June 9, 2026 • 5 mins
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
We know that. Yesterday the Northern Territory government announced the
former Nightcliffe Police Station's going to become the new headquarters
for NT fire and emergency services. So the twelve million
dollar facility on Progress Drive. It was promised by the
former Labor government as a twenty four hour police station,
but it opened in twenty twenty one without holding sales
and has never operated as a full police station. The
(00:23):
Chief Minister, Leah Finocchio says that the site is going
to be upgraded now with backup power and water systems
to support emergency operations. Now joining us in the studio
is Ed Smelt, the member for Nightcliff. Good morning to you, Ed.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Good morning Katie.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Good to have you on the show. Now, tell us
what was your reaction to the announcement and what are
people in Nightcliff saying.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Yeah, Look, it's been very mixed Katie. Obviously the Nightcliff
Police Station hasn't delivered what people thought it was going
to deliver. So some people have been really angry about
that and still want to see that happen. And then
I've had other people say, oh well it never met
it anyway, it didn't deliver what we wanted. So may
as we use it for something else. So it's been
very mixed.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Yeah, and I do wonder, or I did sort of
wonder whether that would be the sentiment a little bit
that you know, it hasn't been it hasn't been utilized
for the purpose that it was, you know that everybody
had hoped. So let's just make sure that it actually
is operational and let's give the fire eaes a home.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
Yeah, no exactly, but I think one of the key
concerns I think again like it's the prerogative of the government.
They can make decisions and do what they want. But
where it was sort of the notification or the consultation
piece we understand staff weren't or where before the media
release went out, And I'd really encourage the police Minister
to come down and have a chat with residents and
(01:40):
local businesses, especially in the Nightcliff village. They really want
to know, well, you're going to take away this service,
what are you going to put in place?
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Ed? Tell me, is crime still a big issue in
Nightcliff at the moment.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
It is still a big concern Katie. In the Nightcliff
di election it was still head and shoulders the biggest
issue that people raised with me.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
Are there still sort of you know, like last week
I was sent some vision actually out of Nightcliff where
there was somebody who was intoxicated in the middle of
the road becoming quite aggressive towards cars and stuff that
was just sort of near the Nightcliff. Willis there. You know,
it does seem as though there is still a real
grappling with trying to get control of some of that
anti social behavior and public drinking.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
Yeah. Absolutely, that is still a major issue in the
electorate and around many of our communities. And that's what
I'm really keen to hear about. I talked about in
the campaign about having joint patrols with Larakair Nation, with
City of Darwin, with NT Police. I've met with all
those organizations since I've been elected to try and get
their thoughts and ideas around it. And yeah, it still
(02:45):
is a major.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
Issucating with Laraki Nation as well, with those joint patrols.
Are they still happening, Because that's another thing that does
get raised with me, is that sometimes people are calling
Laraki Nation but they're not necessarily getting you know, getting
somebody out.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
Yeah, that is also massive challenge, and we know all
our resources are stretched and everyone's doing the best they
possibly can. And that's why we want to hear more
about that. Like if the service is not going to
be there in Nightcliffe, then we've seen this Operation Ventura
out in Palmerston, you know, could the government consider doing
something like that for the northwestern suburbs? What else could
we do even when this becomes the headquarters for the
(03:21):
police and sorry for the fire and emergency services. Could
we base some of the ppsos coming online? Could they
run a counter or provide a service out of that facility, Like,
we don't have to be black and white about how
the office is used. I'm really keen to you from
the government. Sure, you decided to make this decision, but
what are you going to do to put in place?
Speaker 1 (03:39):
Tell me how do you think it's going to go? Then?
With the fieries in place?
Speaker 2 (03:44):
Oh look great. Will absolutely welcome them to the Nightcliff neighborhood.
I'm sure the businesses would love to see them there
as well and having more people in the Nightcliff community,
so absolutely they'll be welcomed. I can't imagine there will
be trucks or you know, five vehicles being based there,
but certainly they'll be welcomed the Nightcliff community.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
I did say this on a yesterday because I think
people get worried that they're going to hear sirens going
at all hours of the day. Look, I live near
a fire station, and you don't. They don't turn their
sirens on until they're sort of out near the main roads. Generally,
in my experience, they put their lights on, but they're
not keen to upset the whole neighborhood. Usually.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
No, No, that's right, Katie again, and that's one really
concerned about losing that service. I know it wasn't what
everyone wanted it to be, but you know, people still
go in there to make reports or like I've dropped
off lost and found items, driver's licenses there. And in
the media release it was noted that this change will
have no impact on frontline policing services in Nightcliffe, which
(04:42):
I find very surprising, Katie, because someone who's running a
front desk, I don't know if you can get much
more frontline than that. So unless the minister's got some
other ideas about how she's going to provide that service
in Nightcliff, I'll be really keen to keen to hear.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Well, we're actually going to be catching up with the
Northern Territory Police can Mission or after ten o'clock this
morning as well, so I will certainly speak to Martin
Doll about this change and find out a little bit
more about what impact it could have on those frontline services.
Ed Smelt, I know you've ducked out of estimates to
be here. How's it going in there today?
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Yeah, it's busy, You've got a lot of questions. We'd
always love to have more time, but yeah, really looking
forward to getting stuck into.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
That with good stuff. Well, we'll be keen to catch
up again, I'm sure very soon, and we're going to
catch up with the Fire East tomorrow as well to
find out a little bit more about what this change
will mean in Nightcliff. So I'm sure to anybody out
there listening that lives in Nightcliff, they'll be very keen
to hear how that goes. Ed Smelt, thank you as
always for your time. Good to catch up with you.
