Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
On Saturday, the Northern Territory Police said that they're continuing
to investigate those disturbances that occurred in Alice Springs last week.
So since that violence on Tuesday, police have now arrested
eight mails, with five now having been charged for various
stages of offending. Investigations to remain ongoing, and detectives from
(00:20):
Crime Command and Strike Force Viper expect that further arrests
and charges are going to come over the coming days
so well.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Joining us on.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
The line right now is Lea Fanocchiaro, the opposition leader.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Good morning to you, Leah, Good morning Katie, and to
your listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
Now, Leah, it seems that people of Alice Springs had
a bit of a better weekend than some of the
behavior that we saw in town last week. I mean
the bar was very very low indeed, but it wasn't
all smooth sailing. Fifty Seven young people were reportedly found
violating the curfew on Sunday night.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Lea, do you think this curfew is working well?
Speaker 3 (00:56):
I think it's keeping a problem mitigated in and then
pushing it out into the suburbs, and ultimately it's a
band aid. We've got fifty police from Darwin now in
Alice Springs doing their best to help out. But once
that band aid is ripped off in another week or so, Katie,
what's going to happen for people in Alice Springs. And
certainly we continued to see very serious offending over the
(01:19):
weekend with a range of stolen weapons for example, and
break ins across the industrial area. So it's still you know,
Alice Springs is not in the clear. Until we walk
into Parliament and labor make the laws stronger, there is
going to be no stopping this.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
I mean, you're very right in saying that we've had
a massive weekend by the look of things with crime.
I mean, I'm just going through some of the pressure
releases that have been issued by the Northern Territory Police.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
There's a lot to get through.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
But do you think with that curfew due to end
Wednesday next week, right smack bang in the middle of
the school holidays, should that be extended?
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Well it's again.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
Interesting and shows a government, you know, just make this
up as they go along, that they would even think
to finish a curve for you halfway through school holidays.
That just shows the level of incompetence. I think it
should probably be extended. But again, where are those police
going to come from. Who is going to be able
to enforce this? It's just, you know, it's a never
(02:18):
ending question, Katie, and that's why we've got to go
into Parliament and just fix the laws. Everything else is just.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
But even if you change those laws tomorrowly yes, that
would make an impact. But for Alice Springs right now,
it's not going to, you know, to have the impact
that I think you're pretending it will. You know, you
do need police there right now to stop that criminal
behavior and to stop people from doing the wrong thing.
And I'm not arguing that we don't need law changes,
(02:46):
but right now they do need that fix.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
They do need that respite.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
Oh, there's no question that the community needs respite. We've
got fifty police from Darwin in Alice Springs, but this
is temper. That's fifty police who aren't with their families
and who aren't able to do their job in Darwin.
So we've got a situation where you know, again this
government is robbing Peter to pay Paul for. A solution
for Alice Springs requires much stronger laws, It requires boot camps,
(03:17):
it requires a range of programs that labor have failed
for eight years to deliver, and so extending the curf
you a couple of days over the holidays or here
and there, it again might make the CBD quiet. But
where what we're seeing then is a problem pushing out
into the suburbs, into industrial areas. And ultimately, you can
have as many police as you like, Katie, if they
(03:39):
don't have the power to deal with the problem at hand,
then it's a very ineffective way of dealing with the
crist crisis.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
Are effectively what you're saying, though, by the sounds of
it is recall parliament. You know, recall Parliament last week.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
I get that.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
I understand you want the law to change, but so
you wouldn't have a curfew in place, so you wouldn't
be sending extra police off says to Alice Springs, because
you told us last week that you didn't want the
AFP to go in and help either.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
Oh, Katie, we've welcomed the fact that this government has
finally done something, but it's taken an outrageous right in
the middle of the day to deliver a short term reprieve.
