Banned Drinkers Register Trial Starts Today

Racing and Gaming Minister Paul Papalia will launch the start of the Banned Drinkers Register two-year trial in the Pilbara today.

Technology already installed will alert liquor store staff at the point of sale when an identified problem drinker attempts to purchase liquor.

The BDR technology will assess a person's identification to determine if they are on the register, with a visual indicator to alert staff if they are a banned drinker who cannot legally buy alcohol.

Personal information relating to people on the BDR will remain confidential and no records will be kept by licensees about the purchaser, what they purchase or if they are refused.

Aboriginal Males Healing Centre founder and CEO, Devon Cuimara told me that money made from taxes should go towards a drug rehabilitation centre.

"It doesn't take me to be drunk to be violent. I was violent with or without alcohol, if an aboriginal person or a martu person were to overuse, excessively drink .. its only because he's sick and we're not dealing with that," he said.

" Alcohol is taxed, for every dollar that is taxed from alcohol, it should be put into a drug rehabilitation facility."