Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Our federal member Feliniari Marion Scrimjaw joined us on the
show yesterday and said that we need to start having
serious conversations about potential alcohol restrictions when we look at
dealing with crime and the issues that we are seeing
here in the top end. Now we played a little
bit of this earlier, but take a listen to what
she had to say on the show.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
I think that we need to have a look at
some of the Aboriginal people that don't have a home
address like what we do in our spring. If they
don't have a home adress and they don't have a residency,
then they shouldn't have access to alcohol. They I think
people have to show where their residency is. I think
(00:41):
sometimes you've got to be You've got to be tough
to be able to start dealing with this. Katie. You know,
we can't keep avoiding that alcohol is still the number
one issue that is causing the problems on the street
of Darwin.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
So that was a federal member of Filinkiari Marion Scrimjaw
on the show with us yesterday. Now joining me on
the line is the president of the Northern Territory Police Association,
Nathan finn Hi Nathan.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
Good morning, Katy, and good morning to your listeners.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Now, Nathan, I'm not sure if you've had much of
an opportunity to listen to what Marian Scrimjaw said on
the show yesterday, but she's certainly calling for some tighter
restrictions I think, or at least a discussion about the
way in which we're dealing with alcohol up here in
the top end. What do you make of those calls
from the federal member, Yeah, definitely, it was.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Good to hear the calls being made. Obviously, we've been
speaking about this for a long long time. We keep
putting these restrictions into obviously for the benefit of everyone,
but again it's the minority causing the issue that we
don't want to put restriction in for everyone. Why don't
we deal with the actual issue at hand there? Obviously
we've mentioned before to the government about a license to drink.
What can't we propose a license to drink as you
(01:51):
would have a driver's license, you apply to have a
drinking license, you have that, you go and Purcio'll go.
If you do something wrong, you get suspended from that,
you can't buy alcohol. You're right, it'd be a great solution.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
So how do you reckon that would work? Nason, like
a license to drink, So if you've sort of if
you've been done offending while intoxicated or for any kind
of alcohol related harm or anything like that, you wouldn't
then be able to keep that license.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
Yeah, that's correct, and that's this is the stuff with
rays obviously previously over many many years, Katie. Again, it's
similar to the permit system they have in the remote
communities and obviously the communities that have alcohol where they
have applied for a permit, if they committed an offense
or anything related to alcohol, even to domestic violence, drink
driving or anything like that, the permit gets applied to
be canceled and then they can't drink there.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
How do you reckon it would work or sort of
be managed from a practical sense?
Speaker 4 (02:40):
Would it be difficult?
Speaker 3 (02:43):
Don't? I don't believe so, No, you're definitely not. It's
similar to the evidence of age cards and they obviously
people used to obviously purchase alcohol and everything else if
they haven't got a driver's license. It'ld be similar obviously
maintained by that. But again it's another option to think it.
Why should we keep punishing the people that do the
right thing, so you reckon the biggest frustrating do you reckon?
Speaker 1 (03:02):
The time is now to actually be having a more
serious discussion about this, about the way in which we
are dealing with, you know, with those that are offending
while they're intoxicated or that are impacted seriously by alcohol.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
Yeah, definitely we should be having these conversations. These conversations
should be had many many years ago, Caddy. But again,
we keep putting band aid solutions to these problems, okay,
and not addressing the real issue at hand. Okay, And
we keep punishing the people that actually do the right thing.
I know, we actually target the problem.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
I know some people will be listening and thinking, if
the BDR actually worked in the way that it's intended to,
you wouldn't even need those those licenses to be able
to drink, or a permit to be able to drink.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
Correct. There's a health issue at Blay though, too, Caddy.
It's not a police response to deal with it. After
they drink too much alcohol, or they drink too much
hand sanitizer, or they drink too much metal aadda spirits
or whatever it is to get intoxicated. It's a health issue.
