Member for Arafura Manuel Brown says the community and NT Government have been funding security patrols in Maningrida which have been instrumental in reducing crime but fears they will end in June with no further funding committed from the CLP

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now we've spoken about private security patrols, of course, which

(00:03):
operate around Darwin on this show quite a bit. On
Friday last week, the Member for Nightcliff, kat McNamara had
raised concerns in the electorate and spoke about approaching the
Chief Minister for private security in Nightcliffe Bush. It isn't
the only community that's grappling with crime. I mean we
in recent months we spoke to the Member four for

(00:24):
our Refura, Manuel Brown, about private security in Maningrida and
the positive impacts that the guards have had. But residents
of man and Greta say that they're concerned about losing
their town's security guards as that funding deal with the
Northern Territory Police comes to an end. Now Manuel Brown
joins me on the line right now. Good morning to you.

Speaker 2 (00:44):
Manuel, Good morning Katie, Good morning listeners.

Speaker 1 (00:47):
Thank you so much for your time.

Speaker 2 (00:48):
Now.

Speaker 1 (00:48):
Manuel. For the past two years, Maningrida has been serviced
by two security guards, as I understand it, as part
of this joint partnership between the town and police where sings.
That is it going to come to an end in June?

Speaker 2 (01:04):
Yes, it seems like the funding has been cut and
we haven't heard anything, So June is the cutoff date.
We're hopeful we hear something else, but obviously we're a
bit concerned about that.

Speaker 1 (01:17):
Manuel, What are locals saying to you because you'd spoken
to us, you had told us how effective they have been,
So what are they saying now knowing that those guards
are going to be coming to an end.

Speaker 2 (01:28):
Well, you know, it's a community incentive and we've come
to the table with all our services chipping in half
of the amount and wanting the government to come in
half way as well. And we feel like we've been
left out of the equation when it comes to keeping
community safe out at Maningrida.

Speaker 1 (01:48):
Manuel, I know that some of the discussion has now
been that you know there's going to be well I think,
is the police station still underway? What's the go out
there at the moment?

Speaker 2 (01:59):
Well, the police station, there's cleared ground, the foundations haven't
been you know, the cement on the ground hasn't been
laid yet, so that's still a few months away with imagine.

Speaker 1 (02:11):
Yeah, well it sounds like it. And I guess the
other concern that has been raised is by the Police Association.
You know, they had said to me yesterday on the show, Katie.
It's great to have infrastructure, but you've got to make
sure wherever it is that we've got the staff to
be able to actually get in there at work. Have
you got enough police in the community.

Speaker 2 (02:30):
We have a ratio of eight police personnel to a
population about four thousand people, so I think it's a
bit lopsided there and we're very concerned.

Speaker 1 (02:40):
Okay, So Manuel, from your perspective with the ending of
these security guards, it sounds as though it is going
to have an impact on the community. Talk me through
the positive way that those security guards have really, you know,
they've been received, and what this is all going to mean.

Speaker 2 (03:00):
Well, as I said stated earlier, it was a community
initiative in conjunction with community leaders, community stakeholders, the night
patrol program there, and we've all worked together to to
stem the break ins, you know, like I've stated early,
we'd had one, uh but between one and three break
ins a night. So it was a community you know

(03:25):
project where you know, together we've collectively reduced that and
kept people safe in the community.

Speaker 1 (03:31):
Manual, what can happen now, like, you know, what's the
community sort of saying, is there any other option to
you know, to try and extend this in some way,
shape or form.

Speaker 2 (03:43):
Yes, we've you know, we've we've we're looking at other
options obviously, but we've sort of you know, it's the
calm before the storm. When when when the when when
the youths who play up, you know, get out and
about and see that we don't have that program running
on anymore. We don't know what's going to happen.

Speaker 1 (04:04):
Well, Manuel, please keep us up to date, you know,
with what goes on. Let us know how it's all tracking.

Speaker 2 (04:09):
Mate.

Speaker 1 (04:09):
I understand yesterday as well, you raised a concern in
Parliament during question time to the Health Minister Steve Edgington.
It's something that we've spoken about on the show yesterday
and have continued to speak about this morning. The head
of the AMA, the Australian Medical Association, doctor Robert Parker,
had said to us on the show yesterday that he
believes that the that you know at Royal Darwin Hospital

(04:32):
code yellows are not being called when the hospital's under pressure.
The Health Minister has said that that's not the case.
But I do know that there's some concerns that the
emergency department at the hospital is under pressure as it
has been for quite some time.

Speaker 2 (04:50):
Yeah, absolutely, it's quite concerning that we haven't had any
Oh well, you know that Rob came out with that statement.
I heard that yesterday. You know, it's about the safety
of everyone involved at the the h you know, people
and nurses and doctors need to feel safe, you know,
in overcrowding like it's about being prioritizing who needs to

(05:14):
be on beds and who needs to be pushed out
or helped to get out. And you know, the way
I'm looking at it is just be upfront with the
people because you know, the people that are feeling the
strain are the people that work there.

Speaker 1 (05:28):
Well, Manuel, I agree with you. Thank you as always
for your time. I know you've got to get into parliament. Mate,
Thanks so much for having a quick chat with us.
Thank you,