Dr LIM - 1996-02-20
This morning, the Assembly received several petitions regarding antisocial behaviour in the Northern Territory. Yesterday, Territory police advised of a major blitz on itinerants and drunks in Darwin. Given that Territorians have had a gutful of drunken and antisocial behaviour on their streets and in their parks and shopping centres, can the minister advise whether the blitz is to be extended to all regions of the Territory?
Mr Bailey: Why a blitz and not just the action of the last few years? There must be a federal election under way.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the interjection of the member for Wanguri underscores the problem that we have had in the past.
Mr Bailey: Yes. How much overtime was paid before the last election for police to be on Smith Street?
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STONE: Mr Speaker, I welcome the tabling of the petitions this morning. It is good to see that the Territory community is prepared to stand up and be counted on these issues. I recall that, 3 or 4 years ago, when I flagged issues such as the recriminalisation of public drunkenness and other street offences, I was described as a racist and a bigot, particularly by those who sit opposite.
Mr Ede: Cheap shot!
Mrs Padgham-Purich interjecting.
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Mr STONE: Not you. I concede that the member for Nelson has been one of my strongest supporters in trying to do something about behaviour that the community considers generally to be unacceptable.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STONE: Mr Speaker, members of the Labor Party are famous for their opposition to the 2 km law. They are famous for their resistance to even talking about the recriminalisation of public drunkenness. They have put themselves firmly on the record, saying: `If you say or do any of these things, you are a racist and a bigot'. The end result of all of that is that, if they intend to describe me as a racist and bigot because I propose to do something about this situation, then they will be applying the same label to every one of those Territorians who have signed those petitions ...
Mr Ede interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STONE: ... and said that they have had enough. The Leader of the Opposition interjects: `They want you to enforce the laws'. However, Territorians will be reminded that the Leader of the Opposition, the parliamentary leader of the Labor Party, is the very same person who takes his party to a position opposing the 2 km law and any increase in the capacity of that law to pick up people whose behaviour the community finds unacceptable.
As for the timing of the announcement of the blitz, the strategy has been worked up over the Christmas/new year period. The member asked what is to happen in other centres. Let me deal first with the Darwin area. Darwin City Council will provide a dedicated team of 2 inspectors to work with police and to patrol trouble spots where council by-laws are being broken. This includes illegal camping and the misuse of barbecue areas. I am sure that the residents of Darwin and its northern suburbs will be pleased to hear that.
In Alice Springs and Tennant Creek, of course, staff numbers were increased in December last year. Regular uniformed patrols are now being conducted in the Alice Springs Todd Street mall and the central business district. Police are being rostered on both day and evening shifts to maintain a very high police presence. That strategy has been in place now for over a month. Plain-clothes officers have been monitoring areas which have been identified as trouble spots to reduce the incidence of antisocial behaviour, and regular drinking places in the Todd River area have been targeted. Plain-clothes officers are also accompanying Liquor Commission staff making spot checks on licensed premises. In Tennant Creek, police have been working closely with the Liquor Commission. Tennant Creek police have been consistently enforcing the 2 km law, notwithstanding the amateurish interference of a member of this Assembly. Foot patrols have been increased, additional police have been rostered on shifts during the busy Thursday and Friday evenings, helping to increase the visible police presence. A police officer has been appointed to liaise with Julalikari Council. Again, there is close cooperation with the Tennant Creek Town Council. In Katherine, additional patrols of
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licensed premises and known trouble spots is continuing, and Katherine police have been working closely with the Kalano patrol and Aboriginal communities in the district.
It is our intention that this blitz will extend its net to other centres around the Territory. I hope that, for the first time, the ALP will get the message that Territorians have had enough and will get behind the government and support this blitz. I hope members opposite will get behind the government and say that the police are to be supported, and that we will not hear any more of the soft-underbelly, marshmallow approach that we have heard previously on law and order from the ALP.
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Mr Bailey: Why a blitz and not just the action of the last few years? There must be a federal election under way.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the interjection of the member for Wanguri underscores the problem that we have had in the past.
Mr Bailey: Yes. How much overtime was paid before the last election for police to be on Smith Street?
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STONE: Mr Speaker, I welcome the tabling of the petitions this morning. It is good to see that the Territory community is prepared to stand up and be counted on these issues. I recall that, 3 or 4 years ago, when I flagged issues such as the recriminalisation of public drunkenness and other street offences, I was described as a racist and a bigot, particularly by those who sit opposite.
Mr Ede: Cheap shot!
Mrs Padgham-Purich interjecting.
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Mr STONE: Not you. I concede that the member for Nelson has been one of my strongest supporters in trying to do something about behaviour that the community considers generally to be unacceptable.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STONE: Mr Speaker, members of the Labor Party are famous for their opposition to the 2 km law. They are famous for their resistance to even talking about the recriminalisation of public drunkenness. They have put themselves firmly on the record, saying: `If you say or do any of these things, you are a racist and a bigot'. The end result of all of that is that, if they intend to describe me as a racist and bigot because I propose to do something about this situation, then they will be applying the same label to every one of those Territorians who have signed those petitions ...
Mr Ede interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STONE: ... and said that they have had enough. The Leader of the Opposition interjects: `They want you to enforce the laws'. However, Territorians will be reminded that the Leader of the Opposition, the parliamentary leader of the Labor Party, is the very same person who takes his party to a position opposing the 2 km law and any increase in the capacity of that law to pick up people whose behaviour the community finds unacceptable.
As for the timing of the announcement of the blitz, the strategy has been worked up over the Christmas/new year period. The member asked what is to happen in other centres. Let me deal first with the Darwin area. Darwin City Council will provide a dedicated team of 2 inspectors to work with police and to patrol trouble spots where council by-laws are being broken. This includes illegal camping and the misuse of barbecue areas. I am sure that the residents of Darwin and its northern suburbs will be pleased to hear that.
In Alice Springs and Tennant Creek, of course, staff numbers were increased in December last year. Regular uniformed patrols are now being conducted in the Alice Springs Todd Street mall and the central business district. Police are being rostered on both day and evening shifts to maintain a very high police presence. That strategy has been in place now for over a month. Plain-clothes officers have been monitoring areas which have been identified as trouble spots to reduce the incidence of antisocial behaviour, and regular drinking places in the Todd River area have been targeted. Plain-clothes officers are also accompanying Liquor Commission staff making spot checks on licensed premises. In Tennant Creek, police have been working closely with the Liquor Commission. Tennant Creek police have been consistently enforcing the 2 km law, notwithstanding the amateurish interference of a member of this Assembly. Foot patrols have been increased, additional police have been rostered on shifts during the busy Thursday and Friday evenings, helping to increase the visible police presence. A police officer has been appointed to liaise with Julalikari Council. Again, there is close cooperation with the Tennant Creek Town Council. In Katherine, additional patrols of
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licensed premises and known trouble spots is continuing, and Katherine police have been working closely with the Kalano patrol and Aboriginal communities in the district.
It is our intention that this blitz will extend its net to other centres around the Territory. I hope that, for the first time, the ALP will get the message that Territorians have had enough and will get behind the government and support this blitz. I hope members opposite will get behind the government and say that the police are to be supported, and that we will not hear any more of the soft-underbelly, marshmallow approach that we have heard previously on law and order from the ALP.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016