Mr HIGGINS - 2012-10-31
Can you please advise the House of the effect crime and antisocial behaviour is having on Northern Territory business?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, crime and antisocial behaviour is not a new thing in the Northern Territory. Prior to the introduction of legislation by the former Labor government it was a problem. Subsequent to the introduction of alcohol legislation by the former Labor government, it continued to be a problem.
On many occasions I raised issues about some of the problems businesses were facing. It was the case before and during the BDR that shopkeepers in my electorate, and others around the Northern Territory, regularly had to hose urine and faeces, and occasionally even drunks, from their premises.
I have sadly been told of one Alice Springs security company that earlier this year had four of their 15 staff paid compensation following bashings. That was during the operation of the Banned Drinker Register. That company’s insurance premiums have gone from 4% to 25% of its payroll, and that is a deeply concerning problem.
This is continuing evidence that the BDR, whilst well intended, was not working and did not work. We will introduce into the Northern Territory legislation that does something the former government’s legislation did not achieve and that is …
Ms Lawrie: Lock up alcoholics
Mr ELFERINK: Yes, apprehend ...
Ms Lawrie: Lock them up. You are criminalising drunkenness.
Mr ELFERINK: I pick up on the interjection ‘lock up alcoholics’. Apprehend them and make them personally responsible for their conduct because, if you do nothing else, then all you have achieved is spend $18m of Territory taxpayers’ money reducing the number of apprehensions by 366. Each reduced apprehension under the former government’s operation was worth $50 000 to the taxpayer. There must be a better way to do this job.
We believe in personal responsibility and that there is room for apprehension of a person who is conducting themselves in such a fashion as to be a danger to themselves or a continuing danger to the people of the Northern Territory. It is about time we bit the bullet on this and did something for the people who are suffering from chronic alcoholism. We heard from the previous government that it was happy to do this with petrol sniffers, but it was not prepared to do this with alcoholics.
Madam Speaker, they operate under a double standard. We will not operate under a double standard. We will do what is necessary to protect the interests of the businesses and shopkeepers in the Northern Territory.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, crime and antisocial behaviour is not a new thing in the Northern Territory. Prior to the introduction of legislation by the former Labor government it was a problem. Subsequent to the introduction of alcohol legislation by the former Labor government, it continued to be a problem.
On many occasions I raised issues about some of the problems businesses were facing. It was the case before and during the BDR that shopkeepers in my electorate, and others around the Northern Territory, regularly had to hose urine and faeces, and occasionally even drunks, from their premises.
I have sadly been told of one Alice Springs security company that earlier this year had four of their 15 staff paid compensation following bashings. That was during the operation of the Banned Drinker Register. That company’s insurance premiums have gone from 4% to 25% of its payroll, and that is a deeply concerning problem.
This is continuing evidence that the BDR, whilst well intended, was not working and did not work. We will introduce into the Northern Territory legislation that does something the former government’s legislation did not achieve and that is …
Ms Lawrie: Lock up alcoholics
Mr ELFERINK: Yes, apprehend ...
Ms Lawrie: Lock them up. You are criminalising drunkenness.
Mr ELFERINK: I pick up on the interjection ‘lock up alcoholics’. Apprehend them and make them personally responsible for their conduct because, if you do nothing else, then all you have achieved is spend $18m of Territory taxpayers’ money reducing the number of apprehensions by 366. Each reduced apprehension under the former government’s operation was worth $50 000 to the taxpayer. There must be a better way to do this job.
We believe in personal responsibility and that there is room for apprehension of a person who is conducting themselves in such a fashion as to be a danger to themselves or a continuing danger to the people of the Northern Territory. It is about time we bit the bullet on this and did something for the people who are suffering from chronic alcoholism. We heard from the previous government that it was happy to do this with petrol sniffers, but it was not prepared to do this with alcoholics.
Madam Speaker, they operate under a double standard. We will not operate under a double standard. We will do what is necessary to protect the interests of the businesses and shopkeepers in the Northern Territory.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016