Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
As we know, and as I certainly mentioned a little
earlier this morning and we covered extensively yesterday, the Northern
Territory Chief Minister yesterday announced the appointment of Michael Murphy
APM as the Police Commissioner and CEO of Fire and
Emergency Services, and the new Police Commissioner, Michael Murphy joins
(00:20):
me on the line right now.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Good morning to your commissioner.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Good morning Katy, Good morning to listeners too.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
How are you very well?
Speaker 1 (00:28):
A big congratulations to you on your appointment yesterday?
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Yeah, thanks so much, very exciting and very honored the appointment.
So yeah, I've got a lot of work to do now.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Yeah, no doubt about it.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
I mean, what was your reaction when you, I suppose
got the call or got the tap on the shoulder.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
What do they do? How do they let you.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Know you had a phone call? The Chief mister gave
me a call let me know that I was successful,
and that was just quite surreal taking it back, like
obviously a process along, process examining, I think the number
of things you go through the selection process, but it's
(01:05):
really it's just the privilege to be selected to lead
such a proud organization into the future and continue to
make a change in the difference. So Yeah's they're living
in the moment, but lots of things to do, lots
of hard work to do, and you know the team
is going to be pretty busy addressing you know, all
the things affecting the character community and looking after our workforce.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
Yeah, you're spot on, and I will get to some
of those issues and your priorities in just a moment.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
But I do want to ask, I mean, you've worked
through all.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
The ranks, as I understand it, how do you think
that this is going to help in terms of understanding
the role of the rank and file.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
Oh, look, I think it's just it's basics understanding the
tools of the trade and the craft and policing and
the community. The territory community as we know is so
you need geographically and having worked across so many different
parts and in communities and across our springs and and
Darwin and some of the right communities, and knowing the
communities and the people that still reside there and the
(02:06):
different factors that affect them is absolutely essential in trying
to lead and change and reform community safety and workforce requirements.
So I've learned a lot along the way. It's been
incredibly challenging and really rewarding, and it just demonstrates the
opportunities available to you across the Northern Territory in many
(02:26):
roles and professions. But you know, to reach the be
appointed as the Commissioner and see of police, find emergency services,
you know, it's just incredible. It's an incredible feeling, and
you know, I just want to serve the community the
best I can and make a difference every day for
the safety of territorimes. Katie.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
It's going to be a massive job, there is no
doubt about that. I mean, you're taking on this role
at a time when morale within the force has been
incredibly low. We know there is a lot of discussion
about those police numbers and there was indeed also a
review announced yesterday. But it's also at a time where
the community does feel as though crime is really well
(03:09):
crippling us here in the Northern Territory.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
How do you.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
Juggle all of those very real and very important areas.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
Yeah, absolutely right. There are so many challenges. Firstly, probably
the workforce absolutely paramount about rebuilding trust and leadership and reform,
and you know we've had I said it yesterday, tumultuous
a couple of years on the back of COVID and
saying crime demand and increase, really you overwhelming our resources.
(03:43):
We still see domestic violence incredibly high. We still have
our issues with social order and the other complexity in
the whole mixes, the whole emergency management space. I mean,
we've seen the wettest you know, the rainfalls which we saw,
community s flaad and displacement months of people, all those
other challenges things we need to prepare for now. And
(04:04):
that's some of the discussing points I'm actually talking about.
You know, we're looking at today at this national meeting
with emergency management, but the workforce is absolutely paramount. You know,
we've got to listen to what the workforce has said.
We've had a number of surveys been undertaken by the union,
We've had the People Matter survey. We actually need to
take that away, examine it and listen to the workforce.
(04:26):
And really excitingly, as you said, the announcement of the review,
that's an incredible timeline for the Northern Territory Police to
actually have a lot of a demand, work loans, culture leadership.
