Plans to expand the banned drinkers register trial to include the Kimberley as well as the Pilbara have hit a snag with equipment delays and funding uncertainties.
The set back is just the latest development in the on-again-off-again issue of alcohol restrictions in the region.
As recently as September, Minister for Racing and Gaming Paul Papalia told a Broome regional cabinet meeting that he hoped to launch a banned drinkers register (BDR) across the Kimberley in December, simultaneously with a trial across the Pilbara.
"Some time ago I suggested that I'd like to get it going at the same time as the Pilbara one," Mr Papalia said.
"That won't be possible, not because of funding, but because there are limitations on the actual device being manufactured and delivered."
Funding uncertainty
Mr Papalia said the State Government had initially proposed the Pilbara BDR, and plans to expand the policy across the Kimberley had only recently been adopted.
"When people in the Kimberley heard about this, the local governments and some of the interested parties said that they would like to have a trial that they would fund themselves," Mr Papalia said.
Mr Papalia said he now expected that the state will have to find the majority of funds for the Kimberley BDR, with the Kimberley Zone committing around a quarter of the expected $1 million cost of the rollout.
"It's become clear in recent times that [the shires] don't actually have adequate resources to support a Kimberley-wide trial," Mr Papalia said.
"It's not something that we had budgeted for, so obviously it's a new activity that we have got to try and find money for."
But Kimberley shire leaders said they never expected to fund a $1 million rollout.
Derby West Kimberley shire president Geoff Haerewa, who is also the Liberal candidate for the Kimberley seat in the upcoming state election, said he was never of the understanding that Kimberley shires would fund the entire trial.
"We were invited to participate but the details were never really confirmed," he said.
"What the minister did know and what his office did know, was that we did have $250,000 to put towards this takeaway alcohol management system.
"We were very happy when he included the Kimberley, however we weren't aware the cost was going to be around this amount."
Wyndham East Kimberley shire president David Menzel said negotiations were ongoing.
"We're all determined to work with the minister's office to make sure the funding arrangements are suitable and we can actually afford it," he said.
Coroner called for Kimberley alcohol restrictions
A West Australian coronial inquest into the deaths of 13 young people in the region released findings in 2019 that all but one of the deaths was due to suicide, and that alcohol played a role in all the deaths.
Coroner Ros Fogliani made 42 recommendations at the time, including Kimberley-wide restrictions on the sale of alcohol.
Restrictions on the sale of full-strength takeaway alcohol were introduced into the Kimberley towns of Fitzroy Crossing and Halls Creek in 2007, in response in part to record rates of foetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
Restrictions were later introduced to the Kimberley towns of Derby and Kununurra, leaving Broome as a magnet for problem drinkers from across the region.
Wyndham East Kimberley Shire president David Menzel said the BDR would get to the crux of addressing alcohol abuse and it was important any initiatives were supported by the community.
"None of us are comfortable with the amount of harm that's done at the moment," Mr Menzel said.
"Our communities have been willing to put up with the takeaway alcohol management system — we need to recognise that's a pretty big inconvenience for a lot of people.
"I think it's important the community is behind this — and they are — but some of the other alternatives, as in restricting alcohol, is not something our community is at all in favour of."
Mr Papalia said his Government supported the introduction of a Kimberley BDR and he hoped it may finally make some headway on the alcohol issues.
"It would be great if we can get it happening, and I'm pretty optimistic that we'll be able to support a trial up there," Mr Papalia said.
"We are also rolling out the regulation around sly-grogging.
"If we can have the sly-grogging regulations rolled in close proximity to a trial of a banned drinkers' register and takeaway alcohol management system, we can have potentially a really significant impact on a whole lot of harm that's being done from alcohol abuse across the whole Kimberley."
