Alcohol-related harm continues to be a core issue impacting the lives of Territorians.
The Northern Territory (NT) has had, and continues to have, the highest consumption of alcohol per person in Australia, and 25% of adult NT residents consume alcohol at a level that puts them at risk of long-term harm (compared to 17.6% of the Australian adults). The Northern Territory also has a greater proportion of residents who exceed the guidelines for risks of consuming alcohol on single occasions.
The Liquor Act 2019 (the Act) came into effect on 1 October 2019 and now governs the distribution and consumption of alcohol in the NT. The primary purpose of the Act is to minimise the harm associated with the consumption of liquor in a way that recognises the public's interest in the sale, supply, service, promotion and consumption of liquor.
In October 2023, the NT Government completed a 3-year review of the Act.
Read the Three Year Review of the Liquor Act 2019 PDF (1.1 MB)
The risk-based licensing model is an incentive model rewarding those who supply alcohol responsibly while financially penalising those who break the rules.
Annual licensing fees are charged to a liquor licensee depending on how the licensee complies with their licence conditions and the overall risk of harm.
Read more about risk-based licensing.
The Liquor Act 2019 imposed a minimum unit price for alcohol, also known as the minimum floor price. The minimum floor price was implemented on 1 October 2018 and aims to reduce alcohol among heavy drinkers by increasing the price of alcohol beverages to at least $1.30 per standard drink, thereby reducing alcohol consumption for groups that are most susceptible to alcohol-related harm.
Read more about the minimum floor price.
The Banned Drinker Register (BDR) prohibits individuals that consume alcohol at harmful levels from purchasing, possessing or consuming alcohol within the Northern Territory. This includes takeaway alcohol.
Read more about the Banned Drinker Register.
Amendments to the Liquor Act 2019 in February 2023 allow communities to opt out of interim Alcohol Protected Areas (APAs) through the development and implementation of a Community Alcohol Plan (CAP) and either become a general restricted area (GRA) or revoke the interim APA.
CAPs provide a framework for communities to make informed decisions about alcohol management with an emphasis on reducing alcohol-related harm and promoting healthy, safe and strong communities.
More information on changes to alcohol restrictions in NT communities, go to the NT Government website.
The alcohol action initiatives program provides short-term funding to support community action to minimise the harm caused by the consumption of alcohol through supply, demand and harm reduction strategies.
Get information about alcohol action initiatives on the NT Health website.