Alice Springs is running dry

The Australian town of Alice Springs, situated in the heart of Australia, has banned all consumption of alcohol in public places. There are only a few exceptions to this rule. The decision was taken following the federal government's decision to ban the sale of alcohol to Aboriginal people in order to crack down on instances of child abuse. The government wants to ban the sale, consumption and possession of alcohol on Aboriginal lands, and to grant the police new powers to search vehicles suspected of being involved in the supply of alcohol. Liquor permits will only be available for community festivals, sporting events and weddings on public lands. Residents of Alice Springs are concerned that these new measures will shift the problem drinkers into their town - hence the move to declare themselves dry (summarised from BBC World).

I have to say that there is a good measure of hypocrisy mixed in with this prohibition. The Aboriginals have been destroyed and marginalised precisely because of alcohol - which, dare I remind readers, was introduced by the colonisers of the Australian outback - Europeans. More needs to be done to alleviate the problems in Aboriginal society. Taking the alcohol away is addressing a symptom - not the underlying cause. I hope the Australian federal government will do more than just that.