Mr CONLAN - 2012-03-28
On ABC radio last week, your Police Commissioner said of the demand on police services in Alice Springs:
How much do you expect demand to rise, and how will you cope with that extra demand?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the Police Commissioner was talking in the context of the law and order issues in Alice Springs. As the Alice Springs population grows, along with any population growth, you will see an increase in all types of activity, unfortunately, including incidents of antisocial behaviour and crime. In the context of population growth, that is a consequence of population growth virtually anywhere in the world.
The Police Commissioner has also said that the best tool they have to fight crime and antisocial behaviour in the Northern Territory is our alcohol reforms - alcohol reforms that have seen, across the Northern Territory since 1 July, a drop in alcohol-related assaults. These are reforms the opposition would scrap. The opposition’s policy on crime is to turn the tap back on, to increase the amount of alcohol sold in Alice Springs ...
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Once again, we have asked a very specific question seeking a specific answer. Again, he is straying and is not consistent with Standing Order 113. We urge that he be directed back to the question or not answer it.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, it is quite a general question. The Chief Minister appears to be answering the question, but if you can come closer to the question asked, thank you.
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, we are talking about policing numbers. We would certainly need more police numbers in Alice Springs if the CLP was ever to get into power and increase the amount of alcohol sold in Alice Springs. More alcohol equals more crime. More alcohol equals more antisocial behaviour. If you have more crime and more antisocial behaviour, you need more police. We know there is a link between alcohol, antisocial behaviour and crime. The member for Sanderson denies that. He has said that there is no link between alcohol …
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The question was: how much do you expect demand to rise and how will you cope with that extra demand? This is not talking about CLP’s what-ifs.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, you can resume your seat.
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, I have answered the question in the context the Police Commissioner was talking about. Unfortunately, he is not here to answer the question; that was his answer.
I point out that the CLP’s policy is to increase the sale of alcohol, to see more alcohol consumed in Alice Springs that would lead to more violence, more crime, more women being assaulted and bashed, and more kids being neglected. That is their policy; it is a shameful policy and would certainly need more police to mop up.
- I suspect that over time demand would continue to rise.
How much do you expect demand to rise, and how will you cope with that extra demand?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the Police Commissioner was talking in the context of the law and order issues in Alice Springs. As the Alice Springs population grows, along with any population growth, you will see an increase in all types of activity, unfortunately, including incidents of antisocial behaviour and crime. In the context of population growth, that is a consequence of population growth virtually anywhere in the world.
The Police Commissioner has also said that the best tool they have to fight crime and antisocial behaviour in the Northern Territory is our alcohol reforms - alcohol reforms that have seen, across the Northern Territory since 1 July, a drop in alcohol-related assaults. These are reforms the opposition would scrap. The opposition’s policy on crime is to turn the tap back on, to increase the amount of alcohol sold in Alice Springs ...
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Once again, we have asked a very specific question seeking a specific answer. Again, he is straying and is not consistent with Standing Order 113. We urge that he be directed back to the question or not answer it.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, it is quite a general question. The Chief Minister appears to be answering the question, but if you can come closer to the question asked, thank you.
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, we are talking about policing numbers. We would certainly need more police numbers in Alice Springs if the CLP was ever to get into power and increase the amount of alcohol sold in Alice Springs. More alcohol equals more crime. More alcohol equals more antisocial behaviour. If you have more crime and more antisocial behaviour, you need more police. We know there is a link between alcohol, antisocial behaviour and crime. The member for Sanderson denies that. He has said that there is no link between alcohol …
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The question was: how much do you expect demand to rise and how will you cope with that extra demand? This is not talking about CLP’s what-ifs.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Port Darwin, you can resume your seat.
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, I have answered the question in the context the Police Commissioner was talking about. Unfortunately, he is not here to answer the question; that was his answer.
I point out that the CLP’s policy is to increase the sale of alcohol, to see more alcohol consumed in Alice Springs that would lead to more violence, more crime, more women being assaulted and bashed, and more kids being neglected. That is their policy; it is a shameful policy and would certainly need more police to mop up.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016