Violence-racked remote NT community appeals for social club trial

In short:

After 30 years without a local drinking venue, some leaders in Wadeye want to trial opening a licensed social club.

Some residents fear the new venue could exacerbate violence, fuelled by black market alcohol, in the troubled remote Northern Territory community.

What's next?

NT Police have not yet said whether they would support a trial opening, but Superintendent Virginia Read says if a trial went ahead, it would need to run for a significant period and be accompanied by an evaluation.

The proponents of a new social club in the Northern Territory's second-largest remote community say they want to run a trial of selling alcohol, arguing it could reduce black market liquor consumption which is contributing to serious violence.

The Wadeye social club was built on the community's main street a year ago, but the NT Police Force and NT government are yet to give their final approvals for it to open.

NT Police originally supported the liquor licence, but now fear allowing more people to drink legally in the community could exacerbate violence from a long-running feud between rival clans that keeps flaring up into armed street fighting.

Looking around the cobweb-festooned social club building, Jake Clark, the manager of Wadeye's Murinbata Tribal Development Corporation, said the situation was frustrating.

"This cost the community $4 million of their own money, it's very frustrating it's not open,"he said.

He said the community of about 2,500 residents — where alcohol sales are restricted to six mid-strength beers or six pre-mixed cans per person, four days a week — should have a place to socialise and have a meal.

"In Wadeye we have a store, a post office and a church — that's pretty much all we have," he said.

"For a community of this size, there's a lack of services, it's not good enough."

Currently, people in Wadeye can only legally drink alcohol at home under permits issued by NT Police, but the police force has been seizing large amounts of black market liquor being brought into the community by road.

On a recent visit to the community, the ABC was told by several residents that bottles of black market rum could cost up to $500 each.

"I don't think [legal sales] will stop black market alcohol, but it will impact a lot of people wanting to purchase it because people will rather come here, and also, people want to feel safe in a controlled environment," Mr Clark said.

He and other proponents are appealing to NT Police and the NT government to allow a trial opening of between six weeks and six months, along with an independent evaluation.

"Let us show them we can do it; let's see if we can make a difference here, if it does make a good difference," he said.

Plan to follow other community social clubs

Long-time Wadeye resident and anthropologist Bill Ivory, who is working as a consultant on the social club project, said an independent evaluation should look at all potential impacts.

"There's got to be good data from the police, the health clinic, the women's safe house, the number of kids attending school — all of those things should be taken into account, and we're very favourable for that to happen," he said.

Many of Wadeye's Indigenous leaders want the town to follow seven other NT remote communities that already have operating social clubs.

Mark Tunmuck-Smith, the chairperson of Thamarrurr Development Corporation, which runs local services including youth diversion and jobs training, said he supported a six-month trial in Wadeye.

"It might reduce alcohol harm and domestic violence orders,"he said.

"It might reduce the black market, and if it does, it gives us another six months."

Senior Wadeye traditional owner Margaret Perdjert does not drink alcohol, but said she wanted the club to be opened.

"We have built a social club here because we want people to drink more quiet, like drinking in moderation instead of spending a lot of money on the black market," she said.

She said too many people were getting very drunk on black market spirits, meaning "the women are really scared, kids don't get much sleep, kids don't go to school".

But Loretta Mills, who runs Wadeye's Thamarrurr Youth Centre, is among a group of residents who believe enabling more drinking will lead to families being leached of even more funds that should be spent on groceries.

"The people here, especially the women and children, are saying, 'Why do they want to build a club when they're running a black market out here?'" she said.

"So maybe that club shouldn't happen. I think it will make it worse for the community.

"It will be sad seeing kids, if it does open, outside the club asking for money, hungry."

Longer trial, more services needed

Thamarrurr Development Corporation deputy chief executive Tracey Leo said if the Wadeye social club was opened, the NT government would need to invest more in support services such as alcohol rehabilitation to deal with its potential consequences.

"We would require a men's sobering-up shelter, for example, and we would like to see an alcohol management plan in place before the club opens," she said.

Asked by the ABC whether NT Police would support a trial opening, Central Division Superintendent Virginia Read said the current level of violence in Wadeye would need to drop for a period first.

"I think that would be some sort of continued timeframe from when they had the levels of violence that we've been seeing here," she said.

"I believe that's probably what would be a deciding factor."

Superintendent Read said any trial would have to run for a significant period of time to ensure adequate data on alcohol-related harm could be gathered.

Asked whether the NT government would allow a trial opening, a spokesperson for Alcohol Policy and Health Minister Steve Edgington referred the enquiry to the health department.