Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
I think it's safe to say that all of us
really are wondering exactly how things are going to go
over the next couple of weeks as additional police have
been surged into Alice Springs, and rightly so that support
is required, but what will it potentially mean to us
in other parts of the Northern Territory like Darwin, Catherine,
Remote Communities, Tenant Creek. Joining us in the studio right
(00:20):
now is the president of the Northern Territory Police Association,
Nathan Finn.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Good morning to you.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Good morning Katie, Good morning to your listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
First off, can I ask how are the officers in
Alice Springs tracking.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Our officers in Alice Springs obviously had some immediate pressure
over the last few days and dealing with this righteous
situation and obviously civil disobedience down there. They are glad
and welcoming obviously extra resource into this area. They've been
struggling for a long time. It's been noted by us
on a number of occasions too, they're actually under resourced.
To have these resources placed back in Ellis Springs is
(00:54):
a huge benefit to them and obviously a huge pressure
placed off them to obviously have that assistance down.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
There, Finny.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
One of the things it really struck me the other
day watching or yesterday watching some of that vision out
of Alice Springs was how outnumbered it looked like the
police were, and I like I felt for them. I thought,
I can't imagine, you know, the fight or flight sort
of feeling that you get in your garts when you've
got that many people around you, who are some of
(01:19):
them armed. You know, they've got bricks, they're throwing rocks.
It's pretty scary stuff.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
It definitely is, Katie, and especially when you're one of
four police officers are actually rosted on that shift. To
actually deal with this situation, we had to call back
the day shift crew that actually come and attend it
to this as well, so they had additional crews there
to luckily to respond to this incident as well, and
still heavily out numbered as you could see when that you.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
Were saying there was only four police officers rosted on
at that time of the day.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
But we had obviously day shift was still on at
that point in time, who obviously responded and they actually
didn't finish till after midnight that night as well, trying
to mop up and try and assist well aure resource
in Alice Springs.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
So we know that you had the Territory Safety Division
fly down last week or head down there last week.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
That was twenty three officers, I think, yeah, Katie.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
Actually I was down in Alice Springs on Monday, dealing
with some interviews that et cetera for our members involved
in the alleged death in custody that occurred over the weekend,
and supporting them down there on the Monday, I actually
flew back. I think there was about twenty police officers
on the plane come Tuesday morning from the TSD. Some
detectives as well, traveling back from Alice Springs as part
(02:25):
of Operation grim Or who are returning back to day
On at that time.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
So hang on, So were they in Alice Springs when
the events unfolded this week?
Speaker 3 (02:32):
They were coming back on Tuesday morning, Katie with me.
I'm not quite sure about whether others the other others
had actually gone down by kay, but I was aware
that they hadn't been hadn't yet deemed deployed. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Right, So are you saying that the police were quite understaffed.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
They're always understaff Katie, more so than usual. Again, Yes,
I think they believe there was six on the ground
for Operation Grimmle at that time. They've obviously requested further
assistance in sending more members down there to assist with
that operation as well, and obviously the announcement of the
thirty three palais that are actually transitioning through the college
at the moment being sent back to their I believe
(03:07):
they arrived at today. They actually couldn't get flights down there,
so they're actually on a coach down there through the
night last night, I.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Believe, on a bus to get there.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
Yes, that's correct. The Commissioner's hired a coach to transport
these people down there and get them on the ground
so they can obviously start assisting and start with the
PALI operation and having full lockdown of those licensed premises,
which is the biggest issue.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
Well, all right, there's a lot to take in here.
I just want to ask you how did the situation
last night go with that curfew coming into effect from
the Police Association's perspective.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
Yeah, definitely, Katie. Obviously we had some concerns raised by
our members Nolla Springs last night. We understand that the
Commissioner and the government are obviously trying to put things
in place to protect this community. We see this behavior continuing.
