Mr MILLS - 2009-11-24
Your government has absolutely failed when it comes to addressing crime, so much so that, in the last year, violent crime increased by over 25% in Alice Springs. Despite this, earlier this year, you told parliament, to suggest violent crime has increased is: ‘… patently false - absolutely false …’. Will you explain to the people of Alice Springs, who live with violence every day, why you believe violent crime is not increasing?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I acknowledge the question from the Leader of the Opposition. This is an important question. One violent assault is one violent assault too many.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Mr HENDERSON: I think the opposition, having asked the question, would want the gallery in Alice Springs to hear the answer, and give me the courtesy of answering the question without interruption.
The tragedy of violence throughout the Northern Territory, not just here in Alice Springs, is that so much violence is alcohol fuelled. Alcohol-fuelled violence is at the heart and soul, the root cause of violence right across the Northern Territory. In Alice Springs, over 80% of all work our hard-working police force does is alcohol-related. The tragedy of that alcohol-related violence is seen throughout the Northern Territory.
In recognising that violence is an issue in the Northern Territory, the first thing is to crackdown on alcohol abuse. That is what we have been doing in Alice Springs. My colleague, the Health Minister, has some very interesting information regarding the impact of the alcohol measures we have taken.
What we will not be doing is opening up the rivers of grog in Alice Springs by permitting the sale of alcohol for an extra four hours every day, as proposed by the opposition.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr HENDERSON: Absolutely recklessly irresponsible …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr HENDERSON: … it shows how disingenuous the Leader of the Opposition is in asking this question. The opposition’s policy response to this issue is to have alcohol available for four extra hours a day in Alice Springs to pour fuel on the flame of the violence occurring in Alice Springs. That is their irresponsible policy response. Tragically, so much of the violence is domestic violence. That is the tragedy of the tale of the violence and the assaults committed across the Northern Territory.
The latest statistics I have, for the year 2008-09, July to September, show 1440 assault offences were recorded across the Northern Territory. Of those assault offences, 54% were domestic violence assaults. That is an increase of around 6% over the same period of last year.
Mr Elferink interjecting.
Mr HENDERSON: I pick up on the interjection from the learned member for Port Darwin. These figures are police figures. They will be in …
Mr Elferink interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order! Member for Port Darwin!
Mr HENDERSON: … the annual report, and for the member for Port Darwin to say these are a nonsense belies the briefing given by the Police Commissioner to the Leader of the Opposition regarding these issues; over 45% of the increase in assault offences can be attributed to domestic violence incidences fuelled by alcohol.
That is the tragedy that lies at the heart of these issues. It is not just a policing issue. It is a cracking down on the abuse of grog, and providing better and more appropriate alcohol treatment facilities across the Northern Territory. The only way those figures would go is up - as a result the opposition policy, which is to pour fuel on the fire and open up access to alcohol for an extra four hours a day in Alice Springs.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I acknowledge the question from the Leader of the Opposition. This is an important question. One violent assault is one violent assault too many.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Mr HENDERSON: I think the opposition, having asked the question, would want the gallery in Alice Springs to hear the answer, and give me the courtesy of answering the question without interruption.
The tragedy of violence throughout the Northern Territory, not just here in Alice Springs, is that so much violence is alcohol fuelled. Alcohol-fuelled violence is at the heart and soul, the root cause of violence right across the Northern Territory. In Alice Springs, over 80% of all work our hard-working police force does is alcohol-related. The tragedy of that alcohol-related violence is seen throughout the Northern Territory.
In recognising that violence is an issue in the Northern Territory, the first thing is to crackdown on alcohol abuse. That is what we have been doing in Alice Springs. My colleague, the Health Minister, has some very interesting information regarding the impact of the alcohol measures we have taken.
What we will not be doing is opening up the rivers of grog in Alice Springs by permitting the sale of alcohol for an extra four hours every day, as proposed by the opposition.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr HENDERSON: Absolutely recklessly irresponsible …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr HENDERSON: … it shows how disingenuous the Leader of the Opposition is in asking this question. The opposition’s policy response to this issue is to have alcohol available for four extra hours a day in Alice Springs to pour fuel on the flame of the violence occurring in Alice Springs. That is their irresponsible policy response. Tragically, so much of the violence is domestic violence. That is the tragedy of the tale of the violence and the assaults committed across the Northern Territory.
The latest statistics I have, for the year 2008-09, July to September, show 1440 assault offences were recorded across the Northern Territory. Of those assault offences, 54% were domestic violence assaults. That is an increase of around 6% over the same period of last year.
Mr Elferink interjecting.
Mr HENDERSON: I pick up on the interjection from the learned member for Port Darwin. These figures are police figures. They will be in …
Mr Elferink interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order! Member for Port Darwin!
Mr HENDERSON: … the annual report, and for the member for Port Darwin to say these are a nonsense belies the briefing given by the Police Commissioner to the Leader of the Opposition regarding these issues; over 45% of the increase in assault offences can be attributed to domestic violence incidences fuelled by alcohol.
That is the tragedy that lies at the heart of these issues. It is not just a policing issue. It is a cracking down on the abuse of grog, and providing better and more appropriate alcohol treatment facilities across the Northern Territory. The only way those figures would go is up - as a result the opposition policy, which is to pour fuel on the fire and open up access to alcohol for an extra four hours a day in Alice Springs.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016