What we're calling for is long term reprieve. For a
community that for years has been telling Labor that they
have got it wrong. And what's really really concerning Katie
(04:26):
is a bit of a bombshell that Eva Laula has
clearly let slip on ABC Radio this morning around the
fact that Salt Bush no longer exists. Now, this has
been a suspicion I've had for a long time with
the what I've thought is a rebranding of government policy
from boo supported accommodation to now they're calling it residential
(04:47):
support or some other rubbish. But the reality is the
reason no young people are being taken to Salt Bush
is because it's not there, and that's why all of
these kids are being taken back to a so called response,
which if they were responded saying.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
That there's no facilities, you're saying that there's no facility
operating at all.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
Well, my understanding is Eva Laula confirmed that this morning
on ABC Radio.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
And certainly I thought it would be rebranded or I
thought that somebody else, another operator had taken over.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
Yeah, the government will be the ones taking over.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
But are you sure of that?
Speaker 3 (05:24):
Well, yes, Eva Laula has said that on radio herself.
She said a couple of weeks ago that it would
be the government that would be running the facility now,
and I've been questioning whether the locations of these facilities
are exactly the same as the locations of our supported accommodation.
So clearly something has gone on. I don't know what, Katie,
but you're putting.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
It out there.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
I mean, you're talking about it this morning. So what
do you think has gone on?
Speaker 3 (05:48):
Well, clearly something's happened. Either Saltbush and no longer running
those programs, either the facilities have been shut down. Something
has happened for the government to then try and cover
this up and rebadget as a government run facility with
a new name. And so it's again another example of
limiting options for our police on what they can do,
(06:10):
limiting options for our courts, because of course BAO supported
Accommodation was a place where our courts could bail young
people too. And so if Labor continues to get this
wrong and these facilities are shut then there's even less
options for our police and our courts to be dealing
with the problem at hand. It just shows the level
of mismanagement by Labor on this issue, which is why
(06:32):
we're more focused on long term solutions like strengthening the law.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
All right, So last week on the show, I don't
know whether you heard, but the President of the Police Association,
Nathan Finn, raised legal concerns around the curfew. NAJA has
also raised concerns over the course of the weekend as well,
as I understand it, the Criminal Lawyers Association too. But
the Chief Minister's standing firm dismissing possible legal challenges being
(06:59):
launched against the curfew, saying that she's confident the emergency
measures were backed by the law. The Chief Minister says,
bring it on. I'm more than happy to have legal
challenges around that.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Lea. Do you think that this curfew needs to be
rolled back?
Speaker 3 (07:15):
Well, I think there's a serious question. I think the
NTPA has it raised a good point because the Emergency
Management Act is explicitly clear that it cannot be used
and I'll quote it to put down a riot or
other civil disturbance. So that's what the law says that
the Emergency Management Act can't be used for. So I
think government does need to come out and make sure
(07:36):
that what it's doing is actually lawful, because what it
does is puts our police in jeopardy, and of course
everyone wants to make sure that our police are supported
to exercise the right powers. But again, if we were
in parliament cating.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
Riot and what we saw last week is not an emergency.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
What is well, I think the problem is the Emergency
Management Act was envisaged for more natural type emergency, so
flood fire cyclone those types of powers to enact in
those types of natural disaster situation. So this one, again
is for government to deal with. And if it's a
(08:14):
powers issue, the only way you can fix powers is
to be in Parliament and give police the powers they need.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
No doubt it is a government issue. You know, you
guys aren't empower everybody gets that. But I think that
I think that what's happening right now is people are
looking at you and they're going, all right, well, this
is our alternative Chief Minister. So the you know, the
half pregnant, half baked dancers aren't cutting it anymore.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
But Katie, we would not be in this situation under
the CLP because I would have walked into Parlis.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
But the thing is, no matter what happens, you're not
going to be able to turn back time. You're not
actually going to reverse the decisions that the government's made.
