Mrs BRAHAM - 2007-10-10
Chief Minister, I attended a couple of Neighbourhood Watch meetings in Alice Springs for a briefing on the community patrols that are likely to be trialled in Darwin. As you know, we experience a lot of vandalism by young people in Alice Springs. The example of the Bradshaw Primary School being vandalised twice in a week is a case in point. Will you support the introduction of community patrols in Alice Springs? Moreover, will you ensure that the police and Neighbourhood Watch have the resources to actually make this initiative work?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for her question. I have met with Neighbourhood Watch in Darwin, although I have not met with Neighbourhood Watch in Alice Springs. They talked through the proposal about community patrols. They have talked to the Commissioner. They are looking at presenting the Commissioner with a business plan about what is involved in these community patrols. The member for Sanderson probably knows more about them than I do because he has visited patrols in the South Island of New Zealand. One of the fundamental premises of Neighbourhood Watch is the community assisting with policing of neighbourhoods in an appropriate way, not duplicating what the police do, but offering advice and intelligence about what is happening in the community.
I have not seen that business plan as yet and I do not know when it is going to the Commissioner. However, in terms of the activities of Neighbourhood Watch, which are strongly supported by this government, we are certainly keen to look at what it means for operational requirements from Neighbourhood Watch. I will be looking carefully at that business plan. I have talked to Neighbourhood Watch. I agree in-principle that it is a workable idea. We have seen it work in New Zealand, but we have to see how it applies to the Territory situation. So there is in-principle support, but more work to do.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for her question. I have met with Neighbourhood Watch in Darwin, although I have not met with Neighbourhood Watch in Alice Springs. They talked through the proposal about community patrols. They have talked to the Commissioner. They are looking at presenting the Commissioner with a business plan about what is involved in these community patrols. The member for Sanderson probably knows more about them than I do because he has visited patrols in the South Island of New Zealand. One of the fundamental premises of Neighbourhood Watch is the community assisting with policing of neighbourhoods in an appropriate way, not duplicating what the police do, but offering advice and intelligence about what is happening in the community.
I have not seen that business plan as yet and I do not know when it is going to the Commissioner. However, in terms of the activities of Neighbourhood Watch, which are strongly supported by this government, we are certainly keen to look at what it means for operational requirements from Neighbourhood Watch. I will be looking carefully at that business plan. I have talked to Neighbourhood Watch. I agree in-principle that it is a workable idea. We have seen it work in New Zealand, but we have to see how it applies to the Territory situation. So there is in-principle support, but more work to do.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016