Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Joining me right now from the Northern Territory Police Association. Well,
the head of the Northern Territory Police Association, Nathan Finn,
Good morning to you.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Good morning Katy, and good morning to you listen.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
Thank you so much for your time this morning.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
Now, I do want to kick off with the fact
that questions have been raised in recent days about police
resourcing after Darwin jockey Sonya Wiseman said that she was
attacked outside her home in the early hours of the
morning on the weekend, with a rock shattering her car
window and attackers breaking her nose and teeth. Now, Sonya
told us that a large group had set upon her
(00:33):
when she then called Triple zero, the police didn't come. Now,
Security came to her aid, as did Saint John Ambulance
and they rendered assistance with her injuries. The Assistant Commissioner
Travis Willis told us on the show yesterday that the
call was categorized as a Category two and police are
on the road responding to Category one incidents. But Nathan,
(00:53):
I think the real question here is do we have
enough police on the ground.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Katie. You've heard me speak before in relationship the resource
numbers of the Northern Territory Police. I can categorically say
that we haven't got enough resources neither here or there.
At the moment, we're less on the road here in
Darhen what we had ten years ago. So our numbers
of police and a number of vans rolling around to
jobs and being able to respond to incidents from ten
years ago is more than what we've currently got today.
(01:19):
Even though the given for the demand has increased through
the roof, the calls for our services have increased through
the roof, but yet we've still got a platform that
we're operating on that's from fifteen years ago. To say
that we couldn't attend, I feel sorry for Sonya and
I feel sorry for the people of the community that
actually call upon us to actually come out and ask
for our assistants. Our members are struggling, We're dealing with that,
(01:41):
going to jobs, being the front face of this organization
and copying that abuse from the members of the public.
It's not fair these system Commissions is not the one
out there getting that criticism, Okay. I think they need
to have a realistic approach and speak about it real
that we haven't got enough numbers to do what we
need to do. We haven't got a surge capacity for
when this sort of information happens.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
Is it upsetting then for Northern Territory police officers not
being able to respond to incidents.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Like that, they definitely feel unsupported, Katie. They haven't got
the ability to attend to even assist the members of
the public. They sign up to help members of the
public in their darkest hour and when they need police,
they're not getting the police that they deserve.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
So tell me how you mentioned you know we don't
have well, we've got less police than what we did
ten years ago. How are those police numbers looking? Because
that review is meant to get underway.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
Is it underway? Yes? Firstly, I guess Katie.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
No, I've been meeting with the government. I've been speaking
to the Minister. I've actually got a meeting next week
to finalize the terms of reference in relation to the
resource allocation review and the other obviously important factors that
go along with a fatigue management policy minimum safe staffing numbers,
et cetera. For our members. But I can say that
something needs to be done now in relation to resourcing
our police force. I cannot wait another six months. I
(02:55):
cannot wait for another member to burn out. I cannot
wait for another member to go on sick leave and
put the further risk to the other members. Obviously being
there every day in and out trying to do the
best possible job that they can. They are struggling. They
are struggling big time.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
So meeting next week to determine the terms of reference
for that review.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
How soon after do you reckon it's going to kick off?
Speaker 1 (03:16):
And you know, like you said, you and I have
been talking about this for well since you've stepped into
the job. Obviously, Paul mcku have been talking about this,
your predecessor for quite some time. It's something that the
Association has been calling for for a really long time.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Definitely, we're obviously got a commitment from the Northern Territory
government will be completed by the end of this year.
I cannot see that happening at this stage, how slow
we are actually moving. It's important to us to have this.
We have got the Northern Territory Gament to the table
and that's the main thing that we need to do.
Before we didn't have a commitment from them to actually
do it this year. We've got a commitment for them
to start it this year. And to finish it this year.
(03:52):
But I can't see that happening if we don't actually
get the ball rolling.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
Why is it so important.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
Two our members can be listened to and I have
an understanding of what they're going through because at the moment,
we're not being realistic, we're not being realistic that we've
got enough police to go to these jobs. Come out
and say that and support our members. They are the
ones that are struggling every day in relation to not
being able to to make a decision, a split decision
of which job they're going to go to, which job
(04:19):
they're not going to go to, and often prioritize outside
of their ability. They don't know what's on the screen,
they don't know what's available, they don't know where the
jobs are. But again, we haven't got the resource to
attend to the jobs that are being reported.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
Now. This recent People Matters survey has also been released.