So you are going to be in a situation if
if you do get elected come August, where you're going
to have to deal with what you may view as
some of the Northern Territory government'smiths and people are now
looking at you going, well, what are your answers to
(09:05):
these questions and what are you going to do differently
because saying that you're going to recall parliament, like, that's
all fine and good, but you've got an emergency situation
on the streets of Alice Springs right now.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
The emergency situation is the making of Labour's mess. If
we're elected to government in August, which is August the
very first sittings of Parliament, we will walk in and
strengthen the law, give police more powers, lower the age
of criminal responsibility, hold parents accountable for their children, force
children who aren't going to school to be at school,
(09:40):
and how now.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
How quickly do you think that territorians will see a
difference to the criminal behavior that they're seeing at the
moment and the very poor behavior that they're seeing at
the moment.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
By the end of the year, Katie, So there is
no question that we can make immediate change by changing
the law stopping the revolving door of bail, people will
see immediate change. Now, we've also got the longer term
work that has to be done around getting kids to school,
holding parents accountable, making sure there's use boot camps out
there to correct behavior and get these kids out of
(10:17):
a cycle of crime. But it all starts by immediately
making sure our community is safe. And to do that,
police have to have the better powers to be able
to do that. Our laws have to put the rights
of people to be safe first, which means we have
to make sure that that revolving door of bail does
not continue. So that's what we would do.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
Just with the salt Bush stuff.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
I mean, do you think, Zich, do you think there
does need to be an inquiry? Would the COLP would
if you are elected, would a COLP government hold an
inquiry into non government organization funding, because you know, salt
Bush could be an example of how these organizations can't
actually do the jobs that they're funded for.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
Well, you know, we need to make sure there's an audit.
We've been very very clear that an audit must take
place because there's hundreds of millions if not billions of
dollars going to these issues and we're not seeing any
better results. No one's life is better under Labour's handling
or mishandling of this crime crisis, and so we need
(11:21):
to be making sure that we understand where the money
is going, what the outcomes are, whether or not the
services are delivering adequately. If there's duplication, how we can
better make sure that the resources are being spread to
deliver a wider range of services. There is no question
that an audit needs to be done.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
So that's something you commit to if you are elected.
That is something that you'll absolutely commit to.
Speaker 3 (11:46):
This was our idea, Katie. We wrote to the Prime
Minister about this in January last year, so this has
actually come from us. We've now had others back it in,
which is fantastic. But this started with the COLP. We
called for the audit well over a year ago and
Labor has failed to deliver up because they don't want
to hold people accountable or themselves accountable for where they're failing.
(12:07):
And until we look under the hood, we're not going
to be able to drive forward and address these issues.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
All right. I know that the CLP's got some concerns
with some of the behavior that we've seen in Catherine
over the weekend. What's you worry Well.
Speaker 3 (12:20):
We've had hideous instances of crime in Catherine, Katie, really
scary stuff. I mean the footage you've seen from the
Servo service station, the United Service station. That lady she's
quit the same date she's gone. She's no longer going
to be contributing to the economy in Catherine because she's
had enough. There was a teacher who had a knife
(12:42):
held to their throat while their cars are being stolen.
Unbelievable understanding is that teacher has now left and gone
and come to Darwin. So that's two really critical people
being taken out of the system. In Catherine, a small
community where you're trying to attract and retain people to work.
They can't take it anymore. And no one can blame
those people for saying enough's enough. I mean, you've got
(13:05):
to put your life and your health and well being first.
But as a result of that, you have diminishing ability
to deliver services in that town.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
To offer choice.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
And this is how profound the crime situation is. We
cannot grow our economy and have strong communities when crime
is out of control.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
Like this, Leah.
Speaker 1 (13:25):
We are this week expecting the review into police resources
to be released. The Chief Minister was set to receive
that review, as I understand it, last week. Do you
think that it is going to find that we are
seriously short on police?
Speaker 3 (13:40):
Well, I think it will show that we're short on police.