It's actually hampering our ability to live in the Northern
Territory moment. This behavior is just unacceptable at all. Our
members are struggling with this behavior. We've seen last night
(04:01):
that a lot of the youths and that were out
of the CBD area and the high risk area that
it's been declared and just sitting on the outside basically
tawning police and saying it's like a cat and mouse
game to them about whether they going.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
They're still hanging around.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
Yeah, they're still hanging around Katie. What our concerns are
and obviously the advice that I've received overnight as well
that regarding the Minister's decoration of emergency Situation high risk
area of being Allie Springs been announced last night. The
announcement and I believe the declaration come at six fifty
seven last night, given that the curfew started at six
o'clock last night, the decoration is a little bit late,
(04:37):
but we won't be splitting hairs there. But the legal
advice that we've got in our opinion that the declaration
is potentially unlawful, so under the management Emergency Management Act
obviously binds the Crown. That means the Minister is banned
by the Act and obviously the Crown immunity does not
apply to this. So under section eighteen point two, when
emergency obviously situation was probably fairly technical, obviously viewers out
(05:00):
there as well. But the Minister acting and device from
the Council made it clear that the emergency situation exists
in that area and that event has occurred or reasonally
likely to occur, and the Minister is satisfied that the
special powers under twenty three which is given under the
Emergency Management Act and necessarily of effective management and recovery
operations in response to that event. I don't know what
the event has occurred, but I presume that the Chief
(05:22):
Minister and media interviews that the relevant event was a
civil unrest in Alice Springs Precinct and potentially likely further
civil unrest in Alice Springs Precinct. Should this be the case,
that under section four point two of that Management Act
specifically precludes a person by either Minister or police operating
any under his declaration using the Act to put down
civil disturbance. Section So Section four of the Management Act
(05:43):
states that the limitation of this Act says is not
authorized to a person to make or prepare preparations to
do any of the following engage in armed combat, put
down a ride, or other civil disturbance. So they're actually
not entitled to actually use this act because of this.
If this is the event, the minister, the ministry is
not allowed to declare this.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
What about to the commissioner who can declare it?
Speaker 3 (06:05):
No, definitely not, depending what the event is. What's the
event they've called for, what's the event the device that
counsel is giving them.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
I'm assuming it's the from the you know, from the
riotous behavior that we'd seen.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
Well, that's the comments and that's the media that's come
out in relation to that behavior. And under section four
of that Act, they cannot actually do that.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
And so you're saying that they're potentially acting unlawfully here
by declaring the emergency situation.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
That's right, and potentially placing our members who I'm concerned about,
who I will not stand back from. I will always
stand up for no matter what happens, no matter what
threats are made towards me or what conversations I had
with me, I will always protect our members no matter
what happens.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
So you're worried that your members could potentially be acting
unlawfully here.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
That's correct, Katie. Again, the declaration is potentially unlawful because
the police operating under this declaration are at risk of
acting unlawfully. So naturally, our opinion is based on the
information's hand and that the information does not include the
advice from the Council or the confirmation of the event
which the declaration was based.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
So when you say the council, that like the.
Speaker 3 (07:03):
Meyor no, So it's the Council, the Emergency Management Council. Okay,
So in relation to a cyclone or the natural weather event.
The Emergency Manager Act actually replaced the Disaster Management Act.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
I mean a lot of people listening will be thinking
to themselves, so this is like it's worse in a
lot of ways than what we've seen in terms of
a natural disaster.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
That's correct. But under the Act they cannot actually provide
this declaration. And it's been highlighted to me overnight and
by our members that our members are actually potentially acting unlawfully.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
And so they worried they're going to get themselves in trouble.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
Guaranteed, Katie, what happens. The actual guidelines that they put
in place was where a youth is, you have to
direct the youth out of the high risk area. But
we've only got the ability to convey them within the
high risk area and any potentially if we convey them
outside of that, it's potentially wrongful imprisonment to our members.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
Oh my goodness, I mean, have you spoken, have you
now spoken to the government about these or are you
planning to?