Thanks Katie, thank you
We know that. Yesterday the Northern Territory government announced the
former Nightcliffe Police Station's going to become the new headquarters
for NT fire and emergency services. So the twelve million
dollar facility on Progress Drive. It was promised by the
former Labor government as a twenty four hour police station,
but it opened in twenty twenty one without holding sales
and has never operated as a full police station. The
(00:23):
Chief Minister, Leah Finocchio says that the site is going
to be upgraded now with backup power and water systems
to support emergency operations. Now joining us in the studio
is Ed Smelt, the member for Nightcliff. Good morning to you, Ed.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Good morning Katie.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Good to have you on the show. Now, tell us
what was your reaction to the announcement and what are
people in Nightcliff saying.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Yeah, Look, it's been very mixed Katie. Obviously the Nightcliff
Police Station hasn't delivered what people thought it was going
to deliver. So some people have been really angry about
that and still want to see that happen. And then
I've had other people say, oh well it never met
it anyway, it didn't deliver what we wanted. So may
as we use it for something else. So it's been
very mixed.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Yeah, and I do wonder, or I did sort of
wonder whether that would be the sentiment a little bit
that you know, it hasn't been it hasn't been utilized
for the purpose that it was, you know that everybody
had hoped. So let's just make sure that it actually
is operational and let's give the fire eaes a home.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
Yeah, no exactly, but I think one of the key
concerns I think again like it's the prerogative of the government.
They can make decisions and do what they want. But
where it was sort of the notification or the consultation
piece we understand staff weren't or where before the media
release went out, And I'd really encourage the police Minister
to come down and have a chat with residents and
(01:40):
local businesses, especially in the Nightcliff village. They really want
to know, well, you're going to take away this service,
what are you going to put in place?
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Ed? Tell me, is crime still a big issue in
Nightcliff at the moment.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
It is still a big concern Katie. In the Nightcliff
di election it was still head and shoulders the biggest
issue that people raised with me.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
Are there still sort of you know, like last week
I was sent some vision actually out of Nightcliff where
there was somebody who was intoxicated in the middle of
the road becoming quite aggressive towards cars and stuff that
was just sort of near the Nightcliff. Willis there. You know,
it does seem as though there is still a real
grappling with trying to get control of some of that
anti social behavior and public drinking.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
Yeah. Absolutely, that is still a major issue in the
electorate and around many of our communities. And that's what
I'm really keen to hear about. I talked about in
the campaign about having joint patrols with Larakair Nation, with
City of Darwin, with NT Police. I've met with all
those organizations since I've been elected to try and get
their thoughts and ideas around it. And yeah, it still
(02:45):
is a major.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
Issucating with Laraki Nation as well, with those joint patrols.
Are they still happening, Because that's another thing that does
get raised with me, is that sometimes people are calling
Laraki Nation but they're not necessarily getting you know, getting
somebody out.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
Yeah, that is also massive challenge, and we know all
our resources are stretched and everyone's doing the best they
possibly can. And that's why we want to hear more
about that. Like if the service is not going to
be there in Nightcliffe, then we've seen this Operation Ventura
out in Palmerston, you know, could the government consider doing
something like that for the northwestern suburbs? What else could
we do even when this becomes the headquarters for the
(03:21):
police and sorry for the fire and emergency services. Could
we base some of the ppsos coming online? Could they
run a counter or provide a service out of that facility, Like,
we don't have to be black and white about how
the office is used. I'm really keen to you from
the government. Sure, you decided to make this decision, but
what are you going to do to put in place?
Speaker 1 (03:39):
Tell me how do you think it's going to go? Then?
With the fieries in place?
Speaker 2 (03:44):
Oh look great. Will absolutely welcome them to the Nightcliff neighborhood.
I'm sure the businesses would love to see them there
as well and having more people in the Nightcliff community,
so absolutely they'll be welcomed. I can't imagine there will
be trucks or you know, five vehicles being based there,
but certainly they'll be welcomed the Nightcliff community.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
I did say this on a yesterday because I think
people get worried that they're going to hear sirens going
at all hours of the day. Look, I live near
a fire station, and you don't. They don't turn their
sirens on until they're sort of out near the main roads. Generally,
in my experience, they put their lights on, but they're
not keen to upset the whole neighborhood. Usually.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
No, No, that's right, Katie again, and that's one really
concerned about losing that service. I know it wasn't what
everyone wanted it to be, but you know, people still
go in there to make reports or like I've dropped
off lost and found items, driver's licenses there. And in
the media release it was noted that this change will
have no impact on frontline policing services in Nightcliffe, which
(04:42):
I find very surprising, Katie, because someone who's running a
front desk, I don't know if you can get much
more frontline than that. So unless the minister's got some
other ideas about how she's going to provide that service
in Nightcliff, I'll be really keen to keen to hear.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Well, we're actually going to be catching up with the
Northern Territory Police can Mission or after ten o'clock this
morning as well, so I will certainly speak to Martin
Doll about this change and find out a little bit
more about what impact it could have on those frontline services.
Ed Smelt, I know you've ducked out of estimates to
be here. How's it going in there today?
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Yeah, it's busy, You've got a lot of questions. We'd
always love to have more time, but yeah, really looking
forward to getting stuck into.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
That with good stuff. Well, we'll be keen to catch
up again, I'm sure very soon, and we're going to
catch up with the Fire East tomorrow as well to
find out a little bit more about what this change
will mean in Nightcliff. So I'm sure to anybody out
there listening that lives in Nightcliff, they'll be very keen
to hear how that goes. Ed Smelt, thank you as
always for your time. Good to catch up with you.
Thanks Katie, thank you
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