C. Timeline—Stronger Futures Act sunsetting

C. Timeline—Stronger Futures Act sunsetting

Date

Activity

2007

The Commonwealth Government enacted the Northern Territory National Emergency Response Act 2007 (Cth)(NTNER Act), modifying Northern Territory (NT) legislation, including the Liquor Act 1978 (NT).

2012

The Commonwealth Government enacted the Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory Act2012 (Cth) (Stronger Futures Act), repealing the NTNER Act, but continuing the Commonwealth Government’s modifications to the LiquorAct 1978 (NT).

December 2020

National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) taskforce established and Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory: Sunset Review commenced

7 April 2021

NIAA and the NT Government discussed the Stronger Futures Act sunsetting and using NTlegislation to extend alcohol management to communities not covered by that legislation.

The NIAA and NT Government agreed that alcohol sunsetting issues would be managed through the Community-Identified Aspirations (Alcohol) Steering Committee.

18 June 2021

NIAA provided the NT Government with a working draft of its Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory: Sunset Review.

20 August 2021

NIAA and the NT Department of Chief Minister and Cabinet (CM&C) sent joint correspondence to the Land Councils seeking a meeting to discuss the Stronger Futures Act sunsetting arrangements.

28 August 2021

The Northern Land Council (NLC) and the Central Land Council (CLC) responded to the NIAA and CM&C, accepting a meeting.

1 September 2021

CM&C sought the Land Councils’ preferences for a date and time to meet

14 September 2021

NIAA and CM&C made a presentation to the Community Aspirations Alcohol Forum discussing the sunsetting arrangements relating to alcohol restrictions.

19 October 2021

CLC advised the CM&C that they were not ready to discuss positions on future legislative arrangements associated with the Stronger Futures Act sunsetting.

27 October 2021

The Former Minister for Indigenous Australians, the Hon Ken Wyatt wrote to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, the Hon Selena Uibo noting the findings of the draft Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory: Sunset Review.

28 October 2021

CM&C attended the Closing the Gap Partnership Working Group meeting at the agreement of Aboriginal Peak Organisations of the Northern Territory (APO NT) and provided a briefing on the potential outcomes of the Stronger Futures Act sunsetting.

October 2021

NIAA completed the Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory: Sunset Review.

11 November 2021

NIAA provided the draft Stronger Futures Sunset Review and a paper outlining proposed sunsetting approaches to Land Councils and APO NT.

15 November 2021

NIAA and CM&C held a workshop with Land Councils, APO NT, Yili Housing, and the Northern Territory Indigenous Business Network (NTIBN) discussing the potential of the Stronger Futures Act sunsetting and transitional arrangements.

3 December 2021

Minister Uibo wrote to former Minister Wyatt confirming its position to amend the Liquor Act 2019 (NT) and lead community-based consultations to determine community aspirations with respect to alcohol.

Additionally noted, was the limited effectiveness of the Classifications (Publications, Film and Computer Games) Act 1995 (Cth)due to advances in technology, and that the establishment of a remote stores licensing scheme was dependent on appropriate resourcing.

December 2021 – January 2022

Additional meetings proposed by the NIAA and NT Government in December2021 and January2022 were declined by APO NT due to their Chair and/or senior staff being unavailable.

9 February 2022

NT Government held a second workshop with community organisations, including Land Councils, APO NT, NIAA, Yilli Housing, NTIBN, North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) and CM&C to discuss the Northern Territory Remote Aboriginal Investment and Stronger Futures.

3 March 2022

NIAA, NT Government and APO NT met at the Community-Identified Aspirations (Alcohol) Steering Group Meeting to discuss sunsetting arrangements for alcohol.

8 March 2022

The NIAA attended the NT Aboriginal Health Forum. The need for transitionary arrangements if the Stronger Futures Act were to sunset, was discussed.

25 March 2022

CM&C met with the NT Aboriginal Health Forum to discuss Stronger Futures legislation.

6 April 2022

Former Minister Wyatt endorsed the draft Sunset Review and wrote to Minister Uibo confirming that the Stronger Futures Act would sunset based on the findings of the review, and accepting the NT Government’s offer to transition responsibility for alcohol, stores licensing and land management measures into NT legislation.

Former Minister Wyatt also wrote to the former Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, Hon Paul Fletcher and confirmed that the legislation would sunset, noting that due to advancements in technology, the effectiveness of Part 10 of the Classifications (Publications, Film and Computer Games) Act 1995 (Cth)had been diminished.

14 April 2022

NT Government met with APO NT to brief it on amendments to the LiquorAct2019 (NT) in preparation for Stronger Futures Act sunsetting.

17 May 2022

The NT Government passed the Associations and Liquor Amendment Bill2022.

This amended the Liquor Act 2019 (NT) to include opt-in arrangements.

15 July 2022

The NT Government and NIAA sent a joint letter to store managers/owners, and peak community organisations in the NT advising of the Stronger Futures Act sunsetting and its impact; as well as the NT Government’s plan to establish a remote stores licensing scheme.

17 July 2022

The Stronger Futures Act sunset.

Source:Northern Territory Government, Submission 6, pages 5–10; National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA), Submission15, pages 9–15.