Speaker 3 (07:59):
They haven't hasn't spoken to me at all about this
announcement yesterday. I've spoken to the Commissioner this morning. I
sent him a list of my concerns last night also
which he hasn't had time to respond to, given that
he said Alice springs last night as well. I've raised
some serious concerns about obviously where our members are coming from,
obviously over the easter period, and what sort of resource
limitations are going to place on Darwen as such to
(08:22):
be able to do our policing resources. I was informed
last night at the Joint Emergency Services Center that there
was one hundred and seventy jobs still outstanding on the
job here that we haven't attended to in Darwin alone.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
Last night last night, one hundred and seventy jobs.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
That's correct, because we didn't have the numbers or the
police numbers to actually respond to this. We've got legislation
outside of this emergency declaration to deal with these matters.
We have the ability to do that, we just haven't
got the resources to actually deal with it.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
I mean, this is a tough one because there'll be
people listening going they absolutely think that an emergency situation
should have been declared for Ouri Springs because what's going
on is an emergency. But you know, from what you're saying,
members are obviously quite concerned that they could then be
acting unlawfully. They want to make sure that they are covered.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
Which I get that too.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
Then, you know, parallel to that, you've got a situation
where people are really worried that we just don't have
enough police right now to deal with what's going on
across the territory.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
Let's sit down as a government and as a police
to create legislation to allow us to do this lawfully
where there's no concerns, where our members can act lawfully
potentially and not risk litigation or anything towards them. And
obviously they're concerned, they want to do the right thing,
they want to help, and our members are always there
to help. And I want to make sure that our
(09:40):
members are protected no matter what happens from this government
or the nt Police Force Executive. I'm making sure that
our members are safe and making sure that they're going
to go home at the end of the day, because
that's my priority.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
Finny, I want to ask, in terms of all these
officers being deployed to Alice Springs, where are they coming from?
Are they coming from Darwin, Are they coming from different
parts in the Northern terret Where are they coming from?
Speaker 3 (10:01):
Again, Catie, I made this request last night. I made
the request. Obviously the twenty five additional that they've put
on top of the thirty three palis that were transitioning,
I've asked for where they're coming from. They still no
answer in relation to that. I don't know if they're
twenty five have even gone. I don't need if the
twenty five are on the ground and other springs. From
all reports, they haven't yet arrived. But obviously our members
(10:21):
down there looking forward to a bit of respite and
obviously to deal with the issues because they're quite capable
of dealing with it, Katie, they just haven't got the
resource to deal with it. And this is the time
and time again we have these conversations. This resource allocation
review hasn't come soon enough. Apparently the report's going to
be received today. The Chief Minutes to come out yesterday
in a media and said that we're concerned for our
(10:42):
members that are being placed in an unfortunate situation to
deal with this righteous behavior without the legislation or the
powers to do so.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
So, would the support of the Australian Federal Police help, Like,
I know that's a big call, but it's one that
a lot of people have been making over the last
couple of.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
Days, Katie, AFP current and Protected industrial Action. I don't
know if you know that they're currently going through an
EBA negotiation process. They're currently industrial action. I spoke to
their general manager, who obviously was our previous president of
the Northern Territory Police Association, spoke to him yesterday. He's
in dah and actually trying to deal with this as
well at the moment. And some of the comments made
(11:19):
by the Chief Minister about the AFP that they're not
capable actually dealing with it. I think that's quite offensive
to the AFP, and I think they're going to have
some comments to say about that. Yeah, we're liaising with
the president of the AFPA Australian Federal Police Association. I
shouldn't use acronyms that.
Speaker 2 (11:34):
Yeah, well I might have to try and get them on.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
But so, like so from your perspective, could there be
some kind of support role. I know that they're going
through their EBA negotiations. It sounds like they're taking their
own industrial action, you know. But the AFP have supported
us in the past throughout COVID and other things. It's
not like it's not a matter of saying the AFP
need to come in and take over or anything like that.
Speaker 3 (11:53):
It's not a matter of mint and failure either. It's
just honestly, we haven't got the resource to deal with it,
and we constantly hamper this and we're providing an unsafe
workplace for our police officer that remained and still turn
up every day, every night and do above and beyond
what their capability is.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
So it sounds like they could have ceased in some ways.
Speaker 3 (12:10):
We could deal with any amount of assistance from any
organization across Australia. We could have a riot squad come in.