I don't think we needed an independent review to tell
us that. What it hopefully tells us is how many.
But you know, this is a government that talks about
being bipartisan on crime and there's one thing and does another.
This review is supposed to be independent. Now we've learned
that evil Law has had an interim copy for six weeks.
(14:00):
She's now had the final version over the weekend. This
is also that she can develop up some sort of
election pitch plan. We have not seen it the Parliament.
Speaker 1 (14:10):
Well, no one's seen it, as I understand it, only
the Cabinet has seen it. And look, I would assume that,
you know, I would hope that we all actually get
the opportunity to see it over the coming days and
that we all have a really clear understanding. When I
say we all, I mean all Territorians have a really
clear understanding of just what is required for our Northern
(14:30):
Territory police because you know, as we can see right now,
with officers being sent to Alice Springs, a lot of
people are worried about the impact that that's going to
have in other places like Darwin, places like Catherine, Tennant Creek,
not to mention our remote communities. So look, I do
hope that we all have the opportunity to see that
review in coming days. But Leah, a couple of people
(14:52):
just messaging through saying sorry, Katie.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
So does Leah support the curfew.
Speaker 3 (14:58):
We support that there has been immediate action.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
What we also believe should have.
Speaker 3 (15:03):
Happened is the urgent changing of the laws, because what
we've got right now is police driving around, putting kids
on a bus, taking them to an imaginary line at
the edge of the CBD and leaving them there. Now,
that is not enough, and so what we're calling for
is a longer term solution for Alice Springs, for Tenant Creek, Catherine,
Darwin and everywhere in between, which means we have to
(15:24):
strengthen the laws and give our police more powers to
be able to do their job.
Speaker 1 (15:29):
And so just to get a really clear answer there
on those concerns that are being raised by both the
Police Association, the likes of NAJA and criminal lawyers. Do
you think that you know that this curfew is lawful?
Speaker 3 (15:45):
Well, I think that's a question that the government needs to.
Speaker 1 (15:47):
Answers based on the information you've got in front of
you and and you know, based on the fact that
you are the opposition leader, do you think it's lawful?
Speaker 3 (15:57):
Well, from reading the section as I did earlier, it
says it can't be used to put down a ride
or other civil disturbance. So Labour need to come out
and explain under which head of power the curfew is
being used under. That's what they need to do that
if they don't have one, the opportunity is there to
come back to Parliament and make sure we get that right.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
So just to be really clear, I think for our
listeners as well this morning, if you I mean if
you were the Chief Finister right now, and I know
that you'll say you wouldn't be in this situation, but
if you were, would you have called for a curfew?
Speaker 3 (16:31):
Well, Katie, I think there's a range of things we
could have done. You could immediately recall Parliament and strengthen
the law which would have been my preferred option, because
let's not forget our police can't.
Speaker 1 (16:42):
But that immediate respite is required now. So I guess
it's you know, it is a yes. No question would you.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
Have because what you're saying this doesn't exist. This is
a hypothetical in the extreme.
Speaker 1 (16:53):
What I guess what people are wondering is whether you
would have had the guts to do it or not.
That's probably what people are mind asking.
Speaker 3 (16:59):
This question of guards. I think Eva Laula that morning
was had no intention on delivering any change for Alice Springs.
The pressure came on, and by two o'clock she stumbled out,
held a press conference called a curfew without any detail,
not even sure if she has the power to do it,
and is hoping for the best with a situation that
has pushed the problem out into other parts of Alice Springs.
(17:22):
This is a band aid. It brings welcome reprieve to
the CBD, but not welcome reprieve to the broader community.
What I'm talking about is longer term change that makes
a difference in people's lives, no matter where they live.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
All right, well, Lea, there's plenty of comments and questions
coming through on the tech Sidne, but we are going
to have to leave it there. Always appreciate your time.
Hope you had a great Easter.