It's going to cause serious health issues to the people
that actually doing it and drinking to excess. Whether it's alcohol, yeah, anthanitizer,
(04:03):
misladded spirits or whatever it is, it's a serious health concern.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
So just taught me through sort of how you reckon
something like this might work.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
As it would be the same but similar to apply
I've spoken to the government about this many months ago now.
But again, apply for a license to consume alcohol. If
you haven't offense committed by that or if you have
anything related to alcohol, get in trouble for alcohol, it's
removed and you can't buy it, as simple as that be.
Similar to the BDR, exactly the same.
Speaker 4 (04:33):
Yeah, look, I reckon it's an interesting idea.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
I know plenty of people that have differing opinions or
might have exactly the same opinion as you that are
listening to the show. I think if you want to
send us a message and let us know your thoughts
zero four double nine seven double one three six zero, Nathan,
do you reckon something like that? Would be an easier
process than what you know, than what Marian Scrimjaw had said,
where you know where The other alternative, I guess is
(04:57):
similar to what we see in our springs were if
you don't have a fixed address, or if you don't
have an address when you go to purchase alcohol, that
you simply cannot.
Speaker 3 (05:06):
That's correct, it'd be an easy option as well. But again,
who's going to manage it, who's going to implement it,
who's going to monitor it? Again, there's ways around it,
and they know how to get around it. The people
that obviously are crying alcohol alcohol, there's ways around it.
There always is ways around it. Get to learn how
to get around these things. But again, but putting punishment
(05:29):
on the people that actually doing the right thing, I
don't agree with that at all. As yourself, what should
be restricted in what we can do with our life
when we're doing the right.
Speaker 4 (05:37):
Thing now, Nathan.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
This week there has been a lot of talk about
the alleged assault on the Chief Minister. In a post
on social media on Monday, the association said, let's be
clear of violence is never acceptable and we condemn the
actions against the Chief Minister. But it continued by saying,
what's disheartening is that our dedicated members don't receive the
same public attention as Natasha files when they face attacks,
(06:01):
assaults and abuse on a daily basis, you know, and
you guys are right, there has been a huge amount
of attention placed on what had happened to the Chief
Minister over the weekend, and you know, many would argue
rightly so because she is a public figure and what
had happened was absolutely wrong, as you guys have seen
in that post and condemned the incident. But there has
(06:25):
been a lot of terrible incidents that the Northern Territory
Police have been subjected to of late, hasn't there?
Speaker 3 (06:31):
Yeah, definitely, And members are obviously assaulted only on a
daily basis, Cadie, and we get frustrated obviously when we
want to see tougher penalties for these people and people
to be had account. I'll be interested to see obviously
what happens obviously at court in relation to the assault
on the Chief Minister. And again most of the time
when they assauld a police officer, they walk away with
a slap on the wrist. There's no jail time, there's
(06:52):
no nothing. We want to see real action, We want
to see real de terrance put in place. We're sick
of the police getting assaulted I had an officer in
last week I didn't even know about who was transferred
from a remote community into Darwin. We didn't even know
he was there until after it happened.
Speaker 4 (07:07):
What had happened?
Speaker 3 (07:10):
He'd been assaulted at one of the remote communities, been
attacked by three or four people, had internal injuries and
obviously flown to Darwin late late last week. And the
first we knew about it was he was flying back
to the factor he's remote community on the weekend.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
What so had been assaulted by a number of people
on a remote community and had to be flown in?
Speaker 4 (07:30):
What for medical treatment?
Speaker 3 (07:32):
That's great?
Speaker 4 (07:34):
Is he okay?
Speaker 3 (07:36):
He's okay, he's back at work. He's still a bit
sore and sorry. Yeah again, he's just trying to do
his role again, outnumbered in these remote communities where resources
are limited, where sometimes there's only one police officer there
or two police officers there, trying to do the best
he can with what he's got.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
How did no one know about that?