That'd be great obviously because we haven't got one of them.
Like it was mentioned yesterday on the media, these are
things that we need support in. We need support of resource,
We need support of member numbers and guarantee the Northern
Territory Police Force that's well above its average. We perform
(12:33):
a high task, high violence, high roles every day without
the numbers to actually do so. And any support that
we can get will be greatly accepted by our members,
whether it's come from interstate AFP or anywhere they need
the support, and we've been hampering going on about this
time and time again. We need those resources to do
the job that we're obviously signed up to do well.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
Finny, I tell you what, we're all going to be
waiting to see, you know, what progresses now throughout the
day after what you've just told us in relation to
that emerge and see declaration, but also waiting to see
what comes out of that review that the Northern Territory
Chief Minister had said yesterday and today that they are
expecting that tonight. I'm not one hundred percent sure when
we're all going to be able to get a look
(13:13):
at that, but it's going to make for a really
interesting read. I don't think that there's going to be
any real surprises in it for people like you or
police officers. You know, you guys sort of already know
the work that you're doing and the fact that we
are understaffed.
Speaker 3 (13:28):
Definitely, Katie and all in there is to support our members,
to make sure that they're protected to do the job
they need to do and given the resources, appropriate resource
to deal with a high level of crime. I said
yesterday it was obviously not a crime wave anymore. We're
going through a crime tsunami and we need the assistant
to actually deal with this well.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
Nathan Finn, the President of the Northern Territory Police Association,
we always appreciate your time.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Thanks so much for joining us this morning.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
Thank you Katie, and obviously out to all the ladies
and Jared Blue out there, stay safe, look after yourself
with no matter what.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
Yeah, look after yourselves, because I tell you what, it
has been quite unbelievable thing to see over the last
few days what's come out of Valice Springs. And as
I said earlier, something that really struck me was sort
of seeing the police standing there and the work that
they're trying to do and trying to keep the community safe.
You know, I take my hat off to them. It's
hard work and it would be incredibly daunting. Definitely, Finny,
(14:20):
thanks so much for joining us this morning.
I think it's safe to say that all of us
really are wondering exactly how things are going to go
over the next couple of weeks as additional police have
been surged into Alice Springs, and rightly so that support
is required, but what will it potentially mean to us
in other parts of the Northern Territory like Darwin, Catherine,
Remote Communities, Tenant Creek. Joining us in the studio right
(00:20):
now is the president of the Northern Territory Police Association,
Nathan Finn.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Good morning to you.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Good morning Katie, Good morning to your listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
First off, can I ask how are the officers in
Alice Springs tracking.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Our officers in Alice Springs obviously had some immediate pressure
over the last few days and dealing with this righteous
situation and obviously civil disobedience down there. They are glad
and welcoming obviously extra resource into this area. They've been
struggling for a long time. It's been noted by us
on a number of occasions too, they're actually under resourced.
To have these resources placed back in Ellis Springs is
(00:54):
a huge benefit to them and obviously a huge pressure
placed off them to obviously have that assistance down.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
There, Finny.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
One of the things it really struck me the other
day watching or yesterday watching some of that vision out
of Alice Springs was how outnumbered it looked like the
police were, and I like I felt for them. I thought,
I can't imagine, you know, the fight or flight sort
of feeling that you get in your garts when you've
got that many people around you, who are some of
(01:19):
them armed. You know, they've got bricks, they're throwing rocks.
It's pretty scary stuff.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
It definitely is, Katie, and especially when you're one of
four police officers are actually rosted on that shift. To
actually deal with this situation, we had to call back
the day shift crew that actually come and attend it
to this as well, so they had additional crews there
to luckily to respond to this incident as well, and
still heavily out numbered as you could see when that you.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
Were saying there was only four police officers rosted on
at that time of the day.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
But we had obviously day shift was still on at
that point in time, who obviously responded and they actually
didn't finish till after midnight that night as well, trying
to mop up and try and assist well aure resource
in Alice Springs.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
So we know that you had the Territory Safety Division
fly down last week or head down there last week.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
That was twenty three officers, I think, yeah, Katie.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
Actually I was down in Alice Springs on Monday, dealing
with some interviews that et cetera for our members involved
in the alleged death in custody that occurred over the weekend,
and supporting them down there on the Monday, I actually
flew back. I think there was about twenty police officers
on the plane come Tuesday morning from the TSD. Some
detectives as well, traveling back from Alice Springs as part
(02:25):
of Operation grim Or who are returning back to day
On at that time.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
So hang on, So were they in Alice Springs when
the events unfolded this week?