It indicates that eighty seven percent of police respondents contribute
to the workplace above and beyond their job descriptions. A
clear indication, you say, of their dedication and commitment to
serving the Northern Territory community. And I think that you
know what you've said, there is spot on people understand
(04:53):
that our police are doing a really tough job under
difficult circumstances.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
What else does this survey tell us?
Speaker 1 (04:59):
Now, this is that's a survey that's actually conducted by
the Northern Territory government.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
This is not a police association survey.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Is as definitely not and I'd like to make that clear.
This is a government survey done of all their current
obviously public sector stuff. And again it's highlighted through the
number of agencies that obviously respond to that. I can say, Katie,
is the people matter survey or is it the people
don't matter survey? And that's what I go to the
government with. If we do matter, why don't you listen
to what we're actually saying in the survey and actually
(05:25):
do something about it? Okay? And members continually raise these
points of view. They haven't got the confidence for members
to raise issues in their workplace with their senior management.
Ask yourself, why why is that the case? Like, seriously,
they're not supported, so why even do a survey? And
members will get to the point of why do we
even bother? If they say we matter, but we won't
really matter, do we At the end of the day
(05:46):
because they're not listening.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
Now what else like in terms of some of the
other the numbers that have come through, I can see
that only sixteen percent of respondents believe that the organization
took appropriate action following the last People Matter survey. I
mean that in itself is a concern. If you're going
to do a survey, you've actually got to act upon
the results of a survey, which I find quite astonishing.
Then why does the government go through the process of
(06:09):
even bothering if there's no action following the survey results.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Definitely there's no action on thems taken out of this survey.
There's no further up follow up meetings with us or
with our members in relation to what their answers are.
I received advice from the Acting Commissioner this morning that
they haven't given me a briefing in relation to the results,
and he said there's some positive stuff in I can't
see the positive results. I can only see the negative
and where we're spiraling downhill in relation to their obligations
(06:33):
first as the employer and the Northern Territory government in
assisting us to do our job.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
I can see as well, fifty five percent of respondents
agree or strongly agree they feel burned out by their
work and more than half of the respondents frequently experience
work related stress.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
And I can guarantee the fifty five percent of those
members will be of fifty five percent of GDS, which
is one hundred percent of THEIRS General Duties members, especially
in Darwin, that are actually struggling to do their job
every day, and they are struggling to attend to work
every day because of the struggle they're currently having in
the stresses that it's placing him under.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Now speaking of some of the stresses or some of
the different things that are happening, we know that the
age of criminal responsibility it was raised to twelve on
August one, the Northern Territory government saying the programs are
in place to ensure this was the responsible thing to do.
What's been the reaction from rank and file officers.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
As we know, Katie, this won't stop crime. It means
that youth won't be heard and accountable for their actions
and their behavior when they're on obviously age of ten
or twelve. This will not make the community safe for
at all. In the end, we still have to investigate
those offenses being committed. We just can't take any prosecution
action against them. So the work's still there for our
members to do that. But again, we cannot take any
prosecution action against these children now.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
And then, from what I could gather based on what
I'd been told last week by the Northern Territory Police,
it seems as though, as you've just touched on, obviously,
you've still got to do that work. If there is
a child that does engage in crime or does the
wrong thing, you then you're having to pick them up,
but the process has changed, so you're then sort of
(08:08):
handing them over I believe to territory families.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Yeah, that's correct, Katie, So we hand them over territory families.
They tell me there's a number of programs in place.
I haven't been briefed on the number of programs that
they've got in place, and what level of scrutiny these
programs are going to be under, and what obviously these
programs are undertaken by these youths. I'd like to know
from the government, and I'm sure the members of the
public would like to know too, What are these programs
(08:32):
in tail? What are we sending him out? Bush to
seven emas that hardly gets used, or is it we
sending them to another program in town. I'm not quite sure.
I haven't been briefed on it. Again, it's not our
portfolio obviously to know what Territory Families do, but our
members would like to know as well. Yeah, was there
any consequences for what they're doing?
Speaker 1 (08:49):
Well, I believe we've got the Police Minister and Territory
Families Minister Kate Warden on the show tomorrow morning, so
we'll see what.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
We can find out. Now, what about the bail review?
