An increase in violence and crime in Alice Springs is being blamed on the NT government, and the way in which it ended the 15-year-old alcohol bans introduced as part of the intervention measures of the Howard government.

Anthony Albanese flew to The Alice yesterday in an attempt to "find a solution" to what is a systemic problem, not caused by alcohol and drugs, but exacerbated by their use. Albanese's whistle stop short term solution to a deep seated problem was the reintroduction of some alcohol sales restrictions. The heavy handed solution called for by Peter Dutton, is the old conservative catch cry of; "Send in the army".

Dear Paul,

Obviously what they've tried to dat is not working.
It sound like the kids don't have any role models.
They don't have enough activities to keep them busy,
especially at night. Someone needs to step in. What
sort of facilities are there for young people in Alice?
Are there sporting facilities, and clubs? Are the
kids kept busy? Or is a swimming pool all they've got?

Where are their grand-parents? Why aren't families
taking responsibilities for their children? Why can't
the communities work together with teachers, school
principals, educators?

Why aren't the kids given goals to aim for? Why aren't
they being taught any skills? Just letting them roam the
streets at night is not good enough. Neither is throwing
them in jail and why are they being sold alcohol?

A short whistle-stop by the PM is not going to solve
much. More needs to be done. Community consultation needs
to be done in how to solve these problems that appear to be
on-going. I'm sure that Alice is not the only place where
these problems exist.

How about some of our note-worthy Indigenous leaders
also taking a trip up to Alice to help solve this
problem. The kids should be the primary concern of
everybody. They are the future. And if you are an
Indigenous community leader - what are you doing to help?
Apart from appearing on TV and in the media? Roll your
sleeves up and go to Alice. Do something concrete to help
apart from appearing for photo ops and on Sky News.

More and more findings (the latest from Canada) show that there is 'no safe level of alcohol' - for anyone, not just aboriginals in Alice Springs, where alcohol is definitely the problem for them. They even attacked the home of one of their supporters yesterday.

White people who think that they have their alcohol use under control are kidding themselves. Alcohol is THE most dangerous drug because it is acceptable to society, about 75% of whom are regularly sucking on the stuff. Nothing to do with the myth about 'abos not being able to hold their grog' as many boozy racists say. Nothing to do with race.

Big export dollars, too. In Afghanistan, they napalmed the poppy crops. The day might come when something similar will need to be done to wine grapes (not the table ones I hope).

Actually, there is said to be some decline in the use of the toxic-to-the-human-body drug, alcohol: especially among the young.

If a young person asked me for advice on alcohol, I would tell them it would not be wise to start; and you might not find out unless you have to stop - and then you will find what a grip it gets on you and, even if you never touch another drop as long as you live, it will still be there taunting you. Alcohol use is just dangerous self-medicating, no matter what drinkers who claim that the could 'give it up anytime', or the pushers of the stuff tell you.

WTF?

ttbn states: "Actually, there is said to be some decline in the use of the toxic-to-the-human-body drug, alcohol: especially among the young."

I agree, this certainly seems to be the case and hopefully they will take notice of these findings that are becoming more frequent.

I doubt the boomer and older generation will take notice though and will push the 'give it up anytime' line.

One wonders what 40, 50 and 60 plus years of drinking has done to their brains and general health.
It's probably costing us net tax payers a fortune.

It may help to explain why so many older folk find it hard to accept new findings in other areas as well.

Perhaps all that booze was caused such a decline in mental capacity that we should restrict their voting.

I do not know what the solutions to the problems in Alice Springs are but I hope there are some.

All these problems in the NT.

Perhaps the Feds should get involved....they could call it an intervention...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Territory_National_Emergency_Response