Fines and penalties
You’re breaking the law if you go into a restricted area with more alcohol than the carriage limit. You may have to pay a fine or go to jail. The maximum penalties are:
- first offence—375 penalty units ($60,487)
- second offence—525 penalty units ($84,682) or 6 months imprisonment
- third or later offence—750 penalty units ($120,975) or 18 months imprisonment.
The penalty unit from 1 July 2024 is $161.30.
Check individual communities for information about the restrictions and penalties that apply.
No drinking in public places within restricted areas
You can’t drink alcohol in a public place within a restricted area, unless:
- the area is a licensed premises
or
- the Liquor Regulation 2002 designates it as a public place where liquor can be consumed—this only applies to 2 places in the Northern Peninsula Area restricted areas.
You can be issued with an on-the-spot fine for drinking alcohol in a public place.
Sly grog
Sly grog is alcohol sold or supplied (often at very high prices) without a licence or permit. This is illegal.
Sly grog can be a major cause of harm, violence, poor health and poverty in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
To report sly grog, phone the confidential Sly Grog Hotline on 1800 500 815.
Homebrew bans
Homebrew and homebrew equipment is banned in communities with a zero-alcohol carriage limit and in Doomadgee.
Where homebrew is banned, it is an offence to:
- have a homebrew kit or parts of a homebrew kit (a 'homebrew kit' is defined as a kit that includes a fermenter, an airlock and a thermometer)
- have anything that is being used or was used to brew alcohol
- have homebrew concentrate
- have any homemade alcohol
- give home-made alcohol to anyone else.
The maximum penalty for having home brew is 190 penalty units (currently $30,647).