Speaker 1 (08:58):
Members happy with with the results or with I guess
the action that the Northern Territory Government's announced following on
from that bail review last week.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
We still believe that we've got our hands tied information
coming from our members that hasn't gone far enough. In
relation to the obviously the bail review the presumption of
bail show of view and extended to include the offensive
weapons or any object that work in the cause fear
harm to another person. We believed there are some improvements
obviously they've made, including of the axes and machetes in
the description of knife, but also a number of our
(09:29):
members obviously suffer assaults because of spears, et cetera. And well,
they're not included in this bail review. They haven't been included,
haven't been spoken about, even though the Ball review talks
about the number of assaults that our members go through
in relation to getting spears thrown out of et cetera.
I think we need to extend it further to include
the offensive weapons.
Speaker 1 (09:45):
And have you indicated that to the minister? That is
what you like, that that is what you guys wanted.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
Yeah, definitely. Again, we weren't part of the bail review. Again,
I'd like to be able to make comment in relation
to that Ball review and be a part of that
on behalf of our members. A number of executive members
for the Northern Treasury Police were part of that. But
again we weren't consulted until after the report's actually released.
Actually the morning of they come and done the media
relation to the bar review and the outcome of that.
(10:11):
That was the first time I'd received the review report.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
And so then if that is the case, what's the
process then in terms of you being able to kind
of articulate what is or isn't happening then to those
members of the association.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
It makes it very difficult, Katie, and it makes it
very difficult for me. I was on the run obviously
last week with the announcement of the minimum major criminal responsibility,
the Baer review laws raising the age, and the wanding legislation,
which I had no knowledge of a bit prior to that.
Actually the media coming out, I received updates and updates
from the government also the Police Minister, Police Minister and
(10:45):
Commissioner of Police information that after they announced these and so.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
With the knife crime strategy or the changes that they're
announcing with that the wanding, you know, we know that
they are in the process right now of procuring those
sort of warns and making sure that officers know exactly
how it's all going to work. From your perspective, is
it pretty sort of clear or the.
Speaker 2 (11:06):
Legislation is convoluted. It's complicated for our members to determine
whether they can or whether they can't declare an area
certain and asks for the request for the approval, and
members won't have that information on hand at the forefront
of what they're doing. But Katie, we go back to
have we got enough numbers to implement this legislator, we
have all the legislation in the world. It doesn't mean
we can act on it if we haven't got the
(11:27):
resource to do what we need to do in relation
to keeping the community.
Speaker 1 (11:30):
So just sort of talking about those declared areas and
things like that, you say that members are saying that
that legislation is not really clear.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
So are they.
Speaker 1 (11:37):
Concerned now about kind of having to having to know
to implement it.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
Yeah, definitely, there's a lot of concern out there how
they're going to do it. We've got a flow chart,
for an example, a flow chart of how the legislation
works and how members can follow through. There's thirty three
different pathways which they have to interpret make a decision
about whether they can make application for that area to
be declared for the twelve hours. Again, we haven't gone
far enough. We watered down the legislation from Queensland. Queensland
(12:05):
have obviously great legislation in relation to this. They have
designated areas where they can do it at certain times
of the day or night. Where we think that should
have been extended to that as well for our high
risk areas that they've identified through the alcohol policing strategies
and that sort of stuff. Or we believe that that
should have been example that these areas of high risk
for the community, and we should have had the ability
(12:27):
just to go in those areas at any time of
the day or night and have that ability to want.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
So what's the process now, I suppose, like from your perspective,
what is going to be the process if you've got
police officers that are confused about this legislation?
Speaker 3 (12:42):
Luck, is it going to run? Is it going to
flow smoothly? What's going to happen here?
Speaker 2 (12:46):
I believe there's always teething issues when new legislation gets passed. Again,
depending on what the training packages and how the training
is obviously detailed to our members, I think we're going
to have some serious issues and how we're going to
actually manage this legislation. It's a great tool, Kadie, because
it gives us enough additional powers for when we're actually
searching for people in lawful custody, we can actually warn
them as well for the safety of our members and
(13:08):
obviously the safety of the member in custody. It gives
us greater powers to support those But again, I cannot
see how this is going to make any difference. I'll
put to you in your listeners how are police members
going to carry this device on them? Is it something
we're going to have a pocket for. Is it something
we're just going to slow over a back? Is something
we're going to raise in the air like a bat?
