Let Alone to Listen: The Impact of Northern Territory Liquor Laws on Aboriginal Justice Outcomes.

This article tracks the development of liquor laws in the Northern Territory, considering their impacts on Aboriginal justice outcomes and possible areas for reform. Noting the putative trade-off between health and justice outcomes, it examines the Northern Territory National Emergency Response Act 2007 (Cth), the Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory Act 2012 (Cth) and the 2022–23 Liquor Act 2019 (NT) amendments. Under the most recent Liquor Act amendments, the sale, possession and consumption of alcohol remain restricted in prescribed areas, which must determine the future of their liquor laws by 28 February 2027. This article proposes that greater investment is required to support Aboriginal leadership throughout this decision-making process. Indeed, a central proposition of this article is that the failure to adequately consult Aboriginal communities has been a shared feature of all three laws, and a fundamental barrier to improving Aboriginal justice. Reflecting on the interaction between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal legal systems, this article identifies issues in the current policies that risk replicating the shortcomings of previous laws, thereby failing to empower Aboriginal leadership or improve Aboriginal justice services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]