Speaker 3 (02:32):
They were coming back on Tuesday morning, Katie with me.
I'm not quite sure about whether others the other others
had actually gone down by kay, but I was aware
that they hadn't been hadn't yet deemed deployed. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Right, So are you saying that the police were quite understaffed.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
They're always understaff Katie, more so than usual. Again, Yes,
I think they believe there was six on the ground
for Operation Grimmle at that time. They've obviously requested further
assistance in sending more members down there to assist with
that operation as well, and obviously the announcement of the
thirty three palais that are actually transitioning through the college
at the moment being sent back to their I believe
(03:07):
they arrived at today. They actually couldn't get flights down there,
so they're actually on a coach down there through the
night last night, I.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Believe, on a bus to get there.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
Yes, that's correct. The Commissioner's hired a coach to transport
these people down there and get them on the ground
so they can obviously start assisting and start with the
PALI operation and having full lockdown of those licensed premises,
which is the biggest issue.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
Well, all right, there's a lot to take in here.
I just want to ask you how did the situation
last night go with that curfew coming into effect from
the Police Association's perspective.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
Yeah, definitely, Katie. Obviously we had some concerns raised by
our members Nolla Springs last night. We understand that the
Commissioner and the government are obviously trying to put things
in place to protect this community. We see this behavior continuing.
It's actually hampering our ability to live in the Northern
Territory moment. This behavior is just unacceptable at all. Our
members are struggling with this behavior. We've seen last night
(04:01):
that a lot of the youths and that were out
of the CBD area and the high risk area that
it's been declared and just sitting on the outside basically
tawning police and saying it's like a cat and mouse
game to them about whether they going.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
They're still hanging around.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
Yeah, they're still hanging around Katie. What our concerns are
and obviously the advice that I've received overnight as well
that regarding the Minister's decoration of emergency Situation high risk
area of being Allie Springs been announced last night. The
announcement and I believe the declaration come at six fifty
seven last night, given that the curfew started at six
o'clock last night, the decoration is a little bit late,
(04:37):
but we won't be splitting hairs there. But the legal
advice that we've got in our opinion that the declaration
is potentially unlawful, so under the management Emergency Management Act
obviously binds the Crown. That means the Minister is banned
by the Act and obviously the Crown immunity does not
apply to this. So under section eighteen point two, when
emergency obviously situation was probably fairly technical, obviously viewers out
(05:00):
there as well. But the Minister acting and device from
the Council made it clear that the emergency situation exists
in that area and that event has occurred or reasonally
likely to occur, and the Minister is satisfied that the
special powers under twenty three which is given under the
Emergency Management Act and necessarily of effective management and recovery
operations in response to that event. I don't know what
the event has occurred, but I presume that the Chief
(05:22):
Minister and media interviews that the relevant event was a
civil unrest in Alice Springs Precinct and potentially likely further
civil unrest in Alice Springs Precinct. Should this be the case,
that under section four point two of that Management Act
specifically precludes a person by either Minister or police operating
any under his declaration using the Act to put down
civil disturbance. Section So Section four of the Management Act
(05:43):
states that the limitation of this Act says is not
authorized to a person to make or prepare preparations to
do any of the following engage in armed combat, put
down a ride, or other civil disturbance. So they're actually
not entitled to actually use this act because of this.
If this is the event, the minister, the ministry is
not allowed to declare this.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
What about to the commissioner who can declare it?
