Mr GUNNER - 2015-06-16
People are shocked at the extent of escalating violence in the Northern Territory. There has recently been a drive-by shooting, a number of home invasions, 11 breakouts from juvenile detention facilities since August last year, and two people breaking back into the detention facilities. Violent crime is impacting on people’s lives every day. Your government has failed Territorians.
Chief Minister, your government is so focused on its own internal disputes it has lost control of law and order. How can Territorians trust you to protect them when they are witnessing this level of violence and disorder on our streets?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. Assaults in the Northern Territory are down by 5.8%, especially serious assaults. However, no doubt a range of offenders in the Northern Territory are causing concern within our community. Much of that has to do with serious drugs in the Northern Territory. There has been conversation around ice and methamphetamines and the current escalating use in the Northern Territory. That is why several months ago we set up the parliamentary committee to look at methamphetamine use, which is chaired by the member for Blain.
We have formed a partnership with the federal government with a task force at the national level. We are working with the Department of Immigration and Border Protection to ensure we reduce the supply of ice and methamphetamines coming from across borders. About 80% of it comes from other jurisdictions. Today I was joined by the Attorney-General in announcing we will soon bring legislation to the Chamber to declare roads in the Northern Territory as drug supply routes, specifically the Victoria, Barkly and Stuart Highways. Once the legislation is passed police will have the ability to declare one of those arterial routes as a major drug supply route for a period of up to 14 days, allowing police a greater level of search and seizure power to reduce the amount of ice, methamphetamines and illegal drugs, which cause so much harm to the community, families and individuals.
Assault numbers are continuing to come down, but there have been a number of breakouts from Don Dale by some of the juveniles there. I found it interesting this morning, listening to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition talk about how she would support a Labor policy allowing those juveniles to be taken out of prison and the juvenile justice system and released back into the community.
The member for Nhulunbuy, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, spoke earlier today about sending people from gaols back into the community. These people are seriously offending in our community. Levels of crime, whether that is property break-in, domestic violence or serious assaults – numbers of assaults are down in the Northern Territory, they are at the lowest level since the 1990s, but to see Labor and the Deputy Opposition Leader talking about releasing prisoners into the community is a disgrace and a sure sign …
Ms Walker: You are a liar. You are the only disgrace in here.
Mr GILES: … that they do not stand for strength.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, please pause. Withdraw that, member for Nhulunbuy.
Ms WALKER: I withdraw.
Mr GILES: It is a sure sign that Labor is weak on law and order.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, your time has expired.
Chief Minister, your government is so focused on its own internal disputes it has lost control of law and order. How can Territorians trust you to protect them when they are witnessing this level of violence and disorder on our streets?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. Assaults in the Northern Territory are down by 5.8%, especially serious assaults. However, no doubt a range of offenders in the Northern Territory are causing concern within our community. Much of that has to do with serious drugs in the Northern Territory. There has been conversation around ice and methamphetamines and the current escalating use in the Northern Territory. That is why several months ago we set up the parliamentary committee to look at methamphetamine use, which is chaired by the member for Blain.
We have formed a partnership with the federal government with a task force at the national level. We are working with the Department of Immigration and Border Protection to ensure we reduce the supply of ice and methamphetamines coming from across borders. About 80% of it comes from other jurisdictions. Today I was joined by the Attorney-General in announcing we will soon bring legislation to the Chamber to declare roads in the Northern Territory as drug supply routes, specifically the Victoria, Barkly and Stuart Highways. Once the legislation is passed police will have the ability to declare one of those arterial routes as a major drug supply route for a period of up to 14 days, allowing police a greater level of search and seizure power to reduce the amount of ice, methamphetamines and illegal drugs, which cause so much harm to the community, families and individuals.
Assault numbers are continuing to come down, but there have been a number of breakouts from Don Dale by some of the juveniles there. I found it interesting this morning, listening to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition talk about how she would support a Labor policy allowing those juveniles to be taken out of prison and the juvenile justice system and released back into the community.
The member for Nhulunbuy, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, spoke earlier today about sending people from gaols back into the community. These people are seriously offending in our community. Levels of crime, whether that is property break-in, domestic violence or serious assaults – numbers of assaults are down in the Northern Territory, they are at the lowest level since the 1990s, but to see Labor and the Deputy Opposition Leader talking about releasing prisoners into the community is a disgrace and a sure sign …
Ms Walker: You are a liar. You are the only disgrace in here.
Mr GILES: … that they do not stand for strength.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, please pause. Withdraw that, member for Nhulunbuy.
Ms WALKER: I withdraw.
Mr GILES: It is a sure sign that Labor is weak on law and order.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, your time has expired.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016