I don't know. And again, when members have got something
(13:31):
in the hand, what other options have they got? Have
they got options to grab any other fruitment? If a
stuff escalates, do we just drop it? We throw it?
How do we use it? Well?
Speaker 1 (13:39):
I tell you, you know, there's certainly questions that are
going to need to be answered by the time the
legislation rolls out and by the time they.
Speaker 3 (13:45):
You know, they're out there being used and utilized.
Speaker 1 (13:48):
And I know there was a lot of questions still
last week, so I'm not surprised that there is still
questions from officers about it as well. Hey, before I
let you go, any update at this point in time
or any sort of further further word on the recruitment
of the police commissioner. I know that you're not involved
in it, but I'm sure that there's lots of people
wondering how far off we are from finding out who
(14:10):
the new police commission is going to be.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
Yeah, So the advice I've received Katie in relation to
the new commissioner and the role of obviously going through
that process is that there are some interviews being taken
place earlier this month and we should have hopefully have
a decision which will go to cabinet later this month.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
How important is it to you to get that role filled?
Speaker 1 (14:28):
We know that that obviously we've got acting Commissioner Michael
Murphy in that role, but how important is it do
you think for our Northern Territory Police Force to know
who's going to be in that role?
Speaker 2 (14:37):
And definitely we need the ownership of that at that
position and provide stability to all our members and obviously
us as well as the NTPA. I can guarantee that
their relationship with mister Murphy has been a very good
working relationship. Again, we have our issues which we're always
going to have, which we understand that and we've spoken
about that at great lengths. But again he's been willing
to come to the table and listen to our concerns,
(14:58):
which is greatly different to what's obviously occurred in the past.
Speaker 1 (15:01):
Well, Northern Territory Police Association President Nathan Finn always appreciate
your time.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
Thank you. Very much for joining us this morning.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
And it's always a pleasure Katy to come in and
thank you for having me. And to our members out there,
please look after yourself and keep up the great work
you're doing and we do really respect what you're doing.
Speaker 3 (15:16):
Thank you, Good on you, Nathan, thank you
Joining me right now from the Northern Territory Police Association. Well,
the head of the Northern Territory Police Association, Nathan Finn,
Good morning to you.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Good morning Katy, and good morning to you listen.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
Thank you so much for your time this morning.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
Now, I do want to kick off with the fact
that questions have been raised in recent days about police
resourcing after Darwin jockey Sonya Wiseman said that she was
attacked outside her home in the early hours of the
morning on the weekend, with a rock shattering her car
window and attackers breaking her nose and teeth. Now, Sonya
told us that a large group had set upon her
(00:33):
when she then called Triple zero, the police didn't come. Now,
Security came to her aid, as did Saint John Ambulance
and they rendered assistance with her injuries. The Assistant Commissioner
Travis Willis told us on the show yesterday that the
call was categorized as a Category two and police are
on the road responding to Category one incidents. But Nathan,
(00:53):
I think the real question here is do we have
enough police on the ground.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Katie. You've heard me speak before in relationship the resource
numbers of the Northern Territory Police. I can categorically say
that we haven't got enough resources neither here or there.
At the moment, we're less on the road here in
Darhen what we had ten years ago. So our numbers
of police and a number of vans rolling around to
jobs and being able to respond to incidents from ten
years ago is more than what we've currently got today.
(01:19):
Even though the given for the demand has increased through
the roof, the calls for our services have increased through
the roof, but yet we've still got a platform that
we're operating on that's from fifteen years ago. To say
that we couldn't attend, I feel sorry for Sonya and
I feel sorry for the people of the community that
actually call upon us to actually come out and ask
for our assistants. Our members are struggling, We're dealing with that,
(01:41):
going to jobs, being the front face of this organization
and copying that abuse from the members of the public.
