THE NT Government has postponed the introduction of a blood alcohol limit on Northern Territory vessels.
A blood alcohol limit for skippers may now be considered as part of a future Maritime Safety Agenda, the government says.
This follows a statement from Chief Minister Michael Gunner who said the NT’s water safety record was the worst in the country defending a move to bring the drink-driving limit for boat skippers into line with road users.
” … there’s plenty of research and evidence that shows if you have a 0.05 [blood alcohol reading] you aren’t safe behind the wheel or behind the tiller,” Gunner told ABC.
The .05 limit was a recommendation of the Riley Review from 2017 and follows recreational boating blood alcohol limits in other parts of Australia.
On the weekend, the NT Government also announced it was ruling out a licencing or registration regime for Territory boats.
Sources: Katherine Times, Northern Territory Government
