Business Forum

Forum Report

This report summarises the key discussion points and community solutions suggested by participants at the Stakeholder Forum held in Alice Springs on 19 June 2007.

Alcohol management

There was general agreement by participants that the major cause of antisocial behaviour in Alice Springs is public drunkenness.

The NT Police discussed strategies for targeting trouble hotspots in town and ways to deal with repeat offenders.

There was general agreement that initiatives need to focus on reducing the harm that some people are causing themselves and others through alcohol abuse.

Participants made a number of suggestions in which alcohol management can be dealt with. The focus of the suggestions is on:

  • Introducing an appropriate ID process for the purchase of alcohol. This is particularly important for takeaway outlets; and
  • Restricting hours and days of service.

Introducing an appropriate ID process for the purchase of alcohol

Any ID process to purchase alcohol needs to be clear and simple to use. This is important because Alice Springs is a tourist destination. Any process will need to be simple to accommodate tourists who might come into town.

For tourists, CATIA was suggested as an appropriate agency to authorise or issue temporary ID.

The ID process needs to consider issues around scanning ID during busy periods of service at licensed premises and outlets.

Participants agreed that, in the long term, this will create a culture where appropriate ID is required to do everyday business in Alice Springs, as it is in most other locations in Australia.

Restricting Hours and Days of Service

There were different views and positions amongst participants on whether restrictions on the hours and days of service would affect the amount of alcohol that is consumed.

On the one hand, some felt that restrictions would reduce the amount of alcohol consumed. On the contrary, others felt that the hours and days of service had no impact on the overall amount of alcohol consumed. It simply means that alcohol-related problems would be shifted around the hours of service.

Some participants felt that the ID process, if introduced, will assist in the monitoring of the purchase of alcohol. There will then be less need to restrict the hours and days of service. The ID process would only be effective if the outlets are connected to stop people accessing alcohol from one outlet to another.

All participants expressed the need to know more about the pattern of drinking behaviour of alcoholics. Understanding the pattern of behaviour and why they drink will assist in identifying strategies to address these issues.

Promotion of responsible drinking needs to continue.

The Dry Areas Legislation only targets public places. Solutions need to be found for problems that are occurring ‘behind closed doors’.

Monitoring in the CBD

The Alice Springs Town Council discussed the plans to install CCTV in the CBD.

There was general agreement that businesses, foot patrols/community patrols and the Council should work together to develop a collective approach towards monitoring activities in Alice Springs.

Education, skills development and employment

Participants agree that a priority is on providing youths in Alice Springs with more education and employment opportunities. There was agreement that children needs to attend primary school.

The Indigenous Education and Employment Taskforce has been collating and coordinating programs that have been successful elsewhere. Effort needs to be placed on changing people’s perception about what can be done in Alice Springs.

Stronger partnerships between schools and businesses were suggested as a way to provide more opportunities for young Indigenous people to receive training. These partnerships will need to:

  • Be proactive
  • Provide meaningful work.

There is a skills shortage in Alice Springs and business participants agreed that the priority should be placed on training local people to take up the opportunities in town.

This is summed up by one participant’s comment, “Businesses need to recruit from the one postcode, that is, the Alice Springs community.”

There was general agreement that more needs to be done to motivate young people to take up a trade, work experience and/or traineeships.

Participants discussed issues around cultural differences and expectations of Indigenous people.

Employers/businesses were very interested in offering more opportunities for work experience and/or training. They feel that they need to know more about the best ways to engage young Indigenous people so that they can offer the most appropriate training.

There was general agreement that there should be better connections between education and work, particularly in preparing young people for work.

Participants understand that there are a number of education and employment programs in different agencies and organisations.

A suggestion was made to consolidate and coordinate the programs so that young people and businesses can easily find out what is available to them. This was also considered a way to connect the ‘right people’ to the ‘right jobs’.

Participants discussed the ‘success stories’ where young people have made significant achievements. There was general agreement that there is a need to promote champions and advocates, particularly for young Indigenous people, by profiling these success stories.

Business participants were enthusiastic about providing mentoring to young people.

Young people at risk

There was general agreement that solutions will need to be targeted at the different age groups. For instance, the needs of those who are primary school-aged will be different to the needs of teenagers.

There was also a need to understand the reasons why they are on the streets, and to understand their aspirations.

A range of accommodation, short to long term, is needed so that young people can stay in a safe and secure environment.

There is a need for more after-hours recreational activities for young people. This is particularly important for youths who are not engaged with families, education or sports.

Sports, such as football, were considered as an effective means to engage those who are interested.

Promotion and communications

There was general agreement that there were many positive features of Alice Springs that should be promoted and communicated to the broader community.

Participants suggested that the following information could become regular features in the local papers:

  • Profile Indigenous employment in non-Indigenous businesses
  • Crime statistics – reduction in crime, break-ins and property damage, etc.
  • Attendance at school
  • Mentorship stories
  • Success stories of young people.