Speaker 3 (07:56):
That was the question I asked the Commissary at late
last week as well, because obviously we're there to provide support,
and yeah, els was there to provide support. There was
no one there to provide support to him because no
one knew.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Well, that's a terrible situation, like you know that. And
again I say something that you know that none of
us were aware of. And I'm not saying that you
know every like you know every incident that is that
it's always going to sort of be released. And I
know that there's different reasons around why some of that
information is not released, but that sounds like it was
pretty serious situation.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
Yeah, definitely serious. And when a member comes in here
in his uniform, no other clothes, no nothing else, no
accommodation or anything else. He's released from the hospital and
we have to get him back to where he's from.
And it's just an unfortunate situation where no one knew
about him was there, It wasn't reported up through the
chain of command, and again we weren't told as well,
so we couldn't provide that support to him as well,
which is disappointing. We like to be there and support
(08:49):
our members when they're having a tough time, and obviously
our members and Aeronoke community to do it tough all
the time.
Speaker 4 (08:54):
So where are.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
Things that with that situation, with that with that police
officer yep.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
So we've spoken to you a number of times over
the weekend and obviously earlier this week as well, and
obviously the Commissioner. I reached out to the Commissioner who
wasn't aware of it either at the time. He's received
a briefing in relation to it now and they'll believe
they've touched base with him now and obviously supporting him
as best they can.
Speaker 4 (09:15):
Yeah, goodness mee.
Speaker 1 (09:16):
And like Nathan, I know there's going to be plenty
of people listening to this right now thinking that is
an incredibly serious situation and you know, that kind of
thing just should not be happening.
Speaker 4 (09:28):
It's unacceptable.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
It is unacceptable. But again, if we have the punishments
to actually deal with it and actually deter people from
doing it, it's going to keep happening, Katy. And that's
the frustrating thing we're at. Where's the working group we
want to see manatory sentence for people that attack the
frontline workers here in the Northern Territory. It's just getting
to a point where they'll do it willy nilly because
they're not worried about any consequences because there's none.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
Yeah, and Nathan, what you're saying, I think is in
line with the community as well, with the community's expectations
that people feel pretty upset and pretty broken about the
fact that there is a lot of crime and the
police are doing their jobs in terms of apprehending people,
but you know, the senses from a lot of territories
that there isn't punishment to some some crimes that you know,
(10:15):
we as the public deem quite serious.
Speaker 3 (10:18):
Yeah, definitely when we haven't got room out of jails,
when people are getting released earlier from their sentences because
we haven't got the room, so that in more serious offenses,
what are we doing? Quite seriously, the government pieces needs
to take responsibility for what's going on. Improve the conditions
and corrections, the correction staff for strggling where the amount
of prisons they've got. They're trying to take over more
facilities of the Northern Territory Police, which we cannot give them.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
We need to have.
Speaker 3 (10:42):
Control of our facilities that haven't run out business.
Speaker 4 (10:44):
As well, Nathan.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
One of the you know, one of the policy measures
that they have announced and it's now being introduced and
is rolling out is obviously that wanting and the first
authority was issued in Catherine last week and saw one
hundred and twenty four people scanned with positive results. The
second authority was issued in Alice Springs the following day,
with thirty two people scanned and three youths found to
(11:07):
be in possession of scissors. All of those scissors were
then seized and the youths were dealt with under the provisions.
Speaker 4 (11:13):
Of the Youth Justice Act.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
How the rank and file feeling about the role out
at this stage from you're liaising with.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
Them, Katie, I've been quite vocal and obviously the role
out of this warning legislation it didn't go far enough
and so it's so convoluted and so complex that these
members are going to struggle actually to use it, actually
use it every day. And again, have we got the
numbers to do this proactive campaigns?
Speaker 2 (11:37):
Now?
Speaker 3 (11:37):
We haven't. We haven't got enough numbers to respond to
the daily incidence we get from call from the public.
How can we do this extra extra stuff and obviously yeah,
we can't. We can't have respond to the jobs. How
can we do this extra stuff and be proactive in
this space?
