Ms WALKER - 2010-02-16
Can you outline to the House the impact the Alice Springs Youth Action Plan is having on antisocial behaviour in the town?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy for her question. I welcome the debate we have had in Alice Springs over the last few weeks.
Mr Giles: You said there was no problem in Alice Springs, you would not engage in the debate.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! The minister has the call.
Mr HAMPTON: Thank you, Madam Speaker. As I said, I certainly welcome the debate we have had in Alice Springs over the last few weeks in relation to youth issues, because there are probably no more important issues than those affecting our young people in the Northern Territory, and in Alice Springs.
Mr Giles: You said there was no problem in Alice Springs.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling, you do not have the call.
Mr HAMPTON: The Youth Action Plan this government launched 12 months ago is about addressing the issue on two fronts. The first front is helping those young people and their families who need help to avoid getting into trouble. The other front is tackling those kids who find themselves in trouble, and the consequences they have to put up with.
The plan has achieved much in the last 12 months in Alice Springs, with the Police Beat in Todd Mall, as the Chief Minister announced again today. That was up and running in July last year, well ahead of schedule. It has been well received by businesses, particularly those in the Todd Mall.
The Centralian Middle School, something I know the opposition members in Alice Springs were certainly working against, is up and running. It is an historic school, with some 350 students now attending. I had the privilege of visiting in the first week of its opening to see for myself how successful it will be, and some of the infrastructure that has been approved there.
There is a ‘no school, no service’ campaign, which we launched last year, with 120 businesses on board making sure that kids are attending school and not out and about during school hours.
Mr Giles: And it is still not safe to walk the streets at night, is it? Still not safe. No problem.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr Giles: We have the police van out now, there was no problem.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling!
Mr HAMPTON: Madam Speaker, the government is absolutely committed to Alice Springs, and we are showing that through the Youth Action Plan. As I said, over $15m over four years to implement the action plan, as well as transforming our town camps in Alice Springs. We are also turning down the tap on grog in Alice Springs, in complete contrast to the opposition.
The member for Greatorex can talk here in the House, but he is very silent on the issue in Alice Springs, absolutely silent …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr HAMPTON: He has not said one word about youth issues in Alice Springs. We know what the CLP’s youth action plan is …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order! Member for Drysdale, member for Braitling, member for Greatorex, cease interjecting!
Mr HAMPTON: The CLP’s plan for Alice Springs, and the youth issues, is a two shot in the locker …
Mr Giles: Oh, this is what you are going to talk about, grog again.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling!
Mr HAMPTON: … one is the youth curfew, and one is to pour more grog on the streets.
The government is absolutely committed to the Youth Action Plan and transforming the town camps, and we will continue to see more initiatives roll out in our Youth Action Plan.
Mr Giles: When are you going to stop parents giving kids grog on the streets? When are you going to stop kids fighting on the streets?
Dr BURNS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 51. I purposely have not interrupted either a question or an answer but, really, the opposition called for changes to this Question Time about being concise, succinct, one minute and three minutes. We are abiding by that, but obviously the opposition is still interjecting, a low level of interjection designed to spoil the answer, designed to spoil Question Time for people who are listening to these broadcasts. I call on them to have the right spirit in Question Time to allow those answers to be heard.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I remind you of Standing Order 51:
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nhulunbuy for her question. I welcome the debate we have had in Alice Springs over the last few weeks.
Mr Giles: You said there was no problem in Alice Springs, you would not engage in the debate.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! The minister has the call.
Mr HAMPTON: Thank you, Madam Speaker. As I said, I certainly welcome the debate we have had in Alice Springs over the last few weeks in relation to youth issues, because there are probably no more important issues than those affecting our young people in the Northern Territory, and in Alice Springs.
Mr Giles: You said there was no problem in Alice Springs.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling, you do not have the call.
Mr HAMPTON: The Youth Action Plan this government launched 12 months ago is about addressing the issue on two fronts. The first front is helping those young people and their families who need help to avoid getting into trouble. The other front is tackling those kids who find themselves in trouble, and the consequences they have to put up with.
The plan has achieved much in the last 12 months in Alice Springs, with the Police Beat in Todd Mall, as the Chief Minister announced again today. That was up and running in July last year, well ahead of schedule. It has been well received by businesses, particularly those in the Todd Mall.
The Centralian Middle School, something I know the opposition members in Alice Springs were certainly working against, is up and running. It is an historic school, with some 350 students now attending. I had the privilege of visiting in the first week of its opening to see for myself how successful it will be, and some of the infrastructure that has been approved there.
There is a ‘no school, no service’ campaign, which we launched last year, with 120 businesses on board making sure that kids are attending school and not out and about during school hours.
Mr Giles: And it is still not safe to walk the streets at night, is it? Still not safe. No problem.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr Giles: We have the police van out now, there was no problem.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling!
Mr HAMPTON: Madam Speaker, the government is absolutely committed to Alice Springs, and we are showing that through the Youth Action Plan. As I said, over $15m over four years to implement the action plan, as well as transforming our town camps in Alice Springs. We are also turning down the tap on grog in Alice Springs, in complete contrast to the opposition.
The member for Greatorex can talk here in the House, but he is very silent on the issue in Alice Springs, absolutely silent …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr HAMPTON: He has not said one word about youth issues in Alice Springs. We know what the CLP’s youth action plan is …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order! Member for Drysdale, member for Braitling, member for Greatorex, cease interjecting!
Mr HAMPTON: The CLP’s plan for Alice Springs, and the youth issues, is a two shot in the locker …
Mr Giles: Oh, this is what you are going to talk about, grog again.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling!
Mr HAMPTON: … one is the youth curfew, and one is to pour more grog on the streets.
The government is absolutely committed to the Youth Action Plan and transforming the town camps, and we will continue to see more initiatives roll out in our Youth Action Plan.
Mr Giles: When are you going to stop parents giving kids grog on the streets? When are you going to stop kids fighting on the streets?
Dr BURNS: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 51. I purposely have not interrupted either a question or an answer but, really, the opposition called for changes to this Question Time about being concise, succinct, one minute and three minutes. We are abiding by that, but obviously the opposition is still interjecting, a low level of interjection designed to spoil the answer, designed to spoil Question Time for people who are listening to these broadcasts. I call on them to have the right spirit in Question Time to allow those answers to be heard.
Madam SPEAKER: Honourable members, I remind you of Standing Order 51:
No Member may converse aloud or make any noise or disturbance which in the opinion of the Speaker is designed to interrupt or has the effect of interrupting a member speaking.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016