What it actually means for us for a future investment
in capital, resourcing and policy positions. And I think you
know that it's going to be great having Vince Kelly,
(04:48):
a well seasoned police officer, come in with a crew
of experts and actually examine the Northern Territory Police to
demand and make it the best police force in Australia
for the future. It's going to be a great some
great opportunity for us for everyone and obviously the benefit
is for the community.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
Yeah, And I think that's what like that is absolutely
what everybody is hoping that this review does indeed delve
into quite a number of those issues that we've discussed
on so many occasions, just on the issue of morale,
because that is something that's come up through the different
surveys that have been conducted, the morale within the force,
not only in terms of things like discipline reactions, but
(05:31):
also in terms of the fact that you've got officers
that had been saying throughout those those different surveys that
they do not feel that there is enough of them
to do the job that the community expects. So how
do you reach a point where our police are able to,
you know, to do the job that the community expects
(05:51):
and that there is enough of them to be able
to do it.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
Okay, this is what this review will deliver. And as
the review, if there's incremental or identified needs, we can
act on upon it and not just wait for them report.
I think that's been made really clear. But having a workforce,
we do have really good recruitment still. We've just got
forty other recruits in the college in their third week.
(06:16):
We've just graduated ten accelerated recruits that are going to
go across the territory. Now. I think one of our
priorities is making sure we retain offices, and you know,
you hit the nail on the head. The morale is
really important, making sure people are listened to, making sure
they're part of the team, and making sure they're contributing
and balancing it with fatigue management. They are extremely busy.
(06:38):
The demands high and what we actually how we forecast
to say, how do we better control demand and how
do we things proactively? And we've seen the work that
Genell Toalkin's doing through the Territory Safety and Coordinations that
are about a whole government approach to look at the
invention and coordinating efforts to stop a lot of these
events occurring, so it's it's a multi layered activity and
(06:58):
really probably chronology we're working towards. But you know, you know,
a healthy workforce is paramount for an efficient service, so
that's clearly a priority.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
Where are things that in terms of I know when
we'd interviewed you when you were acting in the role,
you'd told us that you'd written to a number of
officers who'd either been on long term leave or who'd
actually left the force, asking them if they would come back.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Where are things out with that?
Speaker 3 (07:22):
Yeah, So interestingly I ran into one in Canberra just
walking to going to Parliament House and had a good
chat to them and whether they'd come back, and they're
contemplating it. I think there's maybe I don't know the number.
I think there was about two hundred and thirty that
were scheduled to be written to. I don't know that.
I think we're up at about eighty. I've actually received
a lot of texts in the last couple of days,
(07:44):
some people inquiring we're examining ways to make it easy
to come back if you're left at a certain rank,
to come back at that rank within the police force
only for previously serving Northern Territory officers. So the whole
heap of reform work there, but it's actually people thinking
about coming back, which is good. You know, we see
a lot of police leave to go to Queensland and
(08:05):
the AFP and other jurisdictions or for other reasons family.
But you know, we've opened the door to say, you know,
they train their great police officers. If you want to
come back, it's here for you.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
Commissioner. I'm going to throw a few quick ones at you.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
I don't know if you'll be able to answer them
that quickly, but let's give it a go. Should Palis
be taken off bottle shops in Alice Springs, That's something
that's been raised previously.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
Definitely a consideration. I think they do fantastic work. It's
really actually difficult for us to recruit to the auxiliary
strain at the moment and we see various positions get
filled with constables. So we've got to balance that because
comfortable needs be on the front line doing calls for
public assistance. So there's a discussion that will be underway
(08:49):
and this will form part of the review about a
better investment. When we're in about resource deployment and what
responsibility may be the hospitality industry or license have in
providing their own security.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
All right, so that is definitely something that you're considering
at this point in time.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
By the sounds of it, Yes, it is. Yeah. Hey.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
Now one of the other ones that we talk about
a lot is the school based constables. Is that something
that you're going to be looking back into. Oh?
Speaker 3 (09:19):
Yeah, absolutely, So the team thinking about that. I think
it's a really worthwhile and of getting an investment. The
auxiliaries and the constables now do a fantastic job. Is
there an opportunity to expand the model. Absolutely. I'll be
meeting with COXO in the near future to discuss some
options in my team to see what that looks like.
And obviously we know the return on investment that has
(09:41):
been in the schools and especially with a nice strategy
that's going to come up about education early intervention and
getting people back to school, working with education about that
engagement strategy and actually reforming that stuff from the front
end and start of waiting for the wrong end of
the spectrum.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
How far off is that knife crime strategy from being
for finalized.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
I think it was due to be released in all this,
but I'm not sure the Attorney General's Department has it,
but I don't know. I can't That's.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
All right, All good Now.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
An area that I do want to ask about, which
I know you know, is going it is going to
require more detail and depth and it's probably something we'll
have to talk about in another stage as well. Is
a very serious issue that we've got with domestic violence
in the Northern Territory. There is no doubt that it's
a scourge. There is no doubt that it has a
huge impact on the Northern Territory police, on the community,
(10:33):
on absolutely everybody in so many ways.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
What work are you hoping to do in this space?
