The Minister for Alcohol Policy, the Hon. Natasha Fyles has announced the three year review of the Liquor Act 2019 (the Act) .

The review will help drive continued efforts to minimise harm associated with alcohol, as well as ensure that the Act is effective in recognising the public’s interest in the sale, supply, service, promotion and consumption of liquor.

Alcohol-related harm continues to be a core issue impacting the lives of Territorians. The NT has been the focus of a number of reviews and legislative actions in response to the NT's exceptionally high alcohol consumption rates and associated harm since 1978.

The Liquor Act 2019 (the Act) came into effect on 1 October 2019, representing one of the most significant efforts on alcohol legislative reform in the NT.

The Act governs the sale, provision, service, promotion and consumption of liquor, with the purpose of minimising alcohol harm in the NT. The Act is administered by the Minister for Alcohol Policy and is available on the Northern Territory Legislation website.

The 2019 Act updated the Liquor Act 1978. It incorporated 70 recommendations including harm minimisation principles in response to the 2017 Alcohol Policies and Legislation Review (the Riley Review).

Under section 320 of the Act, the Minister must review the legislative framework after three years.

The purpose of this review is to determine whether the:

• The policy objectives of the Act remain valid and practical
• Terms of the Act remain appropriate for securing those objectives

The three year review is an opportunity for businesses, industry groups, government and non-government agencies and the public to provide comment on the Act including what’s working, areas to improve or strengthen.

The following discussion paper PDF (295.6 KB) outlines key issues and potential areas for further consideration. Please read through the document and then follow any of these steps to provide your feedback:

• Email your submission to the Alcohol Policy Coordination Unit: AlcoholPolicy@nt.gov.au
• Post your submission to:

Alcohol Policy Coordination Unit
Department of the Chief Minister and Cabinet
GPO Box 4396, Darwin, NT 0801, Australia

The submission deadline is 10 March 2023.

Read the Discussion Paper - Three Year Review of the Liquor Act 2019 PDF (295.6 KB)