Ms CARNEY - 2007-04-17
During the last parliament I raised, again, a number of serious issues regarding Alice Springs, including youth gangs, the need for CCTV cameras and high levels of violence. The next day, by media release, your government claimed that what I said was diatribe - which is interesting in light of what you have just said about CCTV cameras - talking down the town and, potentially, damaging the tourism industry. Last week, your friend and Labor candidate, the Mayor of Alice Springs said: ‘The town is in crisis’. Were the Mayor’s comments diatribe, talking down the town, and potentially damaging to the tourism industry, or was the Mayor right?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the Mayor in Alice Springs can be targeted as a former Labor candidate; however, she is a wonderful mayor and has my strong support, and I am sure the people of Alice Springs agree with me 100%. There are some critical issues for Alice Springs that, I am very proud to say, our police force, up to establishment numbers, is targeting very effectively. This morning, when I met with a delegation from the group outside, they certainly said the last two weeks, with a change in focus from our police, has made a significant difference in Alice Springs.
There is certainly a strong commitment from government and our police force here in Alice Springs to maintain the focus of what they are doing. From those who gathered this morning, there was a real recognition that the police have responded to those issues that Mayor Kilgariff described as ‘critical’ …
Ms Carney interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: … that Mayor Kilgariff described as ‘critical’. They are the words of the delegation with whom I met; that, over the last two weeks, they felt, particularly with programs like City Safe in the mall, there had been much better results from what they had been doing. I just indicate, and the Opposition Leader uses words like diatribe and says …
Ms Carney interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: ‘I have raised all these issues’. Words are fine, but actions are the important things to really take into account. For the last 15 months or so - probably it is a little longer than that - I have been the Minister for Major Projects, and Alice Springs is one of my major projects. Since then, I have spent considerable time working with the task force in Alice Springs to find long-term solutions to the problems. That is work I am proud to do. A lot of energy certainly goes in from the Department of Chief Minister to do that. I would have expected that the Opposition Leader, living in Alice Springs, might have actually contacted me once - only once - about issues to do with Alice Springs. We have checked the files over the last 12 months. How many letters? Did she write to me about policing? Did she write to me asking ‘Can I have more information about what you are doing with the town camps? Can I find out what you are doing about alcohol?’, a critical issue for Alice Springs? Do you know whether she has ever done this? No, not once. Therefore, you have to balance the words that are said here, the scream that is delivered on radio, with actually doing something and showing leadership, and being involved in finding solutions. If that is the benchmark, the Opposition Leader has failed.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the Mayor in Alice Springs can be targeted as a former Labor candidate; however, she is a wonderful mayor and has my strong support, and I am sure the people of Alice Springs agree with me 100%. There are some critical issues for Alice Springs that, I am very proud to say, our police force, up to establishment numbers, is targeting very effectively. This morning, when I met with a delegation from the group outside, they certainly said the last two weeks, with a change in focus from our police, has made a significant difference in Alice Springs.
There is certainly a strong commitment from government and our police force here in Alice Springs to maintain the focus of what they are doing. From those who gathered this morning, there was a real recognition that the police have responded to those issues that Mayor Kilgariff described as ‘critical’ …
Ms Carney interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: … that Mayor Kilgariff described as ‘critical’. They are the words of the delegation with whom I met; that, over the last two weeks, they felt, particularly with programs like City Safe in the mall, there had been much better results from what they had been doing. I just indicate, and the Opposition Leader uses words like diatribe and says …
Ms Carney interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: ‘I have raised all these issues’. Words are fine, but actions are the important things to really take into account. For the last 15 months or so - probably it is a little longer than that - I have been the Minister for Major Projects, and Alice Springs is one of my major projects. Since then, I have spent considerable time working with the task force in Alice Springs to find long-term solutions to the problems. That is work I am proud to do. A lot of energy certainly goes in from the Department of Chief Minister to do that. I would have expected that the Opposition Leader, living in Alice Springs, might have actually contacted me once - only once - about issues to do with Alice Springs. We have checked the files over the last 12 months. How many letters? Did she write to me about policing? Did she write to me asking ‘Can I have more information about what you are doing with the town camps? Can I find out what you are doing about alcohol?’, a critical issue for Alice Springs? Do you know whether she has ever done this? No, not once. Therefore, you have to balance the words that are said here, the scream that is delivered on radio, with actually doing something and showing leadership, and being involved in finding solutions. If that is the benchmark, the Opposition Leader has failed.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016