Speaker 3 (10:41):
So there's a whole body of work being undertaken now
within our agency, but across government as well as prevention,
co location, corresponding, looking at enhancing victimization, identifying trends to
protect victims for recurring events. You know, we're learning a
lot as where listening to the coronial processes. We've got
(11:03):
four really tragic inquests the current is looking at at
the moment, so we're doing some work, you know, learning
along the way, what's the gaps where could be better
decision making how do we actually protect people. So we
still see a huge overrepresentation of domestic violence across the chairmanship.
Absolutely tragic, traumatizes everyone it touches. So there's a whole
(11:24):
lot of work, you know, where we've discussions happening at
the national level about investment about with our huge demand
on domestic violence, getting adequate funding to support services and
NGOs to provide services, safe houses and all the right.
There's a huge body of work to do to basically
this is about protection of life.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
Yeah, Commissioner also keen to ask you in the space
of uth crime, I mean, this is something that we're
grappling with here in the territory. We spoke earlier in
the week though as well to a Member of Parliament
in Queensland. We know that it's having a big impact
in Queensland too. Is there going to be a focus
on this space or do you feel as though you're
(12:03):
already making some inroads there.
Speaker 3 (12:06):
Yeah, no, I think we are making some inroads. There's
still it's a very light discussion that's even reached the
national level. It's an agenda item on the Police Minister's agenda.
It's a discussion at Police commissioner level. It is a
national issue and we've got to look at different ways.
I've said it before. We can't keep doing the same
thing expecting different results. But it's not just a policing issue.
(12:29):
It's across the whole spectrum of investment, early intervention. You know,
we see our cold Field syndrome, disorder in the territory,
a lack of education, board and engagement in really poor
decision making, and how we adjust that to make improvements
and really disrupt the behaviors and invest in the front ends.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
Yes, that is an absolute priority Police Commissioner.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
We hear a lot from territorians on the text line,
on the phone line here on three sixty. They you know,
they understand that the police are doing a really hard job.
They know that you guys do a fantastic job, but
there are concerns that police aren't able to go out
and attend different you know, different crimes that they are
(13:10):
victims of, or different incidents that they're victims of because
there just isn't enough or you know, they call the
call center, they're being told that they're not able to
get somebody out immediately. What work's going to happen in
this space.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
So the Joint Emergency Communications Center is very busy. We're
seeing thirty to thirty five thousand calls a month. There's
probably a lot of calls going to the center that
aren't required. We're looking at better technology about like an
online portal for online reporting so it can streamline actually
people who need doing up triple zero one three one
(13:48):
trible flour to get police to a location, and how
we actually look at our services to say what's call
and what's expanding to say we don't really need to
go to But ultimately and you'll know with deployment foot print,
weather adjuster to make sure there's more police graduating into
the capital city, so we've got more units to provide
a service that's going to continue. But it's about having
(14:10):
a look about an education campaign about people ring up
triple zero really for matters for barking dogs or other
matters that really don't deserve a triple zero call and
the use of that service and taking up time and
then impacting other calls. But getting a police car to
someone that's needing assistance is absolutely important. And also the
(14:34):
other thing is that redirecting traffic that's not necessarily should
be coming into the desk, but being more proactive and
instead of this reactive space we've been seeing for the
last twelve to our ten months, being more proactive, engaging,
getting ahead of the wave.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
Yeah, look, I think that sounds like a good thing,
and I know that people in the community will be
pleased to hear that as well. I know you very
pressed for time. I do want to ask you quickly though.
You're not only, of course a police commissioner, but you
are also CEO for Fires and Emergency Services. We know
that with the fires they have had quite a long
and protracted EBA negotiation there. Some would argue that morale
(15:10):
there is not at its best at this point either.
What work are you going to do with the fireries
to try to boost that morale?
