APY Lands, Alcohol Sales

The Hon. H.M. GIROLAMO (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:46): I seek leave to provide a brief explanation before asking a question of the Attorney-General regarding the APY lands.

Leave granted.

The Hon. H.M. GIROLAMO: On 16 December 2024, SAPOL reported the seizing of more than 100 casks of wine, bottles of spirits, premixed drinks and beer that was believed to be illegally bound for the APY lands, where alcohol is prohibited. It is understood that an investigation is still underway and no arrests have been made to date. My questions to the Attorney-General are:

1. Can the Attorney update the chamber on the status of the investigation and if any arrests have been made?

2. Has the Attorney-General considered the tightening of supplying and transporting liquor laws in order to make the necessary arrests for illegally bound alcohol to restricted areas, and if not why not?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector, Special Minister of State) (14:47): I thank the honourable member for her question. It is a very important question. As the honourable member points out in her question it is illegal to possess or supply alcohol in the APY lands. All six major communities—going from the highway, Indulkana, Mimili, Fregon, Ernabella, Umuwa, Amata and Pipalyatjara—are dry communities, as are the homelands and smaller out-communities across the APY lands.

I am certain that the police are taking whatever action they can in relation to the incident. It was very well publicised in relation to alcohol that, as I recall, was thought to be bound for the APY lands. Certainly there are actions that are regularly taken in relation to trying to restrict alcohol from the APY lands.

One action that was taken in recent years was in relation to the closure of the township of Mintabie. Mintabie was an exclusion, as I know you well know, sir, from your time on the Aboriginal Lands Parliamentary Standing Committee. Mintabie was a very small community where mining had previously occurred for opals, but very little mining was occurring. Evidence on a report that was accepted by both the former Labor government and the former Liberal government was that it was apparently a point where both alcohol and drugs were being supplied to the APY lands. Mintabie, as a township that did not need a permit, has now been closed down.

In relation to supply of alcohol to the APY lands, I know the liquor licensing commissioner has in the past regularly spoken to Aboriginal elders to look at what restrictions are in place at places like Port Augusta and Coober Pedy, where people travelling to and from the APY lands regularly stop. There has been a tightening over recent years in relation to the sale, and particularly the amount, of alcohol that can be bought in those sorts of towns.