publican and former Liberal MP. As a result, he claims the ban on takeaway alcohol is damaging the potential for tourism to Carnarvon. Most of the tourists flocking to town are looking to shop local. Many of them are dropping out before they—in proverbial lingo—get out.
While Derby’s burgeoning success is promising, the overall impact of the liquor restrictions on communities is mixed at best. According to the latest figures, only 1,033 people are actively registered on the Banned Drinkers Register (BDR). In only the last week, police placed 19 more people on that list. As a result, there’s been renewed national debate about the impacts of these policies on local economies and social relations.
“Continuous monitoring will be essential to continue to evaluate the BDR’s effectiveness over time and adapt strategies in response to evolving community needs.” – Deloitte report
Challenges Facing Liquor Restrictions
The Deloitte public report raised a number of promising measures to reduce alcohol-related harm. It underscored persistent challenges that are holding back this controversial policy. Problems like sly-grogging — where people get around bans by acquiring alcohol from illegal sources — have been pointed out as major hurdles.
Andrew Amor, a community leader, voiced concerns about these challenges, stating, “We need the data to support this before I’m convinced that this should be permanent.” He emphasized that not enough services exist to meet current demands, let alone cope with any potential increase stemming from the BDR’s impact.
For now, we do not have the services in place to fill that demand. This is compounded by the likely impact of the Banned Drinkers Register,” Amor continued. His comments underscore the importance of integrated approaches that target the intersection of enforcement and supportive services.
Government’s Defense of Policies
Papalia stood behind the federal government’s implementation of these actions, claiming these measures introduced have yielded positive effects. For all the review’s mixed findings, he is undeterred about their effectiveness. “It’s a positive impact and we want to see it continue into the future,” he stated during a recent press briefing. Following police lobbying for an outright alcohol prohibition in some of WA’s northern areas, state government established these regulations. They envision a world in which we fight problem drinking more smartly and effectively.
Papalia’s comments came after a report found crime rates had plummeted in regions such as Broome since these restrictions were imposed. We were glad to hear him acknowledge the continuing challenges on enforcement that still need to be addressed. He stated the need to ensure there are supportive services people with alcohol misuse can access.
“These measures did not cause an overwhelming of the system.” – Andrew Amor
Even as talks around the future of alcohol restrictions exist, stakeholders are still split on whether or not they are effective and if they even have long-term viability. With communities grappling with the competing priorities of safety and economic vitality, the time for data-driven mode-specific solutions is now.
