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Outback tourists spared Aboriginal alcohol ban

By Nick Squires In Sydney

12 September 2007 - The Telegraph, UK - A draconian ban on drinking alcohol on Aboriginal-owned land in the Australian outback is to be ditched in order to placate the country's lucrative tourist industry.

Sipping a glass of Chardonnay while watching the sun set over the blood-red flanks of Ayers Rock has been de rigeur for tourists in Australia's Red Centre for years.

But a strict ban on alcohol being consumed on Aboriginal-owned parts of the outback, due to come into force this weekend, had threatened to end the popular ritual.

The six month ban, announced last month by John Howard, the prime minister, is aimed at stamping out the chronic alcohol abuse which is tearing apart dozens of Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory.

But the multi-million-pound tourism industry protested that it would unfairly target tourists, prohibiting them from enjoying a glass of wine at Ayers Rock, now known as Uluru, or sipping champagne while dining under the stars in Kakadu national park.

The federal government announced that it had decided to water down the new law and make it more flexible.

Tourists on organised tours will still be allowed to consume alcohol, even if they are on Aboriginal land.

"Legitimate tourism operators in national parks will be able to continue to offer responsible alcohol consumption as part of their usual tourism activity," said federal indigenous affairs minister, Mal Brough.

But independent travellers will still have to abide by the booze ban - a restriction criticised as unworkable by Chris Burns, the Northern Territory's licensing minister.

"This will have a great impact on one of our most important industries... not to mention impacting on the Territory’s outdoor lifestyle," he said.

Critics have said the alcohol ban is paternalistic and racist, denying Aborigines a say in how their communities are run.

Canberra, however, insists it is necessary because alcohol abuse in Aboriginal settlements is so rife.

Its decision to ban alcohol in around 50 indigenous settlements scattered across the Northern Territory was prompted by a report which documented horrific levels of child sex abuse, largely because of the "rivers of grog [alcohol]" available to adults.

Alcohol was also used as a bartering tool to procure children for sex, the report said, and the abuse was worsened by the availability of hardcore pornography.

Relaxing the impending law came after strong lobbying from tourist operators.

"It had created a lot of angst in the industry," Steve Rattray, chairman of the Central Australian Tourism Industry Association, said.

"People love to have a glass of Chardy or champagne while they're watching the sun set over Uluru, or cruising up the Katherine River."

Had it been fully enforced the ban would have affected some of Australia's most expensive eco-tourist resorts, including one south of Alice Springs which charges visitors £400 a night.

"I think overseas tourists would be a bit disappointed to be paying that sort of money and be told they couldn't have a cold beer at the end of the day,” Mr Rattray said.

Source: The Telegraph

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