Crackdown on cheap grog in the NT

Attorney-General Natasha Fyles said floor price legislation also includes an increase in the maximum penalty for selling liquor without a licence to three years in prison or $46,200 fine.

A floor price makes cheap wine more expensive.

“The NT Government has zero tolerance for people who are grog-running or selling alcohol on the black market,” Ms Fyles said.

“Selling alcohol illegally causes extensive damage and alcohol-related harm in our community and grog-runners take advantage of our most vulnerable Territorians.

 “That’s why the Government is taking strong action and tripling the maximum penalty for secondary supply.”

As part of tougher measures to combat secondary supply, these legislative amendments take into account interstate sales into the Territory.

“This means that any sale of liquor in or into the NT by a person who does not hold a local NT licence or an NT interstate retailer licence will be an offence,” Ms Fyles said.

“The floor price legislation will therefore cover all sales of liquor in or into the Territory – pubs, bottleshops, internet and deliveries from interstate.

 “These amendments will give our police an additional tool to pursue illegal operators who are bringing in grog from interstate.”

Ms Fyles also said that as a consequence of raising the penalty to three years, police will have a wider range of investigatory tools available to obtain evidence for prosecution.

“The seriousness of an offence is critical in enabling police to conduct covert ‘controlled operations’ under the police (Special Investigative and Other Powers) Act,” Ms Fyles said. 

“These powers also have cross-border validity and so can be used to investigate offences that occur across multiple Australian states and territories.”

The legislative reforms are expected to pass in August and be in force later this year.

Katherine Times