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Titjikala Alcohol Management Plan approved by Minister supplied by Min. Scullion’s office 31 May 2014
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n Alcohol Management Plan (AMP) covering the Northern Territory community of Titjikala is the first to be approved by the Australian Government. The Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Nigel Scullion, approved the AMP this week after concluding it met the requirements of Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory legislation and was an appropriate plan for the community to address problems with alcohol. “Through the Alcohol Management Plan (AMP), the Titjikala community has agreed to implement a number of initiatives to encourage local residents to consume alcohol in a responsible manner,” Minister Scullion said. “These include things such as educating the community about alcohol and other drugs so that people can make better choices, and supporting efforts to improve school attendance rates. The community is also keen to talk to the NT police about how they patrol Titjikala. “Although Titjikala is a dry community, there have been alcohol-related issues as a result of alcohol being brought illegally into the community and this is the central issue the community is seeking to address through the AMP. “The AMP does not change the alcohol restrictions currently in place in the Titjiklala region.
Members of the desert community of Titjikala, Northern Territory’s 2013 Tidy Towns Winner, with national National Tidy Town judge Dick Olesinski.
“This plan is owned by the Titjikala community and the Government is determined to support it in its efforts to reduce the harm caused by alcohol. This support includes providing an additional alcohol and other drug worker (AOD) who will assist the Titjikala community to implement its AMP.” The Minister said he was pleased that the first Alcohol Management Plan had made it through Labor’s messy process. “The former Government put in place an overly bureaucratic process which seriously disrupted the work communities had already put in towards developing AMPSs. In particular, the late introduction of Minimum Standards in early 2013 meant a number of communities had to start their plans again. “I have tasked officials in my department with streamlining the
approval process and getting rid of red tape which has been frustrating communities and slowing the whole process.” Minister Scullion said he was keen to consider further AMPs in the Northern Territory that have been endorsed at a community level. As part of his decision to approve the Titjikala AMP, Minister Scullion also approved Commonwealth funding of up to $2.65 million in 2013-14 to be given to the Northern Territory Government to engage alcohol and other drug workers where they are needed. The Australian Government will also invest a further $519,000 in 2013-14 to support targeted alcohol harm reduction activities and initiatives across the Northern Territory.
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