Indigenous leader Marcia Langton has called for alcohol restrictions across the entire Northern Territory to solve the scourge of domestic violence and rejected suggestions the crisis is a cultural issue for Aboriginal communities.
"Herein lies the secret to the whole puzzle," Professor Langton told an inquest on Tuesday.
"You have to have alcohol restrictions in place at all times, no exceptions, and it is my strong belief (they) need to be uniform across the jurisdiction."
NT Coroner Elisabeth Armitage is investigating the prevalence of domestic violence in the territory through the deaths of four women.
Kumanjayi Haywood, Ngeygo Ragurrk, Miss Yunupingu and Kumarn Rubuntja all died at the hands of their intimate partners.
The inquest has already heard from the families of the victims and has now returned for a final sitting to hear from experts.
Prof Langton, an Indigenous academic and community leader, appeared via video link to the Darwin court on Tuesday, warning the coroner of the risks alcohol poses to women's safety.
Prof Langton pointed to data from earlier this year when federal laws restricting access to alcohol in the NT lapsed, causing a surge in violent assaults.
Alcohol bans were reinstated in some areas by the territory government.
Permits are now required to drink alcohol in most remote communities, while public drinking restrictions and bottle shop opening time limits differ in towns and cities across the territory.
A banned drinking register is also in place across the jurisdiction, restricting alcohol for those convicted of certain offences.
Prof Langton said while NT alcohol policy has a complicated history women will be at risk unless uniform restrictions are in place.
"What you get from both sides from the Aboriginal population and the non-Aboriginal population is this complaint about it being racially discriminatory when the law says it's not," she said.
She pointed to a 2013 High Court decision where alcohol management plans were found to not breach racial discrimination laws because they are "special measures" designed to protect vulnerable Indigenous communities.
Prof Langton said the amount allowed for purchase, even with the strictest limits was still too much and "not in line with medical advice".
"If there are any loopholes in the system, grog runners will buy the alcohol in truckloads take it out to the communities and no alcohol restriction policy will work," she said.
She also rejected an assertion that violence is part of Aboriginal culture.
"It's used in a derogatory fashion as if Aboriginal culture itself promotes violence, Aboriginal culture itself degrades women - that is not the case," she said.
She said some perpetrators of violence used the "cloak of customary law" to justify violence against women.
Prof Langton also echoed most other witnesses in the inquest, arguing territory domestic violence services are chronically underfunded and under-resourced.
Earlier, domestic violence expert Penny Drysdale told the inquest a team of researchers asked the NT government for $180 million worth of funding over five years to implement a domestic violence prevention plan.
It ultimately committed $20 million over two years, a commitment Ms Drysdale argued put the system in "crisis mode".
"We stay in crisis mode, and we do little bits, but we're not able to get that co-ordinated response," she said.
In opening the final sitting of the inquest on Monday, Judge Armitage said the inquest would aim to reduce harm in communities.
"That each of (the women) suffered so much harm for so long, is truly shocking," she said.
"There are, without doubt, others out there today, similarly suffering, and that is why we are here."
The inquest resumes on Wednesday.
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