Speaker 3 (17:45):
Yes you t Thank you everyone, Thank you
On Saturday, the Northern Territory Police said that they're continuing
to investigate those disturbances that occurred in Alice Springs last week.
So since that violence on Tuesday, police have now arrested
eight mails, with five now having been charged for various
stages of offending. Investigations to remain ongoing, and detectives from
(00:20):
Crime Command and Strike Force Viper expect that further arrests
and charges are going to come over the coming days
so well.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Joining us on.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
The line right now is Lea Fanocchiaro, the opposition leader.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Good morning to you, Leah, Good morning Katie, and to
your listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
Now, Leah, it seems that people of Alice Springs had
a bit of a better weekend than some of the
behavior that we saw in town last week. I mean
the bar was very very low indeed, but it wasn't
all smooth sailing. Fifty Seven young people were reportedly found
violating the curfew on Sunday night.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Lea, do you think this curfew is working well?
Speaker 3 (00:56):
I think it's keeping a problem mitigated in and then
pushing it out into the suburbs, and ultimately it's a
band aid. We've got fifty police from Darwin now in
Alice Springs doing their best to help out. But once
that band aid is ripped off in another week or so, Katie,
what's going to happen for people in Alice Springs. And
certainly we continued to see very serious offending over the
(01:19):
weekend with a range of stolen weapons for example, and
break ins across the industrial area. So it's still you know,
Alice Springs is not in the clear. Until we walk
into Parliament and labor make the laws stronger, there is
going to be no stopping this.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
I mean, you're very right in saying that we've had
a massive weekend by the look of things with crime.
I mean, I'm just going through some of the pressure
releases that have been issued by the Northern Territory Police.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
There's a lot to get through.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
But do you think with that curfew due to end
Wednesday next week, right smack bang in the middle of
the school holidays, should that be extended?
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Well it's again.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
Interesting and shows a government, you know, just make this
up as they go along, that they would even think
to finish a curve for you halfway through school holidays.
That just shows the level of incompetence. I think it
should probably be extended. But again, where are those police
going to come from. Who is going to be able
to enforce this? It's just, you know, it's a never
(02:18):
ending question, Katie, and that's why we've got to go
into Parliament and just fix the laws. Everything else is just.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
But even if you change those laws tomorrowly yes, that
would make an impact. But for Alice Springs right now,
it's not going to, you know, to have the impact
that I think you're pretending it will. You know, you
do need police there right now to stop that criminal
behavior and to stop people from doing the wrong thing.
And I'm not arguing that we don't need law changes,
(02:46):
but right now they do need that fix.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
They do need that respite.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
Oh, there's no question that the community needs respite. We've
got fifty police from Darwin in Alice Springs, but this
is temper. That's fifty police who aren't with their families
and who aren't able to do their job in Darwin.
So we've got a situation where you know, again this
government is robbing Peter to pay Paul for. A solution
for Alice Springs requires much stronger laws, It requires boot camps,
(03:17):
it requires a range of programs that labor have failed
for eight years to deliver, and so extending the curf
you a couple of days over the holidays or here
and there, it again might make the CBD quiet. But
where what we're seeing then is a problem pushing out
into the suburbs, into industrial areas. And ultimately, you can
have as many police as you like, Katie, if they
(03:39):
don't have the power to deal with the problem at hand,
then it's a very ineffective way of dealing with the
crist crisis.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
Are effectively what you're saying, though, by the sounds of
it is recall parliament. You know, recall Parliament last week.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
I get that.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
I understand you want the law to change, but so
you wouldn't have a curfew in place, so you wouldn't
be sending extra police off says to Alice Springs, because
you told us last week that you didn't want the
AFP to go in and help either.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
Oh, Katie, we've welcomed the fact that this government has
finally done something, but it's taken an outrageous right in
the middle of the day to deliver a short term reprieve.