It's not fair these system Commissions is not the one
out there getting that criticism, Okay. I think they need
to have a realistic approach and speak about it real
that we haven't got enough numbers to do what we
need to do. We haven't got a surge capacity for
when this sort of information happens.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
Is it upsetting then for Northern Territory police officers not
being able to respond to incidents.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Like that, they definitely feel unsupported, Katie. They haven't got
the ability to attend to even assist the members of
the public. They sign up to help members of the
public in their darkest hour and when they need police,
they're not getting the police that they deserve.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
So tell me how you mentioned you know we don't
have well, we've got less police than what we did
ten years ago. How are those police numbers looking? Because
that review is meant to get underway.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
Is it underway? Yes? Firstly, I guess Katie.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
No, I've been meeting with the government. I've been speaking
to the Minister. I've actually got a meeting next week
to finalize the terms of reference in relation to the
resource allocation review and the other obviously important factors that
go along with a fatigue management policy minimum safe staffing numbers,
et cetera. For our members. But I can say that
something needs to be done now in relation to resourcing
our police force. I cannot wait another six months. I
(02:55):
cannot wait for another member to burn out. I cannot
wait for another member to go on sick leave and
put the further risk to the other members. Obviously being
there every day in and out trying to do the
best possible job that they can. They are struggling. They
are struggling big time.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
So meeting next week to determine the terms of reference
for that review.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
How soon after do you reckon it's going to kick off?
Speaker 1 (03:16):
And you know, like you said, you and I have
been talking about this for well since you've stepped into
the job. Obviously, Paul mcku have been talking about this,
your predecessor for quite some time. It's something that the
Association has been calling for for a really long time.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Definitely, we're obviously got a commitment from the Northern Territory
government will be completed by the end of this year.
I cannot see that happening at this stage, how slow
we are actually moving. It's important to us to have this.
We have got the Northern Territory Gament to the table
and that's the main thing that we need to do.
Before we didn't have a commitment from them to actually
do it this year. We've got a commitment for them
to start it this year. And to finish it this year.
(03:52):
But I can't see that happening if we don't actually
get the ball rolling.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
Why is it so important.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
Two our members can be listened to and I have
an understanding of what they're going through because at the moment,
we're not being realistic, we're not being realistic that we've
got enough police to go to these jobs. Come out
and say that and support our members. They are the
ones that are struggling every day in relation to not
being able to to make a decision, a split decision
of which job they're going to go to, which job
(04:19):
they're not going to go to, and often prioritize outside
of their ability. They don't know what's on the screen,
they don't know what's available, they don't know where the
jobs are. But again, we haven't got the resource to
attend to the jobs that are being reported.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
Now. This recent People Matters survey has also been released.
It indicates that eighty seven percent of police respondents contribute
to the workplace above and beyond their job descriptions. A
clear indication, you say, of their dedication and commitment to
serving the Northern Territory community. And I think that you
know what you've said, there is spot on people understand
(04:53):
that our police are doing a really tough job under
difficult circumstances.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
What else does this survey tell us?
Speaker 1 (04:59):
Now, this is that's a survey that's actually conducted by
the Northern Territory government.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
This is not a police association survey.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Is as definitely not and I'd like to make that clear.
This is a government survey done of all their current
obviously public sector stuff. And again it's highlighted through the
number of agencies that obviously respond to that. I can say, Katie,
is the people matter survey or is it the people
don't matter survey? And that's what I go to the
government with. If we do matter, why don't you listen
to what we're actually saying in the survey and actually
(05:25):
do something about it? Okay? And members continually raise these
points of view. They haven't got the confidence for members
to raise issues in their workplace with their senior management.
Ask yourself, why why is that the case? Like, seriously,
they're not supported, so why even do a survey? And
members will get to the point of why do we
even bother? If they say we matter, but we won't
really matter, do we At the end of the day
(05:46):
because they're not listening.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
Now what else like in terms of some of the
other the numbers that have come through, I can see
that only sixteen percent of respondents believe that the organization
took appropriate action following the last People Matter survey. I
mean that in itself is a concern. If you're going
to do a survey, you've actually got to act upon
the results of a survey, which I find quite astonishing.
Then why does the government go through the process of
(06:09):
even bothering if there's no action following the survey results.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Definitely there's no action on thems taken out of this survey.
There's no further up follow up meetings with us or
with our members in relation to what their answers are.