Speaker 3 (06:05):
No, definitely not, depending what the event is. What's the
event they've called for, what's the event the device that
counsel is giving them.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
I'm assuming it's the from the you know, from the
riotous behavior that we'd seen.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
Well, that's the comments and that's the media that's come
out in relation to that behavior. And under section four
of that Act, they cannot actually do that.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
And so you're saying that they're potentially acting unlawfully here
by declaring the emergency situation.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
That's right, and potentially placing our members who I'm concerned about,
who I will not stand back from. I will always
stand up for no matter what happens, no matter what
threats are made towards me or what conversations I had
with me, I will always protect our members no matter
what happens.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
So you're worried that your members could potentially be acting
unlawfully here.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
That's correct, Katie. Again, the declaration is potentially unlawful because
the police operating under this declaration are at risk of
acting unlawfully. So naturally, our opinion is based on the
information's hand and that the information does not include the
advice from the Council or the confirmation of the event
which the declaration was based.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
So when you say the council, that like the.
Speaker 3 (07:03):
Meyor no, So it's the Council, the Emergency Management Council. Okay,
So in relation to a cyclone or the natural weather event.
The Emergency Manager Act actually replaced the Disaster Management Act.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
I mean a lot of people listening will be thinking
to themselves, so this is like it's worse in a
lot of ways than what we've seen in terms of
a natural disaster.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
That's correct. But under the Act they cannot actually provide
this declaration. And it's been highlighted to me overnight and
by our members that our members are actually potentially acting unlawfully.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
And so they worried they're going to get themselves in trouble.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
Guaranteed, Katie, what happens. The actual guidelines that they put
in place was where a youth is, you have to
direct the youth out of the high risk area. But
we've only got the ability to convey them within the
high risk area and any potentially if we convey them
outside of that, it's potentially wrongful imprisonment to our members.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
Oh my goodness, I mean, have you spoken, have you
now spoken to the government about these or are you
planning to?
Speaker 3 (07:59):
They haven't hasn't spoken to me at all about this
announcement yesterday. I've spoken to the Commissioner this morning. I
sent him a list of my concerns last night also
which he hasn't had time to respond to, given that
he said Alice springs last night as well. I've raised
some serious concerns about obviously where our members are coming from,
obviously over the easter period, and what sort of resource
limitations are going to place on Darwen as such to
(08:22):
be able to do our policing resources. I was informed
last night at the Joint Emergency Services Center that there
was one hundred and seventy jobs still outstanding on the
job here that we haven't attended to in Darwin alone.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
Last night last night, one hundred and seventy jobs.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
That's correct, because we didn't have the numbers or the
police numbers to actually respond to this. We've got legislation
outside of this emergency declaration to deal with these matters.
We have the ability to do that, we just haven't
got the resources to actually deal with it.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
I mean, this is a tough one because there'll be
people listening going they absolutely think that an emergency situation
should have been declared for Ouri Springs because what's going
on is an emergency. But you know, from what you're saying,
members are obviously quite concerned that they could then be
acting unlawfully. They want to make sure that they are covered.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
Which I get that too.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
Then, you know, parallel to that, you've got a situation
where people are really worried that we just don't have
enough police right now to deal with what's going on
across the territory.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
Let's sit down as a government and as a police
to create legislation to allow us to do this lawfully
where there's no concerns, where our members can act lawfully
potentially and not risk litigation or anything towards them. And
obviously they're concerned, they want to do the right thing,
they want to help, and our members are always there
to help. And I want to make sure that our
(09:40):
members are protected no matter what happens from this government
or the nt Police Force Executive. I'm making sure that
our members are safe and making sure that they're going
to go home at the end of the day, because
that's my priority.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
Finny, I want to ask, in terms of all these
officers being deployed to Alice Springs, where are they coming from?
Are they coming from Darwin, Are they coming from different
parts in the Northern terret Where are they coming from?