Speaker 3 (15:19):
Yeah? Look, well, fieries are great. You know, they're highly dispontine. Thankfully,
you know, we'll see a resolution to their enterprise owning
agreement and see them recognize and remunerated for the hard
work they do, and that's going to be fantastic. When
you look at over a thousand days in negotiation, that's
just way too long in keeping them in limbo. So look,
I like connecting with the fires They're a good bunch
(15:41):
of people. They do important work. They've been incredibly busy
assisting bushfires and parks across the territory in what is
a heightened season at the moment with all the fuel
loads and the light. So I just had a recruit
graduation last night, So I think that's going to affect
morale and the tempo and their outlook. But you know,
they do fantastic work, Emergency said, But not forgetting all
(16:01):
the volunteers. I've got about five hundred volunteers across the
Emenity Services and the Fire Service who do incredible work.
You know, when you're incredibly proud when you look at
across the Try Service and you've got so many hard
working officers over sixteen hundred pployees who turn up for
work to make a difference every day. You know, they
go to dangerous jobs, they sacrifice time, they put themselves
(16:24):
in harm way. They're working for every hard same with
the Fire Service going to fires, doing the engagement road crashes,
the emergency services who just relentlessly help the community in
a job of the hat. We all should be pretty
proud and just a big thank you to everyone that
does the hard work. Every day well.
Speaker 1 (16:42):
Northern Territory Police Commissioner and also CEO of Fire and
Emergency Services Michael Murphy. Sounds good not saying acting at
the start, doesn't it.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Yeah, thanks Katie, I like it.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
Thanks so much for your time this morning. I really appreciate.
I know it's a busy, busy time for you, so
thank you for speaking to me and my listeners this morning.
Speaker 3 (17:04):
Absolute pleasure, Katie. Thank you, and I'll talk to you in.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
Sounds good than you too. Thanks so much.
As we know, and as I certainly mentioned a little
earlier this morning and we covered extensively yesterday, the Northern
Territory Chief Minister yesterday announced the appointment of Michael Murphy
APM as the Police Commissioner and CEO of Fire and
Emergency Services, and the new Police Commissioner, Michael Murphy joins
(00:20):
me on the line right now.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Good morning to your commissioner.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Good morning Katy, Good morning to listeners too.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
How are you very well?
Speaker 1 (00:28):
A big congratulations to you on your appointment yesterday?
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Yeah, thanks so much, very exciting and very honored the appointment.
So yeah, I've got a lot of work to do now.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Yeah, no doubt about it.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
I mean, what was your reaction when you, I suppose
got the call or got the tap on the shoulder.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
What do they do? How do they let you.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Know you had a phone call? The Chief mister gave
me a call let me know that I was successful,
and that was just quite surreal taking it back, like
obviously a process along, process examining, I think the number
of things you go through the selection process, but it's
(01:05):
really it's just the privilege to be selected to lead
such a proud organization into the future and continue to
make a change in the difference. So Yeah's they're living
in the moment, but lots of things to do, lots
of hard work to do, and you know the team
is going to be pretty busy addressing you know, all
the things affecting the character community and looking after our workforce.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
Yeah, you're spot on, and I will get to some
of those issues and your priorities in just a moment.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
But I do want to ask, I mean, you've worked
through all.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
The ranks, as I understand it, how do you think
that this is going to help in terms of understanding
the role of the rank and file.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
Oh, look, I think it's just it's basics understanding the
tools of the trade and the craft and policing and
the community. The territory community as we know is so
you need geographically and having worked across so many different
parts and in communities and across our springs and and
Darwin and some of the right communities, and knowing the
communities and the people that still reside there and the
(02:06):
different factors that affect them is absolutely essential in trying
to lead and change and reform community safety and workforce requirements.
So I've learned a lot along the way. It's been
incredibly challenging and really rewarding, and it just demonstrates the
opportunities available to you across the Northern Territory in many
(02:26):
roles and professions. But you know, to reach the be
appointed as the Commissioner and see of police, find emergency services,
you know, it's just incredible. It's an incredible feeling, and
you know, I just want to serve the community the
best I can and make a difference every day for
the safety of territorimes. Katie.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
It's going to be a massive job, there is no
doubt about that. I mean, you're taking on this role
at a time when morale within the force has been
incredibly low. We know there is a lot of discussion
about those police numbers and there was indeed also a
review announced yesterday. But it's also at a time where
the community does feel as though crime is really well
(03:09):
crippling us here in the Northern Territory.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
How do you.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
Juggle all of those very real and very important areas.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
Yeah, absolutely right. There are so many challenges. Firstly, probably
the workforce absolutely paramount about rebuilding trust and leadership and reform,
and you know we've had I said it yesterday, tumultuous
a couple of years on the back of COVID and
saying crime demand and increase, really you overwhelming our resources.
