Damming The Rivers of Grog: Russell Goldflam
Damming the Rivers of Grog, a report by Russell Goldflam, is a response to sentencing remarks made by Justice Riley in February 2009.
Justice Riley sentenced a string of Tennant Creek folk who had pleaded guilty to various serious violent alcohol-related offences. Having made these remarks from the bench, Justice Riley then took the unusual step of submitting to a media interview about the issue.
The sentencing remarks made by Justice Riley on February 20, 2009 (R v Green SCNT 20823606) were:
It seems plain that something must be done to curb the level of alcohol consumption in Tennant Creek. The courts regularly hear evidence of alcohol being consumed in Tennant Creek in quantities beyond comprehension. It seems that the excessive consumption of alcohol continues for so long as alcohol is available. People drink until they can drink no more and then get up the next day and start all over again. The frequency with which drunken violence occurs is unacceptable and the level of violence is likewise completely unacceptable.
For the good of the town, for the good of the victims, for the good of the offenders and for the good of the innocent children of Tennant Creek, it seems to me obvious that a system must be devised to limit the amount of alcohol made available to the people whose lives are being devastated in this way and to educate and rehabilitate those already abusing alcohol. The people of the Northern Territory cannot sit on their hands and allow what is occurring in Tennant Creek to continue. I accept that it is a complex issue but it is an issue that must be addressed and must be addressed sooner rather than later. Hard decisions must be taken.
Russell says that his paper sketches:
- The nature and extent of alcohol-related harm in Central Australia,
- The chaotic flurry of activity by Governments at all levels to respond to this problem in recent years,
- A look at what has worked and what hasn’t, and
- A bit of crystal ball peering to finish off.