Speaker 1 (11:51):
It did sound, you know yesterday when we caught up
with one of the commanders Danny Bacon, it did sound
as though things went fairly smoothly, and Catherine and Alice Springs,
but I guess you know that's the professionalism of our
police as well. But it did sound like it went
fairly smoothly. Are you saying though, that people are still
concerned about some of those some of the different requirements.
Speaker 3 (12:12):
Yeah, there's a lot of different requirements. I think there's
thirty three steps in relation to it, in relation to
the blow chart of how to use it in the
legislation they have to jump through to obviously to enact it,
and obviously to establish an area. Yeah, it's quite convoluted
and quite obviously the standard member that wouldn't deal with
it wouldn't be able to use it, and that's the
problem we have. There's obviously a training package that's rolled
(12:32):
out for our members. I'm not quite sure how many
members have actually completed the training package. Again, that was
rolled out a couple of days before the obviously legislation
started on the twenty first of September, I believe, and
I don't think a lot of the members would have
had a chance to do it.
Speaker 1 (12:46):
Now before I let you go this morning tomorrow is
indeed Police Remembrance Day. It is such an incredibly important day.
What is planned for the Northern territory and even right
around Australia.
Speaker 3 (12:57):
Yeah, Katie, there's numerous obviously services tomorrow, the main one
obviously starting in Darwin at the cenotaphs at the remembrance
wall there on the Esplanade. That's at eight o'clock tomorrow morning.
Then there's a service at Saint Mary's Church at nine
point thirty, and again right across the territory there's services
of Null and Boy capturing Tenant Creek and Elie Springs.
The main thing is, obviously we're down here in Canberra
(13:18):
for the National Police Member's Date to pay our respects
to obviously those members that have paid the ultimate sacrifice
and obviously lost their life while they're serving, or been
killed wise they've been serving. It's going to be a
very sad day. There's three names getting added to the
wall here in Canberra. Hence why all the presents from
across Australia and New Zealand are here today here in
Canberra for tomorrow. But again there's also some other important
(13:40):
stuff that's going on here in Canberra today. Obviously it's
the end of the Hard to Hard Walk. I don't
know if you've spoke to anyone about that over over
three months that's been going. So the Heart to Heart
Walk is a long distance walk to raise awareness around
the first responder mental health and well being, including suicide,
post traumatic stress disorder and obviously premature and more ten
by obviously it started in the center of Australia at
(14:02):
the land at Center of Australia and at the start
of July. Yeah, and it concludes here today in Canberra
where obviously the message is passed at Parliament House this afternoon.
Speaker 4 (14:13):
Oh good on everybody involved.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
That sounds like a tremendous initiative and and you know,
really very worthwhile, Nathan. For tomorrow here in Darwin, if
people are keen to head along to the remembrance date commemorations,
can anybody attend?
Speaker 3 (14:29):
Yes, it's open for a public service, Katie, they can attend.
Obviously Saint Mary's Church makes you getting early because obviously
it does fill up and there's obviously fever of security
around the event as well. But yeah, he gives an opportunity.
Obviously we'll be obviously listing a person on obviously passed
away in the last year as well, Kim Parnell, so
he'r nable to be added to the list of the
(14:49):
Northern Territory and obviously we pay her condolences obviously to
her family and obviously respect her for obviously what she's
done for the Northern Territory Police over many, many years.
Speaker 1 (14:57):
Katie, Yeah, from all accounts in absolute incredible, incredible woman
and an incredible officer.
Speaker 4 (15:04):
Thank you very much for your time this morning.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
Nathan Finn, no worries Cattie at all, and yeah, obviously
it's all I remembers up there. Yeah, keep doing the
good fight and we've got your back and we're supporting
you every day of the week.
Speaker 4 (15:16):
Thank you very much for your time this morning.
