The towns of Kununurra and Newman in northern Western Australia are poised to implement stricter regulations on alcohol sales in an effort to combat violence associated with alcohol consumption.
In Kununurra, the rate of family and domestic violence is alarmingly 58 times higher on a per capita basis compared to Perth.
Lainie Chopping, the director of liquor licensing in Western Australia, has initiated formal investigations to assess the extent of alcohol-related harm in these communities, suggesting a variety of new restrictions.
WA Racing and Gaming Minister Paul Papalia expressed his backing for intensified measures to limit the sale of takeaway alcohol in both towns, which are grappling with significant domestic violence issues.
Addressing the media in Broome on Friday, Mr. Papalia noted that Chopping is currently evaluating the impact of alcohol in Kununurra and Newman and is preparing to enact stringent regulations regarding the sale of takeaway alcohol.
He highlighted that after similar restrictions were put in place in Derby and Broome, there was a 26 percent reduction in alcohol-related crime over the past year, along with comparable decreases in incidents of family and domestic violence.
“Given the staggering statistics, it is nearly impossible for her not to take action. It’s quite indefensible to overlook the situation in Newman and Kununurra,” Mr. Papalia remarked.
The forthcoming restrictions will include a six-week consultation period for local vendors.
Currently, takeaway alcohol outlets in Kununurra voluntarily cease operations on Sundays, but the new proposal aims to enforce mandatory closures on both Sundays and Mondays, with remaining days seeing closures at 7 PM.
Newman will face similar restrictions, prohibiting takeaway alcohol sales on Sundays and requiring bottle shops to close by 7 PM on other days of the week.
Furthermore, there will be individual purchase limits in both towns: one case of beer, two bottles of wine, or one bottle of spirits or premix per person. These restrictions will not apply to tourists, individuals on remote stations, or those obtaining permits for special events.
In 2023, requests for alcohol sale restrictions were submitted for 25 towns across Western Australia, leading to new limitations in various regions, including parts of the Kimberley, Pilbara, Gascoyne, and Goldfields.
The WA Department of Liquor Licensing has been approached for comments regarding these developments.
