Ms WALKER - 2011-03-29
Can you please outline to the House what policies and programs the Northern Territory government has been using to help the residents of Alice Springs face the current challenges?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy. As I said in debate in the House earlier today, both I and the Deputy Chief Minister have been working with the Minister for Central Australia and this community on the problems the community faced, particularly in January and February this year. We have listened and we have acted. I have said over again, and I have met business owners who have had their properties broken into a number of times, that that is absolutely unacceptable, and police have sent additional police to town to deal with these issues.
I am pleased to report that the police initiatives – and here are some statistics – have been very successful. The Leader of the Opposition and the CLP have their heads in the sand about the cause of alcohol and the relationship between alcohol and crime and antisocial behaviour. From 3 March to 21 March, just in a three week period, 1494 litres of alcohol was confiscated - 1500 litres of alcohol confiscated in the Northern Territory in Alice Springs; 64 arrests for substantive offences; 19 truancy reports issued; five child abuse reports submitted; and 70 youths and 26 adults taken home or to a safe place. I have a commitment from the Police Commissioner that we will maintain that presence until these issues are firmly dealt with.
We also provided funding for temporary lighting at known trouble spots throughout the town which was well regarded and well received by the Mayor of Alice Springs. I commend the Alice Springs Town Council and the Mayor for moving very quickly to ensure the temporary lighting is replaced with permanent lighting.
We have also been working with community groups on a community plan to deal with the issues in Alice Springs, particularly around youth, alcohol and urban drift. It was interesting that the member for Fong Lim, in contribution to debate today - I suppose we will keep teasing this out - is at direct odds with the Leader of the Opposition once again. The member for Fong Lim was saying we need more urban drift in the Northern Territory. We have a commitment, as a government, to transform 20 remote communities to proper towns around the Northern Territory; to provide people with choices, not a simple fix.
Fundamentally, the issues that surround Alice Springs - the antisocial behaviour, the neglect of children and domestic violence - are all related to alcohol. Tony Abbott recognises it is related to alcohol. The only people who do not are the CLP and the Leader of the Opposition. They want to pour more alcohol onto the streets of Alice Springs.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy. As I said in debate in the House earlier today, both I and the Deputy Chief Minister have been working with the Minister for Central Australia and this community on the problems the community faced, particularly in January and February this year. We have listened and we have acted. I have said over again, and I have met business owners who have had their properties broken into a number of times, that that is absolutely unacceptable, and police have sent additional police to town to deal with these issues.
I am pleased to report that the police initiatives – and here are some statistics – have been very successful. The Leader of the Opposition and the CLP have their heads in the sand about the cause of alcohol and the relationship between alcohol and crime and antisocial behaviour. From 3 March to 21 March, just in a three week period, 1494 litres of alcohol was confiscated - 1500 litres of alcohol confiscated in the Northern Territory in Alice Springs; 64 arrests for substantive offences; 19 truancy reports issued; five child abuse reports submitted; and 70 youths and 26 adults taken home or to a safe place. I have a commitment from the Police Commissioner that we will maintain that presence until these issues are firmly dealt with.
We also provided funding for temporary lighting at known trouble spots throughout the town which was well regarded and well received by the Mayor of Alice Springs. I commend the Alice Springs Town Council and the Mayor for moving very quickly to ensure the temporary lighting is replaced with permanent lighting.
We have also been working with community groups on a community plan to deal with the issues in Alice Springs, particularly around youth, alcohol and urban drift. It was interesting that the member for Fong Lim, in contribution to debate today - I suppose we will keep teasing this out - is at direct odds with the Leader of the Opposition once again. The member for Fong Lim was saying we need more urban drift in the Northern Territory. We have a commitment, as a government, to transform 20 remote communities to proper towns around the Northern Territory; to provide people with choices, not a simple fix.
Fundamentally, the issues that surround Alice Springs - the antisocial behaviour, the neglect of children and domestic violence - are all related to alcohol. Tony Abbott recognises it is related to alcohol. The only people who do not are the CLP and the Leader of the Opposition. They want to pour more alcohol onto the streets of Alice Springs.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016