I received advice from the Acting Commissioner this morning that
they haven't given me a briefing in relation to the results,
and he said there's some positive stuff in I can't
see the positive results. I can only see the negative
and where we're spiraling downhill in relation to their obligations
(06:33):
first as the employer and the Northern Territory government in
assisting us to do our job.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
I can see as well, fifty five percent of respondents
agree or strongly agree they feel burned out by their
work and more than half of the respondents frequently experience
work related stress.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
And I can guarantee the fifty five percent of those
members will be of fifty five percent of GDS, which
is one hundred percent of THEIRS General Duties members, especially
in Darwin, that are actually struggling to do their job
every day, and they are struggling to attend to work
every day because of the struggle they're currently having in
the stresses that it's placing him under.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Now speaking of some of the stresses or some of
the different things that are happening, we know that the
age of criminal responsibility it was raised to twelve on
August one, the Northern Territory government saying the programs are
in place to ensure this was the responsible thing to do.
What's been the reaction from rank and file officers.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
As we know, Katie, this won't stop crime. It means
that youth won't be heard and accountable for their actions
and their behavior when they're on obviously age of ten
or twelve. This will not make the community safe for
at all. In the end, we still have to investigate
those offenses being committed. We just can't take any prosecution
action against them. So the work's still there for our
members to do that. But again, we cannot take any
prosecution action against these children now.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
And then, from what I could gather based on what
I'd been told last week by the Northern Territory Police,
it seems as though, as you've just touched on, obviously,
you've still got to do that work. If there is
a child that does engage in crime or does the
wrong thing, you then you're having to pick them up,
but the process has changed, so you're then sort of
(08:08):
handing them over I believe to territory families.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Yeah, that's correct, Katie, So we hand them over territory families.
They tell me there's a number of programs in place.
I haven't been briefed on the number of programs that
they've got in place, and what level of scrutiny these
programs are going to be under, and what obviously these
programs are undertaken by these youths. I'd like to know
from the government, and I'm sure the members of the
public would like to know too, What are these programs
(08:32):
in tail? What are we sending him out? Bush to
seven emas that hardly gets used, or is it we
sending them to another program in town. I'm not quite sure.
I haven't been briefed on it. Again, it's not our
portfolio obviously to know what Territory Families do, but our
members would like to know as well. Yeah, was there
any consequences for what they're doing?
Speaker 1 (08:49):
Well, I believe we've got the Police Minister and Territory
Families Minister Kate Warden on the show tomorrow morning, so
we'll see what.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
We can find out. Now, what about the bail review?
Speaker 1 (08:58):
Members happy with with the results or with I guess
the action that the Northern Territory Government's announced following on
from that bail review last week.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
We still believe that we've got our hands tied information
coming from our members that hasn't gone far enough. In
relation to the obviously the bail review the presumption of
bail show of view and extended to include the offensive
weapons or any object that work in the cause fear
harm to another person. We believed there are some improvements
obviously they've made, including of the axes and machetes in
the description of knife, but also a number of our
(09:29):
members obviously suffer assaults because of spears, et cetera. And well,
they're not included in this bail review. They haven't been included,
haven't been spoken about, even though the Ball review talks
about the number of assaults that our members go through
in relation to getting spears thrown out of et cetera.
I think we need to extend it further to include
the offensive weapons.
Speaker 1 (09:45):
And have you indicated that to the minister? That is
what you like, that that is what you guys wanted.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
Yeah, definitely. Again, we weren't part of the bail review. Again,
I'd like to be able to make comment in relation
to that Ball review and be a part of that
on behalf of our members. A number of executive members
for the Northern Treasury Police were part of that. But
again we weren't consulted until after the report's actually released.
Actually the morning of they come and done the media
relation to the bar review and the outcome of that.
(10:11):
That was the first time I'd received the review report.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
And so then if that is the case, what's the
process then in terms of you being able to kind
of articulate what is or isn't happening then to those
members of the association.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
It makes it very difficult, Katie, and it makes it
very difficult for me. I was on the run obviously
last week with the announcement of the minimum major criminal responsibility,
the Baer review laws raising the age, and the wanding legislation,
which I had no knowledge of a bit prior to that.
Actually the media coming out, I received updates and updates
from the government also the Police Minister, Police Minister and
(10:45):
Commissioner of Police information that after they announced these and so.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
With the knife crime strategy or the changes that they're
announcing with that the wanding, you know, we know that
they are in the process right now of procuring those
sort of warns and making sure that officers know exactly
how it's all going to work. From your perspective, is
it pretty sort of clear or the.
