Drunk itinerants to be jailed

Drunken itinerants who refuse to go into rehabilitation programs will be jailed under a Territory Labor plan announced yesterday.

As the problem of long-grassers emerged as a major election issue, Police Minister Paul Henderson said "habitual drunks" would be served "prohibition orders" by police.

The CLP has already announced a zero-tolerance approach to public drunkenness, including forced treatment programs and potential imprisonment for non-payment of fines.

Opposition Leader Denis Burke last night described the ALP plan as an admission of "absolute failure".

Mr Henderson said anyone who breached prohibition orders would face court -- and be given two options.

"If they are not prepared to face treatment they will go to jail," he said. "We have to break the cycle."

Prohibition orders will be issued against people taken into police custody for grog-related offences six times in three months.

Once an order was in place, further public drunkenness offences would see them face court. Mr Henderson said research showed there were up to 200 "habitual drunks" in the Territory.

"Some of these people get picked up hundreds of times each year," he said. "The issue here is dealing with people who are chronic alcoholics.

"Anybody who gets picked up repeatedly has a major problem."

Opposition Leader Denis Burke last night dismissed the Labor plan as policy on the run.

"This has been an issue for years," he said.

"On the eve of an election, they are somehow suggesting they are going to get tough -- it is too late -- and it is an admission of failure."

Mr Henderson admitted much of the detail -- including jail term length -- was yet to be decided.

Chief Minister Clare Martin said yesterday there had been a "spike" in complaints about public drunkenness this year.

The package will also include:

AN ADDITIONAL $560,000 for treatment and rehabilitation services for habitual drunks; and

ESTABLISHING an alcohol court -- at a cost of $200,000 a year.

Mr Henderson denied the policy targeted Aborigines.

"This has got nothing to do with race," he said. "There are a lot of non-indigenous people in the long grass as well."

Newshawk: http://www.napnt.org
Pubdate: Thur, 02 June 2005
Source: Northern Territory News (Australia)
Author: Paul Dyer
Copyright: 2005 Northern Territory News
Contact: ntnmail@ntn.newsltd.com.au
Website: http://ntnews.news.com.au/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/283