Home » Oceania » Australia: Aboriginal Landowners Keep Alcohol Out of Their Parks

Australia: Aboriginal Landowners Keep Alcohol Out of Their Parks

No Comments | September 24th, 2009 | Trackback

Traditional landowners of national parks and preserves in the Northern Territory, including Ndhala Gorge, Trephina Gorge and Arltunga Historical Reserve, have rejected a request to allow tourists to consume alcohol on their land. The deeds to nine national parks were handed back to traditional owners in June, and thus fell under the Northern Territory Emergency Response law which bans drinking alcohol on aboriginal land. The parks are popular tourist destinations and the Northern Territory government wants exemptions for tourists to drink there, but the indigenous owners want to keep the parks alcohol free, and thus far are succeeding. In other news, a pall of red dust blew in from the Outback and covered Sydney Sept. 23, causing international flights to be diverted to other states and some flights from New Zealand to turn back, darkening the daytime skies and creating difficult breathing conditions.