UK tourists face curfew and 'staying away from town centre' after dark

UK tourists face a curfew and being forced to stay away from town centres at night in parts of Australia. UK tourists heading out of the European Union on holiday have been warned over strict curbs in the Northern Territory part of the country.

In March, and again in July, the Northern Territory government implemented curfews banning minors from the town centre at night following a series of violent attacks. The rise in crime has drawn particular attention to Alice Springs in the media as it came after the Northern Territory government ended a 15-year alcohol ban in remote Aboriginal communities in late 2022.

Ben Hall, CEO of tour bus operator AAT Kings told Al Jazeera: “We’ve certainly seen the trips from Alice Springs to Uluru have been a little bit softer." Hall said: “We’ve added a couple of new short break itineraries for this year into the region…but certainly it’s been tough trading.”

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ared Sharp, a legal officer for the non-profit, said in a press release that while the public perceives a rise in youth crime in the Northern Territory, “youth justice court lodgements territory-wide have fallen for three years running” as the crimewave swept the region.

Tour and car rental companies across Australia’s Red Centre, as the country’s vast outback region is often called, have reported a similar drop-off in business. While tourism operators attribute the decline to a number of factors, most agree that part of the cause is escalating youth crime in Alice Springs.

Unlike the previous curfew, the new legislation allows for criminal penalties. Non-compliance with curfew orders is a “strict liability” criminal offence, which means even if the person honestly believes they are complying, they will be criminalised. The maximum penalty is a fine of A$1,480.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who leads the centre-left Labor Party, has made several visits to the town to highlight his government’s efforts to tackle the issue.