Public Kept in Dark over BDR Results
11 January 2021

Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Gerard Maley, has called for Health Minister, Natasha Fyles, to immediately explain why the Banned Drinker Register (BDR) Monthly Report, which provides figures relating to takeaway alcohol sales by region and outcome, hasn’t been updated for seven months.

“It’s absolutely staggering an expansion of the BDR is being considered when this Labor government can’t even tell us if, or how, the BDR has been working for the better part of a year because the monthly report hasn’t been made public since last June.

“The Liquor Commission has flagged tougher restrictions on the purchase of alcohol in the Barkly region, yet the public reporting on data which is relied on to support the success – or otherwise – of the BDR has been completely ignored since before the last election.

“Territorians need reassurances the Barkly region is not simply being used as a guinea pig before a blanket Territory-wide rollout of a BDR expansion. There must be meaningful community consultation, and if it’s supported by a majority of the public a formal trial and reporting system to assess its impact must be implemented.

“The CLP recognises we are still dealing with the ongoing COVID-19 response, but we’ve been living with this global pandemic for close to 12 months now and it appears the government can’t seem to multi-task, with the day-to-day running of the Territory taking a backseat.

“The whole point of the monthly review is to measure whether the BDR is operating as intended. This is simply not happening. The Health Minister, Natasha Fyles, needs to justify to Territorians why this essential reporting tool has seemingly been forgotten and why the public is being kept in the dark. Who is going to be held to account for this blunder and how will the Minister ensure this gross oversight doesn’t occur again?” said Mr Maley.

​ENDS

THE COUNTRY LIBERAL PARTY