Mr ELFERINK - 2004-10-14
Madam Speaker, before I ask my question, I wonder if the Leader of Government Business could table those documents he had before, as I would not mind having a look at them.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr ELFERINK: You claim your returning them to country program is working in reducing antisocial behaviour in the major urban centres. Given that yesterday’s police data reveals that, under your administration, an extra 7000 drunks a year are being apprehend by police, how can you claim that antisocial behaviour is under control?
I seek leave to table this, Madam Speaker.
Leave granted.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. Yes, I stand by my ministerial report this morning. We acknowledge that there have been successes in the Community Harmony Project. How that stacks up and how the shadow minister reads the police annual report is neither here nor there with me, in terms of what we have embarked upon …
Members interjecting.
Mr AH KIT: You can laugh, because we know there was no effort at all by the previous CLP government to do anything at all about antisocial behaviour problems. In fact, I thought it was deliberate that they did not want to do anything about it. It suited their political purposes not being addressing antisocial behaviour across the Northern Territory because, the longer it remained, the better it suited their political position.
We have tackled the situation. We said from the outset that it was not going to be fixed overnight. It is not going to be fixed overnight. We are getting runs on the board. We are doing positive things. We are working with some 40 …
Mr Elferink: Runs on the board does not mean more people in custody.
Mr AH KIT: You asked the question, you should shut up and listen to the answer.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, minister!
Mr AH KIT: I withdraw, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Watch your language.
Mr AH KIT: Madam Speaker, they asked a question. There are people across the Territory who are really interested about the success story associated with the Community Harmony Project. People out there are very interested in knowing that we are getting on with the job of dealing with the problem. If you are going to ask a question, you should not be rabblerousing while I am trying to give the answer.
The answer is that it has been successful to date. I said from the outset that it was not going to be fixed overnight. It is not going to be fixed overnight. There is a lot of effort, time, resources, agencies, public servants, and people with goodwill who are starting to turn things around.
We are not seeing the results that the CLP would like to see because we know what their position was: do nothing, let the matter exacerbate and manifest, and we would still have a lot of problems throughout Territory townships and cities. We are alleviating the problem. We will continue to work harder to alleviate the problem. Regardless of what members opposite feel or believe, to date, the Community Harmony Project has been a success story.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr ELFERINK: You claim your returning them to country program is working in reducing antisocial behaviour in the major urban centres. Given that yesterday’s police data reveals that, under your administration, an extra 7000 drunks a year are being apprehend by police, how can you claim that antisocial behaviour is under control?
I seek leave to table this, Madam Speaker.
Leave granted.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. Yes, I stand by my ministerial report this morning. We acknowledge that there have been successes in the Community Harmony Project. How that stacks up and how the shadow minister reads the police annual report is neither here nor there with me, in terms of what we have embarked upon …
Members interjecting.
Mr AH KIT: You can laugh, because we know there was no effort at all by the previous CLP government to do anything at all about antisocial behaviour problems. In fact, I thought it was deliberate that they did not want to do anything about it. It suited their political purposes not being addressing antisocial behaviour across the Northern Territory because, the longer it remained, the better it suited their political position.
We have tackled the situation. We said from the outset that it was not going to be fixed overnight. It is not going to be fixed overnight. We are getting runs on the board. We are doing positive things. We are working with some 40 …
Mr Elferink: Runs on the board does not mean more people in custody.
Mr AH KIT: You asked the question, you should shut up and listen to the answer.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, minister!
Mr AH KIT: I withdraw, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Watch your language.
Mr AH KIT: Madam Speaker, they asked a question. There are people across the Territory who are really interested about the success story associated with the Community Harmony Project. People out there are very interested in knowing that we are getting on with the job of dealing with the problem. If you are going to ask a question, you should not be rabblerousing while I am trying to give the answer.
The answer is that it has been successful to date. I said from the outset that it was not going to be fixed overnight. It is not going to be fixed overnight. There is a lot of effort, time, resources, agencies, public servants, and people with goodwill who are starting to turn things around.
We are not seeing the results that the CLP would like to see because we know what their position was: do nothing, let the matter exacerbate and manifest, and we would still have a lot of problems throughout Territory townships and cities. We are alleviating the problem. We will continue to work harder to alleviate the problem. Regardless of what members opposite feel or believe, to date, the Community Harmony Project has been a success story.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016