Our federal member Feliniari Marion Scrimjaw joined us on the
show yesterday and said that we need to start having
serious conversations about potential alcohol restrictions when we look at
dealing with crime and the issues that we are seeing
here in the top end. Now we played a little
bit of this earlier, but take a listen to what
she had to say on the show.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
I think that we need to have a look at
some of the Aboriginal people that don't have a home
address like what we do in our spring. If they
don't have a home adress and they don't have a residency,
then they shouldn't have access to alcohol. They I think
people have to show where their residency is. I think
(00:41):
sometimes you've got to be You've got to be tough
to be able to start dealing with this. Katie. You know,
we can't keep avoiding that alcohol is still the number
one issue that is causing the problems on the street
of Darwin.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
So that was a federal member of Filinkiari Marion Scrimjaw
on the show with us yesterday. Now joining me on
the line is the president of the Northern Territory Police Association,
Nathan finn Hi Nathan.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
Good morning, Katy, and good morning to your listeners.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Now, Nathan, I'm not sure if you've had much of
an opportunity to listen to what Marian Scrimjaw said on
the show yesterday, but she's certainly calling for some tighter
restrictions I think, or at least a discussion about the
way in which we're dealing with alcohol up here in
the top end. What do you make of those calls
from the federal member, Yeah, definitely, it was.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Good to hear the calls being made. Obviously, we've been
speaking about this for a long long time. We keep
putting these restrictions into obviously for the benefit of everyone,
but again it's the minority causing the issue that we
don't want to put restriction in for everyone. Why don't
we deal with the actual issue at hand there? Obviously
we've mentioned before to the government about a license to drink.
What can't we propose a license to drink as you
(01:51):
would have a driver's license, you apply to have a
drinking license, you have that, you go and Purcio'll go.
If you do something wrong, you get suspended from that,
you can't buy alcohol. You're right, it'd be a great solution.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
So how do you reckon that would work? Nason, like
a license to drink, So if you've sort of if
you've been done offending while intoxicated or for any kind
of alcohol related harm or anything like that, you wouldn't
then be able to keep that license.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
Yeah, that's correct, and that's this is the stuff with
rays obviously previously over many many years, Katie. Again, it's
similar to the permit system they have in the remote
communities and obviously the communities that have alcohol where they
have applied for a permit, if they committed an offense
or anything related to alcohol, even to domestic violence, drink
driving or anything like that, the permit gets applied to
be canceled and then they can't drink there.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
How do you reckon it would work or sort of
be managed from a practical sense?
Speaker 4 (02:40):
Would it be difficult?
Speaker 3 (02:43):
Don't? I don't believe so, No, you're definitely not. It's
similar to the evidence of age cards and they obviously
people used to obviously purchase alcohol and everything else if
they haven't got a driver's license. It'ld be similar obviously
maintained by that. But again it's another option to think it.
Why should we keep punishing the people that do the
right thing, so you reckon the biggest frustrating do you reckon?
Speaker 1 (03:02):
The time is now to actually be having a more
serious discussion about this, about the way in which we
are dealing with, you know, with those that are offending
while they're intoxicated or that are impacted seriously by alcohol.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
Yeah, definitely we should be having these conversations. These conversations
should be had many many years ago, Caddy. But again,
we keep putting band aid solutions to these problems, okay,
and not addressing the real issue at hand. Okay, And
we keep punishing the people that actually do the right thing.
I know, we actually target the problem.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
I know some people will be listening and thinking, if
the BDR actually worked in the way that it's intended to,
you wouldn't even need those those licenses to be able
to drink, or a permit to be able to drink.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
Correct. There's a health issue at Blay though, too, Caddy.
It's not a police response to deal with it. After
they drink too much alcohol, or they drink too much
hand sanitizer, or they drink too much metal aadda spirits
or whatever it is to get intoxicated. It's a health issue.
