Mr MILLS - 2003-05-01
Minister, during the law and order rally yesterday, attended by many ordinary Alice Springs residents, I and a number of others heard you taunt a speaker by reminding her that she was a public servant. Intimidation from a minister of the Crown to a public servant who is a citizen, exercising her rights to express her concerns about rising crime in the community, is a very serious matter. Is this how your government intends to treat all public servants who express a different view than that of a Labor government?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it is an interesting question from the member for Blain, because I certainly do not recall the comment.
Members interjecting.
Mr HENDERSON: The only comment I recall at the politically motivated rally that was emanating from the member for Greatorex’s office - it was such a cowardly promotion, he would not even put his or the CLP’s name to it. The only comment I recall making was when the member for Macdonnell was baiting a public servant who works in the Office of Central Australia, who stood up and talked passionately about the town that he lived in and has lived in for many years. The member for Macdonnell was baiting him and calling on him to identify who he worked for. I am sure the public servant mentioned that he worked in the Office of Central Australia, and I said: ‘Yes, he is a public servant’.
In terms of any comments that I might have made at that rally yesterday afternoon, the only comment that I can recall, was in defence of a public servant who was under attack from the member for Macdonnell for daring to speak his point of view, as a resident of this town and a citizen of the Northern Territory, regarding crime in Alice Springs. My comments were that he is a public servant. That is the only time that I can recall making a comment.
In regard to the politically motivated rally that was organised from the member for Greatorex’s office, we have had a lot of debate in this House over the last few days regarding crime and law and order in Central Australia, and the crime wave that is supposed to be in Alice Springs. We have seen a lot of statistics being produced, and I am not going to revisit the statistical debate.
Yes, there is crime in Alice Springs, and any crime is too much crime in any community. As we have said, we have to resource the police to give them the resources to deal with crime. We also have to attack the causes of crime. However, we have a responsibility as members of parliament to tell the truth about what is happening in our community, instead of whipping up politically motivated and opportunistic fear in the community.
Let me talk about comments made by Commander Gary Manison to Mandy Taylor on ABC radio on 30 April, just yesterday morning. If there is anybody who knows about crime in Alice Springs and what is happening in Alice Springs, it is the Regional Commander for Central Australia, who has charge over 200 wonderful police officers in the Northern Territory.
Mr MILLS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The member well knows that the question that I asked is quite specific. The member is wandering far from the point.
Madam SPEAKER: The minister is answering the question. There is no point of order and I ask for a few less interjections, thank you.
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, yes, members opposite are sensitive in regards to this, because this really highlights how irresponsible they are in talking up fear in this town and talking down the community in which they live, instead of getting behind the police and the community to resolve some of these issues.
Let us hear what Commander Gary Manison said on radio yesterday. He was asked by Mandy Taylor:
… and so basically this program is targeting young people who are hanging around at night?
Gary Manison: Yes, fundamentally it is. We have identified certainly, there is certainly a problem in Alice Springs
with young people, we all agree.
Mandy Taylor: What sort of problems are the police seeing?
Gary Manison: Well, just the normal everyday problems, if I could call it that, of people hanging around, disturbances
and the like.
Mandy Taylor: And so are they committing crimes?
Gary Manison: Not – there is not a lot of crime. There is the odd, if I could call it ‘criminal damage’ and the like that
occurs, young people who might smash windows and the like, and certainly these are serious matters. But you cannot
say that it is a particularly common thing that happens all the time and it really does not happen all the time.
So, yes, let us have a debate about crime in our community. Any crime is too much, and for those victims of crime yesterday, they certainly are to be helped and assisted. We certainly need to drive crime out of this community, but we have a responsibility to tell the truth about crime, rather than talking down what is happening in Alice Springs and inspiring politically motivated rallies that do the reputation of this town no good at all.
Ms Carney interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Araluen!
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, it is an interesting question from the member for Blain, because I certainly do not recall the comment.
Members interjecting.
Mr HENDERSON: The only comment I recall at the politically motivated rally that was emanating from the member for Greatorex’s office - it was such a cowardly promotion, he would not even put his or the CLP’s name to it. The only comment I recall making was when the member for Macdonnell was baiting a public servant who works in the Office of Central Australia, who stood up and talked passionately about the town that he lived in and has lived in for many years. The member for Macdonnell was baiting him and calling on him to identify who he worked for. I am sure the public servant mentioned that he worked in the Office of Central Australia, and I said: ‘Yes, he is a public servant’.
In terms of any comments that I might have made at that rally yesterday afternoon, the only comment that I can recall, was in defence of a public servant who was under attack from the member for Macdonnell for daring to speak his point of view, as a resident of this town and a citizen of the Northern Territory, regarding crime in Alice Springs. My comments were that he is a public servant. That is the only time that I can recall making a comment.
In regard to the politically motivated rally that was organised from the member for Greatorex’s office, we have had a lot of debate in this House over the last few days regarding crime and law and order in Central Australia, and the crime wave that is supposed to be in Alice Springs. We have seen a lot of statistics being produced, and I am not going to revisit the statistical debate.
Yes, there is crime in Alice Springs, and any crime is too much crime in any community. As we have said, we have to resource the police to give them the resources to deal with crime. We also have to attack the causes of crime. However, we have a responsibility as members of parliament to tell the truth about what is happening in our community, instead of whipping up politically motivated and opportunistic fear in the community.
Let me talk about comments made by Commander Gary Manison to Mandy Taylor on ABC radio on 30 April, just yesterday morning. If there is anybody who knows about crime in Alice Springs and what is happening in Alice Springs, it is the Regional Commander for Central Australia, who has charge over 200 wonderful police officers in the Northern Territory.
Mr MILLS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The member well knows that the question that I asked is quite specific. The member is wandering far from the point.
Madam SPEAKER: The minister is answering the question. There is no point of order and I ask for a few less interjections, thank you.
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, yes, members opposite are sensitive in regards to this, because this really highlights how irresponsible they are in talking up fear in this town and talking down the community in which they live, instead of getting behind the police and the community to resolve some of these issues.
Let us hear what Commander Gary Manison said on radio yesterday. He was asked by Mandy Taylor:
… and so basically this program is targeting young people who are hanging around at night?
Gary Manison: Yes, fundamentally it is. We have identified certainly, there is certainly a problem in Alice Springs
with young people, we all agree.
Mandy Taylor: What sort of problems are the police seeing?
Gary Manison: Well, just the normal everyday problems, if I could call it that, of people hanging around, disturbances
and the like.
Mandy Taylor: And so are they committing crimes?
Gary Manison: Not – there is not a lot of crime. There is the odd, if I could call it ‘criminal damage’ and the like that
occurs, young people who might smash windows and the like, and certainly these are serious matters. But you cannot
say that it is a particularly common thing that happens all the time and it really does not happen all the time.
So, yes, let us have a debate about crime in our community. Any crime is too much, and for those victims of crime yesterday, they certainly are to be helped and assisted. We certainly need to drive crime out of this community, but we have a responsibility to tell the truth about crime, rather than talking down what is happening in Alice Springs and inspiring politically motivated rallies that do the reputation of this town no good at all.
Ms Carney interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Araluen!
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016