What we're calling for is long term reprieve. For a
community that for years has been telling Labor that they
have got it wrong. And what's really really concerning Katie
(04:26):
is a bit of a bombshell that Eva Laula has
clearly let slip on ABC Radio this morning around the
fact that Salt Bush no longer exists. Now, this has
been a suspicion I've had for a long time with
the what I've thought is a rebranding of government policy
from boo supported accommodation to now they're calling it residential
(04:47):
support or some other rubbish. But the reality is the
reason no young people are being taken to Salt Bush
is because it's not there, and that's why all of
these kids are being taken back to a so called response,
which if they were responded saying.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
That there's no facilities, you're saying that there's no facility
operating at all.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
Well, my understanding is Eva Laula confirmed that this morning
on ABC Radio.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
And certainly I thought it would be rebranded or I
thought that somebody else, another operator had taken over.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
Yeah, the government will be the ones taking over.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
But are you sure of that?
Speaker 3 (05:24):
Well, yes, Eva Laula has said that on radio herself.
She said a couple of weeks ago that it would
be the government that would be running the facility now,
and I've been questioning whether the locations of these facilities
are exactly the same as the locations of our supported accommodation.
So clearly something has gone on. I don't know what, Katie,
but you're putting.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
It out there.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
I mean, you're talking about it this morning. So what
do you think has gone on?
Speaker 3 (05:48):
Well, clearly something's happened. Either Saltbush and no longer running
those programs, either the facilities have been shut down. Something
has happened for the government to then try and cover
this up and rebadget as a government run facility with
a new name. And so it's again another example of
limiting options for our police on what they can do,
(06:10):
limiting options for our courts, because of course BAO supported
Accommodation was a place where our courts could bail young
people too. And so if Labor continues to get this
wrong and these facilities are shut then there's even less
options for our police and our courts to be dealing
with the problem at hand. It just shows the level
of mismanagement by Labor on this issue, which is why
(06:32):
we're more focused on long term solutions like strengthening the law.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
All right, So last week on the show, I don't
know whether you heard, but the President of the Police Association,
Nathan Finn, raised legal concerns around the curfew. NAJA has
also raised concerns over the course of the weekend as well,
as I understand it, the Criminal Lawyers Association too. But
the Chief Minister's standing firm dismissing possible legal challenges being
(06:59):
launched against the curfew, saying that she's confident the emergency
measures were backed by the law. The Chief Minister says,
bring it on. I'm more than happy to have legal
challenges around that.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Lea. Do you think that this curfew needs to be
rolled back?
Speaker 3 (07:15):
Well, I think there's a serious question. I think the
NTPA has it raised a good point because the Emergency
Management Act is explicitly clear that it cannot be used
and I'll quote it to put down a riot or
other civil disturbance. So that's what the law says that
the Emergency Management Act can't be used for. So I
think government does need to come out and make sure
(07:36):
that what it's doing is actually lawful, because what it
does is puts our police in jeopardy, and of course
everyone wants to make sure that our police are supported
to exercise the right powers. But again, if we were
in parliament cating.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
Riot and what we saw last week is not an emergency.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
What is well, I think the problem is the Emergency
Management Act was envisaged for more natural type emergency, so
flood fire cyclone those types of powers to enact in
those types of natural disaster situation. So this one, again
is for government to deal with. And if it's a
(08:14):
powers issue, the only way you can fix powers is
to be in Parliament and give police the powers they need.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
No doubt it is a government issue. You know, you
guys aren't empower everybody gets that. But I think that
I think that what's happening right now is people are
looking at you and they're going, all right, well, this
is our alternative Chief Minister. So the you know, the
half pregnant, half baked dancers aren't cutting it anymore.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
But Katie, we would not be in this situation under
the CLP because I would have walked into Parlis.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
But the thing is, no matter what happens, you're not
going to be able to turn back time. You're not
actually going to reverse the decisions that the government's made.