It's going to cause serious health issues to the people
that actually doing it and drinking to excess. Whether it's alcohol, yeah, anthanitizer,
(04:03):
misladded spirits or whatever it is, it's a serious health concern.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
So just taught me through sort of how you reckon
something like this might work.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
As it would be the same but similar to apply
I've spoken to the government about this many months ago now.
But again, apply for a license to consume alcohol. If
you haven't offense committed by that or if you have
anything related to alcohol, get in trouble for alcohol, it's
removed and you can't buy it, as simple as that be.
Similar to the BDR, exactly the same.
Speaker 4 (04:33):
Yeah, look, I reckon it's an interesting idea.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
I know plenty of people that have differing opinions or
might have exactly the same opinion as you that are
listening to the show. I think if you want to
send us a message and let us know your thoughts
zero four double nine seven double one three six zero, Nathan,
do you reckon something like that? Would be an easier
process than what you know, than what Marian Scrimjaw had said,
where you know where The other alternative, I guess is
(04:57):
similar to what we see in our springs were if
you don't have a fixed address, or if you don't
have an address when you go to purchase alcohol, that
you simply cannot.
Speaker 3 (05:06):
That's correct, it'd be an easy option as well. But again,
who's going to manage it, who's going to implement it,
who's going to monitor it? Again, there's ways around it,
and they know how to get around it. The people
that obviously are crying alcohol alcohol, there's ways around it.
There always is ways around it. Get to learn how
to get around these things. But again, but putting punishment
(05:29):
on the people that actually doing the right thing, I
don't agree with that at all. As yourself, what should
be restricted in what we can do with our life
when we're doing the right.
Speaker 4 (05:37):
Thing now, Nathan.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
This week there has been a lot of talk about
the alleged assault on the Chief Minister. In a post
on social media on Monday, the association said, let's be
clear of violence is never acceptable and we condemn the
actions against the Chief Minister. But it continued by saying,
what's disheartening is that our dedicated members don't receive the
same public attention as Natasha files when they face attacks,
(06:01):
assaults and abuse on a daily basis, you know, and
you guys are right, there has been a huge amount
of attention placed on what had happened to the Chief
Minister over the weekend, and you know, many would argue
rightly so because she is a public figure and what
had happened was absolutely wrong, as you guys have seen
in that post and condemned the incident. But there has
(06:25):
been a lot of terrible incidents that the Northern Territory
Police have been subjected to of late, hasn't there?
Speaker 3 (06:31):
Yeah, definitely, And members are obviously assaulted only on a
daily basis, Cadie, and we get frustrated obviously when we
want to see tougher penalties for these people and people
to be had account. I'll be interested to see obviously
what happens obviously at court in relation to the assault
on the Chief Minister. And again most of the time
when they assauld a police officer, they walk away with
a slap on the wrist. There's no jail time, there's
(06:52):
no nothing. We want to see real action, We want
to see real de terrance put in place. We're sick
of the police getting assaulted I had an officer in
last week I didn't even know about who was transferred
from a remote community into Darwin. We didn't even know
he was there until after it happened.
Speaker 4 (07:07):
What had happened?
Speaker 3 (07:10):
He'd been assaulted at one of the remote communities, been
attacked by three or four people, had internal injuries and
obviously flown to Darwin late late last week. And the
first we knew about it was he was flying back
to the factor he's remote community on the weekend.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
What so had been assaulted by a number of people
on a remote community and had to be flown in?
Speaker 4 (07:30):
What for medical treatment?
Speaker 3 (07:32):
That's great?
Speaker 4 (07:34):
Is he okay?
Speaker 3 (07:36):
He's okay, he's back at work. He's still a bit
sore and sorry. Yeah again, he's just trying to do
his role again, outnumbered in these remote communities where resources
are limited, where sometimes there's only one police officer there
or two police officers there, trying to do the best
he can with what he's got.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
How did no one know about that?
