Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Community Services) Share this | Hansard source

I indicated a little earlier that, whilst the Commonwealth always has an interest in the general health of the public, outside of those prescribed areas it is really the responsibility of the Northern Territory government. As I have indicated, I know that the number of liquor-licensed outlets, particularly takeaways, in the Northern Territory has been a concern to the Northern Territory government and I understand that they are looking closely at a whole suite of initiatives, including licensing, slowing down the number of licences and buying licences back. They have all been discussed in the media. I am not sure exactly where they are up to with those initiatives, but it is not something that the Commonwealth is specifically looking at. That is a Northern Territory government responsibility and they are, I understand from my reading in the media, actively looking at all of those issues. But that it is not the sort of space that the Commonwealth is going to walk around in.