So you are going to be in a situation if
if you do get elected come August, where you're going
to have to deal with what you may view as
some of the Northern Territory government'smiths and people are now
looking at you going, well, what are your answers to
(09:05):
these questions and what are you going to do differently
because saying that you're going to recall parliament, like, that's
all fine and good, but you've got an emergency situation
on the streets of Alice Springs right now.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
The emergency situation is the making of Labour's mess. If
we're elected to government in August, which is August the
very first sittings of Parliament, we will walk in and
strengthen the law, give police more powers, lower the age
of criminal responsibility, hold parents accountable for their children, force
children who aren't going to school to be at school,
(09:40):
and how now.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
How quickly do you think that territorians will see a
difference to the criminal behavior that they're seeing at the
moment and the very poor behavior that they're seeing at
the moment.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
By the end of the year, Katie, So there is
no question that we can make immediate change by changing
the law stopping the revolving door of bail, people will
see immediate change. Now, we've also got the longer term
work that has to be done around getting kids to school,
holding parents accountable, making sure there's use boot camps out
there to correct behavior and get these kids out of
(10:17):
a cycle of crime. But it all starts by immediately
making sure our community is safe. And to do that,
police have to have the better powers to be able
to do that. Our laws have to put the rights
of people to be safe first, which means we have
to make sure that that revolving door of bail does
not continue. So that's what we would do.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
Just with the salt Bush stuff.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
I mean, do you think, Zich, do you think there
does need to be an inquiry? Would the COLP would
if you are elected, would a COLP government hold an
inquiry into non government organization funding, because you know, salt
Bush could be an example of how these organizations can't
actually do the jobs that they're funded for.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
Well, you know, we need to make sure there's an audit.
We've been very very clear that an audit must take
place because there's hundreds of millions if not billions of
dollars going to these issues and we're not seeing any
better results. No one's life is better under Labour's handling
or mishandling of this crime crisis, and so we need
(11:21):
to be making sure that we understand where the money
is going, what the outcomes are, whether or not the
services are delivering adequately. If there's duplication, how we can
better make sure that the resources are being spread to
deliver a wider range of services. There is no question
that an audit needs to be done.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
So that's something you commit to if you are elected.
That is something that you'll absolutely commit to.
Speaker 3 (11:46):
This was our idea, Katie. We wrote to the Prime
Minister about this in January last year, so this has
actually come from us. We've now had others back it in,
which is fantastic. But this started with the COLP. We
called for the audit well over a year ago and
Labor has failed to deliver up because they don't want
to hold people accountable or themselves accountable for where they're failing.
(12:07):
And until we look under the hood, we're not going
to be able to drive forward and address these issues.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
All right. I know that the CLP's got some concerns
with some of the behavior that we've seen in Catherine
over the weekend. What's you worry Well.
Speaker 3 (12:20):
We've had hideous instances of crime in Catherine, Katie, really
scary stuff. I mean the footage you've seen from the
Servo service station, the United Service station. That lady she's
quit the same date she's gone. She's no longer going
to be contributing to the economy in Catherine because she's
had enough. There was a teacher who had a knife
(12:42):
held to their throat while their cars are being stolen.
Unbelievable understanding is that teacher has now left and gone
and come to Darwin. So that's two really critical people
being taken out of the system. In Catherine, a small
community where you're trying to attract and retain people to work.
They can't take it anymore. And no one can blame
those people for saying enough's enough. I mean, you've got
(13:05):
to put your life and your health and well being first.
But as a result of that, you have diminishing ability
to deliver services in that town.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
To offer choice.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
And this is how profound the crime situation is. We
cannot grow our economy and have strong communities when crime
is out of control.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
Like this, Leah.
Speaker 1 (13:25):
We are this week expecting the review into police resources
to be released. The Chief Minister was set to receive
that review, as I understand it, last week. Do you
think that it is going to find that we are
seriously short on police?
Speaker 3 (13:40):
Well, I think it will show that we're short on police.
