Gulliver’s Tavern’s Darren Spackman acknowledged for his community work at the 2023 WA Liquor Industry Awards

Kununurra pub owner Darren Spackman urged State Government and local stakeholders to do more to address alcohol-related harm after being recognised for his community work at the WA Liquor Industry Awards. Mr Spackman, the owner of Gulliver’s Tavern, received the Anita Grace Community Service Award for his strong collaboration with WA Police and the local council to help reduce harm around alcohol abuse in the Kimberley. He told at ballroom filled with government ministers, politicians and industry leaders that in the Kimberley, “we’re fighting for every day, as a business and for our community”. “There’s total dysfunction of our department and unfortunately, it’s got really bad, that we’ve got to the stage where we need to actually restrict our way of life because we can’t regulate society,” he said. The awards was held at the Hyatt Regency Perth and among the guests were Minister for Racing, Gaming and Liquor Reece Whitby, Police Minister Paul Papalia, Minister for Mines, Bill Johnston and Minister for Local Government David Michael. Mr Spackman is a long-term member of the Kununurra Wyndham Alcohol Accord and was instrumental in having the Takeaway Alcohol Management System installed which allows bottle shops to scan customers ID’s to check they have not exceeded daily purchase limits. He has also lobbied the Government for an effective banned drinkers register for the Kimberley. New legislation on this is expected to pass Parliament very soon. Mr Spackman’s family have owned a succession of businesses in Kununurra over the past 35 years including a butcher, the IGA Tuckerbox, a Telstra outlet, Retravision and a coffee shop.,