Mr STYLES - 2012-05-03
From the report you have just tabled, can you explain why there is an increase of 17% in not alcohol-related assaults in the Northern Territory, and an increase in assaults across the Northern Territory of 3.4% overall?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, no. I have said in previous reports, I do not prosecute down into the data of the not alcohol-related. I am the Alcohol Policy Minister, I watch the data carefully around ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
A member: Just table it.
Ms LAWRIE: I table it. I look at the alcohol-related assaults ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, order!
Ms LAWRIE: That is what I do. In looking at the data coming through, and questioning the statisticians on that data, the main influence flowing through into the nine-month report, they say, has been the increase in domestic violence assault charges laid. I do not have the exact figures with me. Off the top of my head, there were 199 additional. What supports that is, if you go to the chart on the back page - page 20 of 22, Appendix A - go to the Territory total for alcohol-related assaults by DV/non-DV. If you look at that, the non-DV alcohol-related assaults across the Territory have dropped by 9.5% in total, whereas the DV-related have increased. Where there have been increases in assaults, police have been arresting people for DV-related assaults.
When you take out domestic violence from the assault figures, they are down, Territory-wide, by 9.5%. The data is on Appendix 2.
Also, what is influencing the Territory-wide data is you have alcohol-related assaults down in Darwin, Palmerston, Alice Springs, Katherine; Tennant Creek has increased; the Northern Territory balance - which is your regional/remote - has gone up in those areas. I have had it explained. Police in Tennant Creek have undertaken particular operations which are to be commended.
The statisticians also say this shows we have arrested the upwards trend in assault. Alcohol-fuelled assault is trending down. The statisticians also say you need to look at data over one- and two-year trends, because the Territory has small numbers. For example, if you have five arrests in Tennant Creek your data goes up significantly.
That being said, the data from the PROMIS system clearly shows in Darwin, Palmerston, Katherine and Alice Springs alcohol-fuelled assaults are going down. We have seen an upwards trend in Tennant Creek but, Territory-wide, they are going down. The inference in this data set is starting to come through - which is a good inference - is that more domestic violence assault charges are being laid. There is less reliance on the orders and more people are being charged for domestic violence which, as a woman, I welcome. Good on the police for making it safer in people’s homes when they are being beaten because that perpetrator is being charged for assault and brought before the court for justice.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, no. I have said in previous reports, I do not prosecute down into the data of the not alcohol-related. I am the Alcohol Policy Minister, I watch the data carefully around ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
A member: Just table it.
Ms LAWRIE: I table it. I look at the alcohol-related assaults ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, order!
Ms LAWRIE: That is what I do. In looking at the data coming through, and questioning the statisticians on that data, the main influence flowing through into the nine-month report, they say, has been the increase in domestic violence assault charges laid. I do not have the exact figures with me. Off the top of my head, there were 199 additional. What supports that is, if you go to the chart on the back page - page 20 of 22, Appendix A - go to the Territory total for alcohol-related assaults by DV/non-DV. If you look at that, the non-DV alcohol-related assaults across the Territory have dropped by 9.5% in total, whereas the DV-related have increased. Where there have been increases in assaults, police have been arresting people for DV-related assaults.
When you take out domestic violence from the assault figures, they are down, Territory-wide, by 9.5%. The data is on Appendix 2.
Also, what is influencing the Territory-wide data is you have alcohol-related assaults down in Darwin, Palmerston, Alice Springs, Katherine; Tennant Creek has increased; the Northern Territory balance - which is your regional/remote - has gone up in those areas. I have had it explained. Police in Tennant Creek have undertaken particular operations which are to be commended.
The statisticians also say this shows we have arrested the upwards trend in assault. Alcohol-fuelled assault is trending down. The statisticians also say you need to look at data over one- and two-year trends, because the Territory has small numbers. For example, if you have five arrests in Tennant Creek your data goes up significantly.
That being said, the data from the PROMIS system clearly shows in Darwin, Palmerston, Katherine and Alice Springs alcohol-fuelled assaults are going down. We have seen an upwards trend in Tennant Creek but, Territory-wide, they are going down. The inference in this data set is starting to come through - which is a good inference - is that more domestic violence assault charges are being laid. There is less reliance on the orders and more people are being charged for domestic violence which, as a woman, I welcome. Good on the police for making it safer in people’s homes when they are being beaten because that perpetrator is being charged for assault and brought before the court for justice.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016