Speaker 3 (07:56):
That was the question I asked the Commissary at late
last week as well, because obviously we're there to provide support,
and yeah, els was there to provide support. There was
no one there to provide support to him because no
one knew.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Well, that's a terrible situation, like you know that. And
again I say something that you know that none of
us were aware of. And I'm not saying that you
know every like you know every incident that is that
it's always going to sort of be released. And I
know that there's different reasons around why some of that
information is not released, but that sounds like it was
pretty serious situation.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
Yeah, definitely serious. And when a member comes in here
in his uniform, no other clothes, no nothing else, no
accommodation or anything else. He's released from the hospital and
we have to get him back to where he's from.
And it's just an unfortunate situation where no one knew
about him was there, It wasn't reported up through the
chain of command, and again we weren't told as well,
so we couldn't provide that support to him as well,
which is disappointing. We like to be there and support
(08:49):
our members when they're having a tough time, and obviously
our members and Aeronoke community to do it tough all
the time.
Speaker 4 (08:54):
So where are.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
Things that with that situation, with that with that police
officer yep.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
So we've spoken to you a number of times over
the weekend and obviously earlier this week as well, and
obviously the Commissioner. I reached out to the Commissioner who
wasn't aware of it either at the time. He's received
a briefing in relation to it now and they'll believe
they've touched base with him now and obviously supporting him
as best they can.
Speaker 4 (09:15):
Yeah, goodness mee.
Speaker 1 (09:16):
And like Nathan, I know there's going to be plenty
of people listening to this right now thinking that is
an incredibly serious situation and you know, that kind of
thing just should not be happening.
Speaker 4 (09:28):
It's unacceptable.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
It is unacceptable. But again, if we have the punishments
to actually deal with it and actually deter people from
doing it, it's going to keep happening, Katy. And that's
the frustrating thing we're at. Where's the working group we
want to see manatory sentence for people that attack the
frontline workers here in the Northern Territory. It's just getting
to a point where they'll do it willy nilly because
they're not worried about any consequences because there's none.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
Yeah, and Nathan, what you're saying, I think is in
line with the community as well, with the community's expectations
that people feel pretty upset and pretty broken about the
fact that there is a lot of crime and the
police are doing their jobs in terms of apprehending people,
but you know, the senses from a lot of territories
that there isn't punishment to some some crimes that you know,
(10:15):
we as the public deem quite serious.
Speaker 3 (10:18):
Yeah, definitely when we haven't got room out of jails,
when people are getting released earlier from their sentences because
we haven't got the room, so that in more serious offenses,
what are we doing? Quite seriously, the government pieces needs
to take responsibility for what's going on. Improve the conditions
and corrections, the correction staff for strggling where the amount
of prisons they've got. They're trying to take over more
facilities of the Northern Territory Police, which we cannot give them.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
We need to have.
Speaker 3 (10:42):
Control of our facilities that haven't run out business.
Speaker 4 (10:44):
As well, Nathan.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
One of the you know, one of the policy measures
that they have announced and it's now being introduced and
is rolling out is obviously that wanting and the first
authority was issued in Catherine last week and saw one
hundred and twenty four people scanned with positive results. The
second authority was issued in Alice Springs the following day,
with thirty two people scanned and three youths found to
(11:07):
be in possession of scissors. All of those scissors were
then seized and the youths were dealt with under the provisions.
Speaker 4 (11:13):
Of the Youth Justice Act.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
How the rank and file feeling about the role out
at this stage from you're liaising with.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
Them, Katie, I've been quite vocal and obviously the role
out of this warning legislation it didn't go far enough
and so it's so convoluted and so complex that these
members are going to struggle actually to use it, actually
use it every day. And again, have we got the
numbers to do this proactive campaigns?
Speaker 2 (11:37):
Now?
Speaker 3 (11:37):
We haven't. We haven't got enough numbers to respond to
the daily incidence we get from call from the public.
How can we do this extra extra stuff and obviously yeah,
we can't. We can't have respond to the jobs. How
can we do this extra stuff and be proactive in
this space?