Speaker 2 (11:06):
Legislation is convoluted. It's complicated for our members to determine
whether they can or whether they can't declare an area
certain and asks for the request for the approval, and
members won't have that information on hand at the forefront
of what they're doing. But Katie, we go back to
have we got enough numbers to implement this legislator, we
have all the legislation in the world. It doesn't mean
we can act on it if we haven't got the
(11:27):
resource to do what we need to do in relation
to keeping the community.
Speaker 1 (11:30):
So just sort of talking about those declared areas and
things like that, you say that members are saying that
that legislation is not really clear.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
So are they.
Speaker 1 (11:37):
Concerned now about kind of having to having to know
to implement it.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
Yeah, definitely, there's a lot of concern out there how
they're going to do it. We've got a flow chart,
for an example, a flow chart of how the legislation
works and how members can follow through. There's thirty three
different pathways which they have to interpret make a decision
about whether they can make application for that area to
be declared for the twelve hours. Again, we haven't gone
far enough. We watered down the legislation from Queensland. Queensland
(12:05):
have obviously great legislation in relation to this. They have
designated areas where they can do it at certain times
of the day or night. Where we think that should
have been extended to that as well for our high
risk areas that they've identified through the alcohol policing strategies
and that sort of stuff. Or we believe that that
should have been example that these areas of high risk
for the community, and we should have had the ability
(12:27):
just to go in those areas at any time of
the day or night and have that ability to want.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
So what's the process now, I suppose, like from your perspective,
what is going to be the process if you've got
police officers that are confused about this legislation?
Speaker 3 (12:42):
Luck, is it going to run? Is it going to
flow smoothly? What's going to happen here?
Speaker 2 (12:46):
I believe there's always teething issues when new legislation gets passed. Again,
depending on what the training packages and how the training
is obviously detailed to our members, I think we're going
to have some serious issues and how we're going to
actually manage this legislation. It's a great tool, Kadie, because
it gives us enough additional powers for when we're actually
searching for people in lawful custody, we can actually warn
them as well for the safety of our members and
(13:08):
obviously the safety of the member in custody. It gives
us greater powers to support those But again, I cannot
see how this is going to make any difference. I'll
put to you in your listeners how are police members
going to carry this device on them? Is it something
we're going to have a pocket for. Is it something
we're just going to slow over a back? Is something
we're going to raise in the air like a bat?
I don't know. And again, when members have got something
(13:31):
in the hand, what other options have they got? Have
they got options to grab any other fruitment? If a
stuff escalates, do we just drop it? We throw it?
How do we use it? Well?
Speaker 1 (13:39):
I tell you, you know, there's certainly questions that are
going to need to be answered by the time the
legislation rolls out and by the time they.
Speaker 3 (13:45):
You know, they're out there being used and utilized.
Speaker 1 (13:48):
And I know there was a lot of questions still
last week, so I'm not surprised that there is still
questions from officers about it as well. Hey, before I
let you go, any update at this point in time
or any sort of further further word on the recruitment
of the police commissioner. I know that you're not involved
in it, but I'm sure that there's lots of people
wondering how far off we are from finding out who
(14:10):
the new police commission is going to be.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
Yeah, So the advice I've received Katie in relation to
the new commissioner and the role of obviously going through
that process is that there are some interviews being taken
place earlier this month and we should have hopefully have
a decision which will go to cabinet later this month.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
How important is it to you to get that role filled?
Speaker 1 (14:28):
We know that that obviously we've got acting Commissioner Michael
Murphy in that role, but how important is it do
you think for our Northern Territory Police Force to know
who's going to be in that role?
Speaker 2 (14:37):
And definitely we need the ownership of that at that
position and provide stability to all our members and obviously
us as well as the NTPA. I can guarantee that
their relationship with mister Murphy has been a very good
working relationship. Again, we have our issues which we're always
going to have, which we understand that and we've spoken
about that at great lengths. But again he's been willing
to come to the table and listen to our concerns,
(14:58):
which is greatly different to what's obviously occurred in the past.
Speaker 1 (15:01):
Well, Northern Territory Police Association President Nathan Finn always appreciate
your time.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
Thank you. Very much for joining us this morning.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
And it's always a pleasure Katy to come in and
thank you for having me. And to our members out there,
please look after yourself and keep up the great work
you're doing and we do really respect what you're doing.
Speaker 3 (15:16):
Thank you, Good on you, Nathan, thank you
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