I don't think we needed an independent review to tell
us that. What it hopefully tells us is how many.
But you know, this is a government that talks about
being bipartisan on crime and there's one thing and does another.
This review is supposed to be independent. Now we've learned
that evil Law has had an interim copy for six weeks.
(14:00):
She's now had the final version over the weekend. This
is also that she can develop up some sort of
election pitch plan. We have not seen it the Parliament.
Speaker 1 (14:10):
Well, no one's seen it, as I understand it, only
the Cabinet has seen it. And look, I would assume that,
you know, I would hope that we all actually get
the opportunity to see it over the coming days and
that we all have a really clear understanding. When I
say we all, I mean all Territorians have a really
clear understanding of just what is required for our Northern
(14:30):
Territory police because you know, as we can see right now,
with officers being sent to Alice Springs, a lot of
people are worried about the impact that that's going to
have in other places like Darwin, places like Catherine, Tennant Creek,
not to mention our remote communities. So look, I do
hope that we all have the opportunity to see that
review in coming days. But Leah, a couple of people
(14:52):
just messaging through saying sorry, Katie.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
So does Leah support the curfew.
Speaker 3 (14:58):
We support that there has been immediate action.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
What we also believe should have.
Speaker 3 (15:03):
Happened is the urgent changing of the laws, because what
we've got right now is police driving around, putting kids
on a bus, taking them to an imaginary line at
the edge of the CBD and leaving them there. Now,
that is not enough, and so what we're calling for
is a longer term solution for Alice Springs, for Tenant Creek, Catherine,
Darwin and everywhere in between, which means we have to
(15:24):
strengthen the laws and give our police more powers to
be able to do their job.
Speaker 1 (15:29):
And so just to get a really clear answer there
on those concerns that are being raised by both the
Police Association, the likes of NAJA and criminal lawyers. Do
you think that you know that this curfew is lawful?
Speaker 3 (15:45):
Well, I think that's a question that the government needs to.
Speaker 1 (15:47):
Answers based on the information you've got in front of
you and and you know, based on the fact that
you are the opposition leader, do you think it's lawful?
Speaker 3 (15:57):
Well, from reading the section as I did earlier, it
says it can't be used to put down a ride
or other civil disturbance. So Labour need to come out
and explain under which head of power the curfew is
being used under. That's what they need to do that
if they don't have one, the opportunity is there to
come back to Parliament and make sure we get that right.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
So just to be really clear, I think for our
listeners as well this morning, if you I mean if
you were the Chief Finister right now, and I know
that you'll say you wouldn't be in this situation, but
if you were, would you have called for a curfew?
Speaker 3 (16:31):
Well, Katie, I think there's a range of things we
could have done. You could immediately recall Parliament and strengthen
the law which would have been my preferred option, because
let's not forget our police can't.
Speaker 1 (16:42):
But that immediate respite is required now. So I guess
it's you know, it is a yes. No question would you.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
Have because what you're saying this doesn't exist. This is
a hypothetical in the extreme.
Speaker 1 (16:53):
What I guess what people are wondering is whether you
would have had the guts to do it or not.
That's probably what people are mind asking.
Speaker 3 (16:59):
This question of guards. I think Eva Laula that morning
was had no intention on delivering any change for Alice Springs.
The pressure came on, and by two o'clock she stumbled out,
held a press conference called a curfew without any detail,
not even sure if she has the power to do it,
and is hoping for the best with a situation that
has pushed the problem out into other parts of Alice Springs.
(17:22):
This is a band aid. It brings welcome reprieve to
the CBD, but not welcome reprieve to the broader community.
What I'm talking about is longer term change that makes
a difference in people's lives, no matter where they live.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
All right, well, Lea, there's plenty of comments and questions
coming through on the tech Sidne, but we are going
to have to leave it there. Always appreciate your time.
Hope you had a great Easter.
Speaker 3 (17:45):
Yes you t Thank you everyone, Thank you
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