Mr HIGGINS - 2012-10-24
Can you update the House on the situation at Wadeye?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Daly, and acknowledge that you and the families you represent, particularly in the Wadeye area, are having a particularly difficult time at the moment.
I am pleased to advise that the swift response of the Northern Territory Police has resulted in a report, which I received this morning from Commissioner McRoberts, that all is quiet; they had a good night last night. However, the work needs to continue.
I can summarise the response of police and what has resulted from that. There is an increased presence of Northern Territory Police in Wadeye. Police have, and will, continue to supply additional police officers in the Wadeye community and district while community tensions are high and there is a heightened level of community safety concerns.
On 24 October 2012, 15 people were apprehended in Wadeye, 10 in relation to the violent disturbance, and five for outstanding warrants. Six offenders have been remanded in custody to appear in Darwin court on 25 October 2012.
Today, 25 October 2012, a further 10 offenders have been apprehended, two for the assault on the community store, and eight on outstanding warrants.
Police will continue to maintain a highly visible police presence in the community and maintain services in the community which will allow the timely and efficient response to any further incidences of this nature. There have been no reported incidents of property crime or violent crime in Wadeye in the last 24 hours, which is good news.
I spoke to the Police Commissioner again this morning. In addition to those 20 additional police officers operating in Wadeye, twice-daily briefings are being held involving the chief executive officers of the departments of Correctional Services, Regional Development and Indigenous Advancement, Chief Minister, Education and Children’s Services, Housing, Attorney-General and Justice, and the Office of Children and Families. They are all monitoring events on the ground. Department of Housing staff from the Big Rivers region have relocated back to Wadeye as a result of the various tenancy issues resulting from community unrest, such as swapping houses and the threat of damage to vacant dwellings.
It is of some concern that attendance levels at the school are still very low; however, an education task force has been established to engage with families, get the kids back to school, and start to restore some order in the community on that front. It is very important those kids attend school.
Underneath all of this there is some quite heartening community activity where people are working behind the scenes to resolve some of the underlying family tensions. I do not want to talk much about that, but that element is critical, where people who understand the nature of the conflict, who understand the relationships between people are working in a coordinated way to develop pathways to resolve this underlying issue.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Daly, and acknowledge that you and the families you represent, particularly in the Wadeye area, are having a particularly difficult time at the moment.
I am pleased to advise that the swift response of the Northern Territory Police has resulted in a report, which I received this morning from Commissioner McRoberts, that all is quiet; they had a good night last night. However, the work needs to continue.
I can summarise the response of police and what has resulted from that. There is an increased presence of Northern Territory Police in Wadeye. Police have, and will, continue to supply additional police officers in the Wadeye community and district while community tensions are high and there is a heightened level of community safety concerns.
On 24 October 2012, 15 people were apprehended in Wadeye, 10 in relation to the violent disturbance, and five for outstanding warrants. Six offenders have been remanded in custody to appear in Darwin court on 25 October 2012.
Today, 25 October 2012, a further 10 offenders have been apprehended, two for the assault on the community store, and eight on outstanding warrants.
Police will continue to maintain a highly visible police presence in the community and maintain services in the community which will allow the timely and efficient response to any further incidences of this nature. There have been no reported incidents of property crime or violent crime in Wadeye in the last 24 hours, which is good news.
I spoke to the Police Commissioner again this morning. In addition to those 20 additional police officers operating in Wadeye, twice-daily briefings are being held involving the chief executive officers of the departments of Correctional Services, Regional Development and Indigenous Advancement, Chief Minister, Education and Children’s Services, Housing, Attorney-General and Justice, and the Office of Children and Families. They are all monitoring events on the ground. Department of Housing staff from the Big Rivers region have relocated back to Wadeye as a result of the various tenancy issues resulting from community unrest, such as swapping houses and the threat of damage to vacant dwellings.
It is of some concern that attendance levels at the school are still very low; however, an education task force has been established to engage with families, get the kids back to school, and start to restore some order in the community on that front. It is very important those kids attend school.
Underneath all of this there is some quite heartening community activity where people are working behind the scenes to resolve some of the underlying family tensions. I do not want to talk much about that, but that element is critical, where people who understand the nature of the conflict, who understand the relationships between people are working in a coordinated way to develop pathways to resolve this underlying issue.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016