Alcohol management

About Alcohol Management Plans

Alcohol Management Plans (AMPs) operate in remote and discrete Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across 15 Local Government Areas in Queensland, and were introduced to reduce alcohol related violence, particularly against women, children and the elderly.

A new approach to alcohol management

Following a review of AMPs finalised in mid-2019, a new approach to alcohol management will be implemented by these communities with support from the Queensland Government.

The refreshed approach continues to include alcohol restrictions, but will be managed locally and include strategies tailored to the unique characteristics and aspirations of each community.

This work is an example of how the Queensland Government is reframing the relationship with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to improve safety and wellbeing in partnership with community.

Features of the new approach

• Alcohol management is locally controlled
• Co-designed community-specific plans and strategies that improve safety and wellbeing, reduce demand, address sly grog and homebrew and promote a positive alcohol culture
• Potential for amendments to carriage limits where communities want them and demonstrate the ability to manage the changes
• Emphasis on sustainable solutions

Implementation

The Queensland Government has already made some legislative amendments to better target ingredients commonly used to make homebrew.

Minor carriage limit amendments have been endorsed for Palm Island to extend the variety of beverages residents and visitors can enjoy. Carriage limits have also been changed in Kowanyama and Mornington Island to allow access to a regulated supply of alcohol to help combat home brew and sly grog. Changes to community carriage limits in other locations will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

The department will support communities with AMPs to develop their local capability to plan and deliver solutions to achieve community aspirations. Implementation will occur progressively based on individual community readiness.

About the AMP Review

The AMP Review was finalised in mid-2019.

Findings

• AMPs play a valuable role in ensuring community safety, particularly for vulnerable people such as women and children
• Illicit alcohol (sly grog and homebrew) has undermined the positive impacts of AMPs
• Concerted and coordinated efforts are needed to sustainably reduce demand and harm
• Community ownership and local leadership in determining and implementing strategies for managing alcohol misuse and harm is key to the effectiveness of these measures.

The refreshed approach to alcohol management responds to the findings of the review, and research and evidence from other sources such as James Cook University.

Components of the review

1. Community-specific reviews
   Alcohol management proposals were received from the remote and discrete Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities that have alcohol restrictions in place. They included strategies to improve school attendance and reduce child protection issues.The proposal development process for some communities included community meetings, forming working groups to oversee the review, doing community surveys and working with external parties to facilitate consultation and evaluate their current AMP.The department assisted communities when requested. This included providing data about levels of harm, facilitating meetings and supporting community surveys.
2. The Convictions Project
   The department partnered with the Office of the Government Statistician on the Convictions Project in response to community concerns about whether alcohol restrictions were leading to people who would not otherwise have a criminal history entering the criminal justice system.Findings were presented in Alcohol Management Plan Review - Breach of alcohol restrictions in Indigenous communities and associated contact with the criminal justice system (PDF, 1.1 MB). This report was provided to communities on 8 April 2014.
3. General Review
   This review, conducted by PwC Indigenous Consulting, assessed the overall effectiveness of AMPs. It incorporated feedback collected by us from 23 members of the public and other key stakeholders.