Temporary restrictions on the sale of liquor across the city of Port Augusta may unintentionally flare racial tensions in the city, a substance abuse expert warns.
This month, the Liquor and Gambling Commissioner imposed limits on some items, curbing purchases of spirits, cask wine, and fortified wine by restricting them to single sales in an attempt to reduce antisocial behaviour.
The decision coincided with Port Augusta's summer influx of visitors from remote Indigenous communities from across the state.
This year visitor numbers have swelled after unprecedented rain and the pandemic stopped people from returning home.
Aboriginal Drug and Alcohol Council chief executive Scott Wilson said it was no secret who the restrictions were put in place for.
Mr Wilson, who has worked in the area of substance abuse for more than 20 years, said he was concerned the restrictions might unintentionally increase racial tension in the community.
"Other people will now blame Aboriginal people for the fact they've been restricted from getting alcohol," he said.
Despite overseeing the drop-in day centre and the only residential rehabilitation centre in the city, Mr Wilson was not consulted about the restrictions.
"Perhaps if they had sat down with service providers first before making this decision, maybe we could have come up with a bit of a different solution."
Pandemic highlights rough sleepers
Mr Wilson said the pandemic had shone a light on homelessness, not only in regional South Australia but across the country.
"If we can address some of these issues in the pandemic to put people in temporary housing or COVID-19 hubs where people can stay, why the hell can't we do that for this group of people that are homeless in normal times?"
Mayor and member of the Port of Augusta Responsible Communities (PARC) group Brett Benbow said the liquor restrictions were another step in several actions he would like to see address problems in the city.
"If this is the silver bullet, we aren't going to know yet but there is no one-stop-shop to fix the situation," Cr Benbow said.
"We do know there is not enough accommodation or housing to deal with the influx of visitors at certain times of the year, I've told the group [PARC] that before," he said.
Mr Wilson said even the types of restricted liquor targeted people who were homeless.
Beer and other mixed drinks have not been included in the alcohol restrictions.
"If I don't have a house and don't have anywhere to keep my beers cold and I have $20, I'm going to buy a bottle of spirits," he said.
"If you address housing needs, you might find some of the alcohol consumption might go down."
The importance of language
The language surrounding the problem of "antisocial behaviour" and "visitors" to Port Augusta has also become a point of contention.
The terms used do not directly name anyone or point to exactly what antisocial behaviour is.
"I know they are talking about Aboriginal folk," Mr Wilson said.
He believes though there has been an increase in visitors to the city, the problem can be overstated when using certain language.
"Yes, there might be a few more people in Port Augusta than there usually is but that doesn't mean there are a thousand people that have descended on the town and decided to abuse and be violent to people as they walk past."
Coober Pedy frustrated by inaction
Further north, the Coober Pedy council passed a motion at its most recent council meeting expressing "significant disappointment" at the lack of progress by the state government to address antisocial behaviour in the city.
Administrator Tim Jackson said antisocial behaviour in Coober Pedy was nothing new, but the council had become increasingly frustrated by the lack of action by authorities.
"Seven-odd years ago we entered into more formal liquor restrictions, but their impact and the way they are carried out has dwindled," Mr Jackson said.
He says when anyone buys alcohol in the town their license is recorded but records between the two local bottle shops are not linked.
The council has called on the state government to address the problem immediately and to adequately resource a solution.