Speaker 1 (11:51):
It did sound, you know yesterday when we caught up
with one of the commanders Danny Bacon, it did sound
as though things went fairly smoothly, and Catherine and Alice Springs,
but I guess you know that's the professionalism of our
police as well. But it did sound like it went
fairly smoothly. Are you saying though, that people are still
concerned about some of those some of the different requirements.
Speaker 3 (12:12):
Yeah, there's a lot of different requirements. I think there's
thirty three steps in relation to it, in relation to
the blow chart of how to use it in the
legislation they have to jump through to obviously to enact it,
and obviously to establish an area. Yeah, it's quite convoluted
and quite obviously the standard member that wouldn't deal with
it wouldn't be able to use it, and that's the
problem we have. There's obviously a training package that's rolled
(12:32):
out for our members. I'm not quite sure how many
members have actually completed the training package. Again, that was
rolled out a couple of days before the obviously legislation
started on the twenty first of September, I believe, and
I don't think a lot of the members would have
had a chance to do it.
Speaker 1 (12:46):
Now before I let you go this morning tomorrow is
indeed Police Remembrance Day. It is such an incredibly important day.
What is planned for the Northern territory and even right
around Australia.
Speaker 3 (12:57):
Yeah, Katie, there's numerous obviously services tomorrow, the main one
obviously starting in Darwin at the cenotaphs at the remembrance
wall there on the Esplanade. That's at eight o'clock tomorrow morning.
Then there's a service at Saint Mary's Church at nine
point thirty, and again right across the territory there's services
of Null and Boy capturing Tenant Creek and Elie Springs.
The main thing is, obviously we're down here in Canberra
(13:18):
for the National Police Member's Date to pay our respects
to obviously those members that have paid the ultimate sacrifice
and obviously lost their life while they're serving, or been
killed wise they've been serving. It's going to be a
very sad day. There's three names getting added to the
wall here in Canberra. Hence why all the presents from
across Australia and New Zealand are here today here in
Canberra for tomorrow. But again there's also some other important
(13:40):
stuff that's going on here in Canberra today. Obviously it's
the end of the Hard to Hard Walk. I don't
know if you've spoke to anyone about that over over
three months that's been going. So the Heart to Heart
Walk is a long distance walk to raise awareness around
the first responder mental health and well being, including suicide,
post traumatic stress disorder and obviously premature and more ten
by obviously it started in the center of Australia at
(14:02):
the land at Center of Australia and at the start
of July. Yeah, and it concludes here today in Canberra
where obviously the message is passed at Parliament House this afternoon.
Speaker 4 (14:13):
Oh good on everybody involved.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
That sounds like a tremendous initiative and and you know,
really very worthwhile, Nathan. For tomorrow here in Darwin, if
people are keen to head along to the remembrance date commemorations,
can anybody attend?
Speaker 3 (14:29):
Yes, it's open for a public service, Katie, they can attend.
Obviously Saint Mary's Church makes you getting early because obviously
it does fill up and there's obviously fever of security
around the event as well. But yeah, he gives an opportunity.
Obviously we'll be obviously listing a person on obviously passed
away in the last year as well, Kim Parnell, so
he'r nable to be added to the list of the
(14:49):
Northern Territory and obviously we pay her condolences obviously to
her family and obviously respect her for obviously what she's
done for the Northern Territory Police over many, many years.
Speaker 1 (14:57):
Katie, Yeah, from all accounts in absolute incredible, incredible woman
and an incredible officer.
Speaker 4 (15:04):
Thank you very much for your time this morning.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
Nathan Finn, no worries Cattie at all, and yeah, obviously
it's all I remembers up there. Yeah, keep doing the
good fight and we've got your back and we're supporting
you every day of the week.
Speaker 4 (15:16):
Thank you very much for your time this morning.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Special Summer Offer: Exclusively on Apple Podcasts, try our Dateline Premium subscription completely free for one month! With Dateline Premium, you get every episode ad-free plus exclusive bonus content.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!