Ms LAWRIE - 2016-03-16
There is concern about antisocial behaviour on the streets. It is real; it exists. It is deeply disappointing to hear the government deny what is impacting on people’s lives. There is significant antisocial behaviour within public housing. There are many public houses in my electorate from which residents have consistently called Housing and police. The tenants are beyond any measure of the three-strike rule yet they remain in housing. People are desperate. A resident in my electorate is packing up and leaving their house to live elsewhere because they can no longer live under the conditions of the antisocial and criminal behaviour next door to them.
What will you do to clean up the rivers of grog that are flowing into public housing? It is becoming overcrowded and intolerable. What are you doing to help people return to a peaceful existence?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Karama for her question. Yes, misbehaviour in the public housing sector is a big issue. We have great people working to help move these people along, and the police are working with us. We are doing a huge amount of work to help people move on and find places where they can be safe and not injured. We are doing the best we can for them.
I walk around Darwin and see people who are homeless. I ask them where they are from. I do not just walk past and ignore them. I talk to them and ask why they are here. I find ways to make sure these people are safe.
Our housing officers are talking to people. Every time there is a problem our housing people talk to them and make sure they move on and do not bother people in the suburbs. I urge the opposition to talk to the people they mention every day in this House who are causing trouble. Do they say, ‘Hello, what can we do for you?’ in the suburbs of Darwin? I talk to …
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 110: relevance. What is the minister doing to address these concerns?
Madam SPEAKER: The minister has time.
Mrs PRICE: These people are important and we look after them and make sure they are safe. We are doing our best to make sure they are not a hindrance to the public. Our public safety officers are called out every time there is a problem and they work in partnership with the police to move these people along and make sure they are safe, and people in public housing are safe as well ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 110: relevance. I am talking about people who are way beyond the three strikes who are still in housing and committing antisocial and criminal behaviour. Police have had between 500 and 1000 interactions with the same household. What are you doing to deal with this?
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Karama.
Mrs PRICE: Madam Speaker, I reiterate that our Public Housing Safety Officers do a great job. They are there every night working with these people to move them on and to make sure they are safe and not bringing harm to themselves. We work in partnership with the police.
What will you do to clean up the rivers of grog that are flowing into public housing? It is becoming overcrowded and intolerable. What are you doing to help people return to a peaceful existence?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Karama for her question. Yes, misbehaviour in the public housing sector is a big issue. We have great people working to help move these people along, and the police are working with us. We are doing a huge amount of work to help people move on and find places where they can be safe and not injured. We are doing the best we can for them.
I walk around Darwin and see people who are homeless. I ask them where they are from. I do not just walk past and ignore them. I talk to them and ask why they are here. I find ways to make sure these people are safe.
Our housing officers are talking to people. Every time there is a problem our housing people talk to them and make sure they move on and do not bother people in the suburbs. I urge the opposition to talk to the people they mention every day in this House who are causing trouble. Do they say, ‘Hello, what can we do for you?’ in the suburbs of Darwin? I talk to …
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 110: relevance. What is the minister doing to address these concerns?
Madam SPEAKER: The minister has time.
Mrs PRICE: These people are important and we look after them and make sure they are safe. We are doing our best to make sure they are not a hindrance to the public. Our public safety officers are called out every time there is a problem and they work in partnership with the police to move these people along and make sure they are safe, and people in public housing are safe as well ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 110: relevance. I am talking about people who are way beyond the three strikes who are still in housing and committing antisocial and criminal behaviour. Police have had between 500 and 1000 interactions with the same household. What are you doing to deal with this?
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Karama.
Mrs PRICE: Madam Speaker, I reiterate that our Public Housing Safety Officers do a great job. They are there every night working with these people to move them on and to make sure they are safe and not bringing harm to themselves. We work in partnership with the police.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016