My gut feel is that from 1986 to 2001 the situation in many Aboriginal communities went from bad to worse. Doomadgee in 1986 had a general store that was usable by humans, drove through the place around 2001 and I wouldn't even consider stopping.
What also seems to have happened is that Kava and marijuana have made it into those places as well, in fact when I stayed at Cape Crawford, the pub and motel were the weirdest places I've ever seen, unfriendly, surly staff, strange people around who didn't "fit" even in the outback (like half a dozen Vietnamese) strange goings on at night, it took me years to realise that it was pretty obviously a drug distribution point or suchlike. Glad I only spent one night there.
As for the problem of youngsters driving 300kms to get a drink, I don't know what you can do about it except prohibit Abo's from being sold grog....but of course we are now too modern and enlightened to do that aren't we?