General News
16 October, 2024
Border issue not confined to Mount Isa, says mayor
Peta MacRae says the cross-border commissioner's plan would need buy-in from other communities.
A whole of North Queensland approach to cross-border alcohol management is needed to ensure itinerant problem drinkers do not move across neighbouring communities, says Mount Isa mayor Peta MacRae.
Mount Isa councillors will meet with cross-border commissioner Ian Leavers during the Local Government Association of Queensland conference in Brisbane next week, where they will be updated on moves to change alcohol management laws in our city.
It follows on from meetings between Cr MacRae and Mr Leavers in Mount Isa earlier this month.
As previously reported by North West Weekly, Mr Leavers plans to pursue a memorandum of understanding between the Northern Territory and Queensland governments, which would allow greater information-sharing capabilities between relevant agencies, including law enforcement.
Mr Leavers has previously said enforcing the NT's banned drinker register in Mount Isa was top of his priority list, which he believes would reduce the number of itinerant people engaging in alcohol-fuelled, anti-social behaviour.
Cr MacRae told North West Weekly it was important that any changes to Mount Isa alcohol management laws also considered the impact on other North Queensland communities.
“We have talked about how to streamline current practices and legislation so we are not encouraging people to come across the border to engage in anti-social behaviour,” she said.
“However, we also do not want to simply move the problems on to another community.
“I think there is scope for any changes to be introduced across all of North Queensland.”
Applying the NT's banned drinker register to North Queensland was also promoted by former Mount Isa mayor Danielle Slade, former Townsville mayor Jenny Hill and former Cairns mayor Bob Manning, who jointly lobbied the state government last year for the register to be enforced across the three cities.