Kimberley Fitzroy Crossing call to ban takeaway alcohol sales
A call has gone out to the federal government to intervene to stop takeaway alcohol sales wreaking "havoc and death" at a remote pub, owned by the federal government, in Western Australia's Kimberley region.
Aboriginal women of Fitzroy Crossing, the Derby shire council and the Kimberley Aboriginal Law and Culture Centre (KALACC) want a 12 month moratorium on takeaway alcohol sales in the area, says KALACC spokesman Wes Morris.
In recent years four people have died at the Fitzroy Crossing Inn and the adjoining park, known as the Billabong, said Wes Morris.
Two others have been killed in hit and run accidents after leaving the Fitzroy Crossing inn and four more have drowned in the nearby Fitzroy River.
However, the Leedal group - which runs the Fitzroy Crossing Inn in the troubled town - is resisting the moratorium.
WA Labor MP Tom Stephens says Federal Employment Minister Joe Hockey could intervene because Indigenous Business Australia (IBA), a federal government agency for which the minister is responsible, is a joint venture partner of Leedal.
"It's a federal government agency wreaking havoc and death," MP Tom Stephens said.
"Basically, he needs to tell IBA that they need to cease liquor sales at the federal government owned pub in Fitzroy Crossing and order the cessation of alcohol takeaway sales.
"He's got a bill going through the federal parliament now, that he could make an amendment to."
A spokeswoman for Mr Joe Hockey said IBA held a 16 per cent interest in the inn and Mr Joe Hockey had called for an immediate review of the business when he became aware of issues in Fitzroy Crossing.
But she said she was not aware of any action Mr Joe Hockey could take to stop takeaway alcohol sales in WA.
IBA has offered its equity in the Fitzroy Crossing inn to the Leedal group but Mr Tom Stephens says IBA should hang on to the asset.
"There's no reason why that money that's been taken from that community should be just simply excessive profiteering when the misery of local people is going into IBA, it's going into Joe Hockey's pocket effectively."
"Four people have died on licensed premises, they have been picked up and taken to the morgue from the pub."
KALACC wants WA's coroner to investigate the deaths, along with 13 suicides in 13 months in the town, when he visits Fitzroy Crossing in October as part of an investigation into links between cannabis use and Aboriginal suicides.
"He's trying to establish a link between cannabis and Aboriginal deaths near Broome, we want him to do the same with alcohol in Fitzroy Crossing."
A spokeswoman for the coroner says he will consider the request.
AWA Liquor Licensing Director Barry Sargeant has given the Fitzroy valley community several more weeks to agree on how to manage liquor sales.
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