The CLP Government is delivering on another election commitment after introducing a Liquor Legislation amendment to repeal the Minimum Unit Price (MUP) for alcohol in Parliament today.
Minister for Tourism and Hospitality Marie-Clare Boothby said the amendments to remove the MUP, also known as the minimum floor price, were part of the CLP's plan to reduce the cost of living, support communities, and rebuild the economy.
"The alcohol floor price, introduced by Labor six years ago, is a blunt, ineffective tool that fails to address the complexity of alcohol-related harm in the NT," said Ms Boothby.
"Alcohol-related assaults have increased by 38% in the past eight years under Labor.
"People aren't drinking less; they have changed what they drink (from wine boxes) to stronger spirits in glass bottles - which then can be used as weapons."
Although wholesale data found a reduction in cask wine sales, there is a direct increase in consumption of hard spirits (17%) and mixed spirits (36%).
"The CLP took the policy to repeal the floor price to the election and this is another commitment we are delivering on for Territorians," said Ms Boothby.
"The floor price punishes the majority, for the actions of a few, who are forced to pay higher prices at bottle shops while seeing no reduction in alcohol-related harm in their community.
"Repealing it aligns with real life evidence, community-driven solutions rather than ideological, untested policies by the former Labor government."
No other Australian state or territory uses a minimum unit price as an alcohol-harm reduction strategy.
Internationally, it remains experimental, with questionable outcomes with Scotland, one of the few places trialling the policy, having just recorded its highest alcohol-related deaths in 15 years.
The CLP Government's legislation will be debated at the next sittings in February.