Speaker 3 (10:01):
Again, Catie, I made this request last night. I made
the request. Obviously the twenty five additional that they've put
on top of the thirty three palis that were transitioning,
I've asked for where they're coming from. They still no
answer in relation to that. I don't know if they're
twenty five have even gone. I don't need if the
twenty five are on the ground and other springs. From
all reports, they haven't yet arrived. But obviously our members
(10:21):
down there looking forward to a bit of respite and
obviously to deal with the issues because they're quite capable
of dealing with it, Katie, they just haven't got the
resource to deal with it. And this is the time
and time again we have these conversations. This resource allocation
review hasn't come soon enough. Apparently the report's going to
be received today. The Chief Minutes to come out yesterday
in a media and said that we're concerned for our
(10:42):
members that are being placed in an unfortunate situation to
deal with this righteous behavior without the legislation or the
powers to do so.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
So, would the support of the Australian Federal Police help, Like,
I know that's a big call, but it's one that
a lot of people have been making over the last
couple of.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
Days, Katie, AFP current and Protected industrial Action. I don't
know if you know that they're currently going through an
EBA negotiation process. They're currently industrial action. I spoke to
their general manager, who obviously was our previous president of
the Northern Territory Police Association, spoke to him yesterday. He's
in dah and actually trying to deal with this as
well at the moment. And some of the comments made
(11:19):
by the Chief Minister about the AFP that they're not
capable actually dealing with it. I think that's quite offensive
to the AFP, and I think they're going to have
some comments to say about that. Yeah, we're liaising with
the president of the AFPA Australian Federal Police Association. I
shouldn't use acronyms that.
Speaker 2 (11:34):
Yeah, well I might have to try and get them on.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
But so, like so from your perspective, could there be
some kind of support role. I know that they're going
through their EBA negotiations. It sounds like they're taking their
own industrial action, you know. But the AFP have supported
us in the past throughout COVID and other things. It's
not like it's not a matter of saying the AFP
need to come in and take over or anything like that.
Speaker 3 (11:53):
It's not a matter of mint and failure either. It's
just honestly, we haven't got the resource to deal with it,
and we constantly hamper this and we're providing an unsafe
workplace for our police officer that remained and still turn
up every day, every night and do above and beyond
what their capability is.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
So it sounds like they could have ceased in some ways.
Speaker 3 (12:10):
We could deal with any amount of assistance from any
organization across Australia. We could have a riot squad come in.
That'd be great obviously because we haven't got one of them.
Like it was mentioned yesterday on the media, these are
things that we need support in. We need support of resource,
We need support of member numbers and guarantee the Northern
Territory Police Force that's well above its average. We perform
(12:33):
a high task, high violence, high roles every day without
the numbers to actually do so. And any support that
we can get will be greatly accepted by our members,
whether it's come from interstate AFP or anywhere they need
the support, and we've been hampering going on about this
time and time again. We need those resources to do
the job that we're obviously signed up to do well.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
Finny, I tell you what, we're all going to be
waiting to see, you know, what progresses now throughout the
day after what you've just told us in relation to
that emerge and see declaration, but also waiting to see
what comes out of that review that the Northern Territory
Chief Minister had said yesterday and today that they are
expecting that tonight. I'm not one hundred percent sure when
we're all going to be able to get a look
(13:13):
at that, but it's going to make for a really
interesting read. I don't think that there's going to be
any real surprises in it for people like you or
police officers. You know, you guys sort of already know
the work that you're doing and the fact that we
are understaffed.
Speaker 3 (13:28):
Definitely, Katie and all in there is to support our members,
to make sure that they're protected to do the job
they need to do and given the resources, appropriate resource
to deal with a high level of crime. I said
yesterday it was obviously not a crime wave anymore. We're
going through a crime tsunami and we need the assistant
to actually deal with this well.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
Nathan Finn, the President of the Northern Territory Police Association,
we always appreciate your time.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Thanks so much for joining us this morning.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
Thank you Katie, and obviously out to all the ladies
and Jared Blue out there, stay safe, look after yourself
with no matter what.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
Yeah, look after yourselves, because I tell you what, it
has been quite unbelievable thing to see over the last
few days what's come out of Valice Springs. And as
I said earlier, something that really struck me was sort
of seeing the police standing there and the work that
they're trying to do and trying to keep the community safe.
You know, I take my hat off to them. It's
hard work and it would be incredibly daunting. Definitely, Finny,
(14:20):
thanks so much for joining us this morning.
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