Community leaders fear alcohol restrictions in Derby and Broome could cause unintentional harm without the support services that have long been sought.
Kimberley organisations say the region needs more investment in alcohol services, such as detox and rehabilitation, to tackle new restrictions.The WA government is being urged to increase investment in alcohol and other drug services.
"It can result in people not being supported to adequately detox which can then can result in an increase in criminalisation activities or family and domestic violence," she said. "The recent budget announcement had nothing in there about health prevention, yet they are introducing additional restrictions without therapeutic support."Derby Shire President Peter McCumstie said despite discussions with ministers and attempts to reach the director of liquor licensing, the community seemed to have been ignored.
"So why do we constantly keep going back to restrictions as the panacea that's going to fix all," he said.Floyd Churnside, who rehabilitates family and domestic violence perpetrators through the Derby-based Emama Nguda Aboriginal Corporation, said he hoped the ban would cause a decrease in domestic violence rates in the region, which were some of the highest in the country.
"If that was the step taken by the Director of Liquor Licensing to come up here and do a full consultation with the Derby community, there would have been much more valued feedback and input," he said.In a statement, a spokesperson for the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries said the director's decision was based on evidence gathered from across the community.
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