Mr CONLAN - 2012-02-14
The Chief Minister might like to reflect on his previous response, that there were a number of 000 calls that went unanswered and un-responded to in Alice Springs, not a 131 444 call. As part of a special operation in Alice Springs, an additional 20 police were temporarily based in the town to prevent a repeat of the tsunami of crime that we saw in 2011, by the police’s own admission. Police hailed the success of this recent operation, Operation Thresher, as a great success. They said:
If the results actually speak for themselves, why will you not just adopt what the Country Liberals have been saying for a long time and base an additional 20 officers in Alice Springs?
ANSWER
Dear, oh dear, Madam Speaker, the member opposite does not know what he is talking about. Operation Thresher was conducted within existing resources in Alice Springs. They utilised local staff only. This goes to show that Alice Springs police are adequately resourced.
Unlawful entries almost halved in the December/January period this year compared to the same period last year. Last year, there were 265 unlawful entries; this year there were 134. There were 129 arrests, 1260 litres of alcohol destroyed, and 101 referrals to youth services. That was done within existing resources in Alice Springs.
The CLP does not have a crime reduction policy for the Northern Territory. What they have is a policy that would see more grog in Alice Springs. That is their crime reduction policy: open the bottle shops for longer and scrap the Banned Drinker Register. If they open the bottle shops for longer and scrap the Banned Drinker Register, you will need an extra 100 police in Alice Springs as a consequence of their insane policies ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Greatorex! Leader of the Opposition!
Mr HENDERSON: I congratulate those hard-working police officers in Alice Springs who do a very difficult job ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling!
Mr HENDERSON: They do a great job and should have the support of the local members ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex!
Mr HENDERSON: ... but no, they do not have their support. They just come in here and bag the police time after time after time, and they do not even know what they are talking about ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex! Member for Braitling! Order!
Mr HENDERSON: Operation Thresher was conducted by local police in Alice Springs who did an amazing job.
Member for Greatorex, instead of trotting out the shock jock lines, it would be great to hear you congratulate the police in Alice Springs, and say: ‘Hey guys and girls, the work you did in December and January was absolutely fantastic, well done. I am going to get up in the Territory parliament and say what a great job you guys do’.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex!
Mr HENDERSON: But no, he just wants to hear the sound of his own inane comments in this parliament. He has nothing positive to say about Alice Springs, he has nothing positive to say about police, and he has nothing positive to say about health. He does not even want to be here when parliament sits.
He is the shadow Health minister. I look forward to seeing a detailed health policy, because empty vessels make the most noise. We have not seen a piece of positive work out of this member. He does nothing but talk the town down and is an embarrassment to the parliament.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, before I call the next question …
Mr Conlan: Once again, reel him in.
Madam SPEAKER: You are on a warning, member for Greatorex.
Honourable members, I remind you of Standing Order 51 - it has been a few months since we sat.
Honourable members, I may take a leaf out of my federal colleague, Speaker Slipper’s book, and just ask people to withdraw without a warning. A very good move, I believe, on his part.
Mr Conlan: We might have to run that through the Standing Orders Committee.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex, I ask you to withdraw, please, pursuant to Standing Order 240A, for one hour.
Mr CONLAN: Thanks very much, Madam Speaker.
- Intensive policing operations of this type are designed to help Police keep their community safe and the results speak for themselves.
If the results actually speak for themselves, why will you not just adopt what the Country Liberals have been saying for a long time and base an additional 20 officers in Alice Springs?
ANSWER
Dear, oh dear, Madam Speaker, the member opposite does not know what he is talking about. Operation Thresher was conducted within existing resources in Alice Springs. They utilised local staff only. This goes to show that Alice Springs police are adequately resourced.
Unlawful entries almost halved in the December/January period this year compared to the same period last year. Last year, there were 265 unlawful entries; this year there were 134. There were 129 arrests, 1260 litres of alcohol destroyed, and 101 referrals to youth services. That was done within existing resources in Alice Springs.
The CLP does not have a crime reduction policy for the Northern Territory. What they have is a policy that would see more grog in Alice Springs. That is their crime reduction policy: open the bottle shops for longer and scrap the Banned Drinker Register. If they open the bottle shops for longer and scrap the Banned Drinker Register, you will need an extra 100 police in Alice Springs as a consequence of their insane policies ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Greatorex! Leader of the Opposition!
Mr HENDERSON: I congratulate those hard-working police officers in Alice Springs who do a very difficult job ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling!
Mr HENDERSON: They do a great job and should have the support of the local members ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex!
Mr HENDERSON: ... but no, they do not have their support. They just come in here and bag the police time after time after time, and they do not even know what they are talking about ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex! Member for Braitling! Order!
Mr HENDERSON: Operation Thresher was conducted by local police in Alice Springs who did an amazing job.
Member for Greatorex, instead of trotting out the shock jock lines, it would be great to hear you congratulate the police in Alice Springs, and say: ‘Hey guys and girls, the work you did in December and January was absolutely fantastic, well done. I am going to get up in the Territory parliament and say what a great job you guys do’.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex!
Mr HENDERSON: But no, he just wants to hear the sound of his own inane comments in this parliament. He has nothing positive to say about Alice Springs, he has nothing positive to say about police, and he has nothing positive to say about health. He does not even want to be here when parliament sits.
He is the shadow Health minister. I look forward to seeing a detailed health policy, because empty vessels make the most noise. We have not seen a piece of positive work out of this member. He does nothing but talk the town down and is an embarrassment to the parliament.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, before I call the next question …
Mr Conlan: Once again, reel him in.
Madam SPEAKER: You are on a warning, member for Greatorex.
Honourable members, I remind you of Standing Order 51 - it has been a few months since we sat.
- No Member may converse aloud or make any noise or disturbance, which in the opinion of the Speaker is designed to interrupt or has the effect of interrupting a Member speaking.
Honourable members, I may take a leaf out of my federal colleague, Speaker Slipper’s book, and just ask people to withdraw without a warning. A very good move, I believe, on his part.
Mr Conlan: We might have to run that through the Standing Orders Committee.
____________________
Suspension of Member -
Member for Greatorex
Member for Greatorex
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Greatorex, I ask you to withdraw, please, pursuant to Standing Order 240A, for one hour.
Mr CONLAN: Thanks very much, Madam Speaker.
____________________
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016