(03:43):
We still see domestic violence incredibly high. We still have
our issues with social order and the other complexity in
the whole mixes, the whole emergency management space. I mean,
we've seen the wettest you know, the rainfalls which we saw,
community s flaad and displacement months of people, all those
other challenges things we need to prepare for now. And
(04:04):
that's some of the discussing points I'm actually talking about.
You know, we're looking at today at this national meeting
with emergency management, but the workforce is absolutely paramount. You know,
we've got to listen to what the workforce has said.
We've had a number of surveys been undertaken by the union,
We've had the People Matter survey. We actually need to
take that away, examine it and listen to the workforce.
(04:26):
And really excitingly, as you said, the announcement of the review,
that's an incredible timeline for the Northern Territory Police to
actually have a lot of a demand, work loans, culture leadership.
What it actually means for us for a future investment
in capital, resourcing and policy positions. And I think you
know that it's going to be great having Vince Kelly,
(04:48):
a well seasoned police officer, come in with a crew
of experts and actually examine the Northern Territory Police to
demand and make it the best police force in Australia
for the future. It's going to be a great some
great opportunity for us for everyone and obviously the benefit
is for the community.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
Yeah, And I think that's what like that is absolutely
what everybody is hoping that this review does indeed delve
into quite a number of those issues that we've discussed
on so many occasions, just on the issue of morale,
because that is something that's come up through the different
surveys that have been conducted, the morale within the force,
not only in terms of things like discipline reactions, but
(05:31):
also in terms of the fact that you've got officers
that had been saying throughout those those different surveys that
they do not feel that there is enough of them
to do the job that the community expects. So how
do you reach a point where our police are able to,
you know, to do the job that the community expects
(05:51):
and that there is enough of them to be able
to do it.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
Okay, this is what this review will deliver. And as
the review, if there's incremental or identified needs, we can
act on upon it and not just wait for them report.
I think that's been made really clear. But having a workforce,
we do have really good recruitment still. We've just got
forty other recruits in the college in their third week.
(06:16):
We've just graduated ten accelerated recruits that are going to
go across the territory. Now. I think one of our
priorities is making sure we retain offices, and you know,
you hit the nail on the head. The morale is
really important, making sure people are listened to, making sure
they're part of the team, and making sure they're contributing
and balancing it with fatigue management. They are extremely busy.
(06:38):
The demands high and what we actually how we forecast
to say, how do we better control demand and how
do we things proactively? And we've seen the work that
Genell Toalkin's doing through the Territory Safety and Coordinations that
are about a whole government approach to look at the
invention and coordinating efforts to stop a lot of these
events occurring, so it's it's a multi layered activity and
(06:58):
really probably chronology we're working towards. But you know, you know,
a healthy workforce is paramount for an efficient service, so
that's clearly a priority.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
Where are things that in terms of I know when
we'd interviewed you when you were acting in the role,
you'd told us that you'd written to a number of
officers who'd either been on long term leave or who'd
actually left the force, asking them if they would come back.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Where are things out with that?
Speaker 3 (07:22):
Yeah, So interestingly I ran into one in Canberra just
walking to going to Parliament House and had a good
chat to them and whether they'd come back, and they're
contemplating it. I think there's maybe I don't know the number.
I think there was about two hundred and thirty that
were scheduled to be written to. I don't know that.
I think we're up at about eighty. I've actually received
a lot of texts in the last couple of days,
(07:44):
some people inquiring we're examining ways to make it easy
to come back if you're left at a certain rank,
to come back at that rank within the police force
only for previously serving Northern Territory officers. So the whole
heap of reform work there, but it's actually people thinking
about coming back, which is good. You know, we see
a lot of police leave to go to Queensland and
(08:05):
the AFP and other jurisdictions or for other reasons family.
But you know, we've opened the door to say, you know,
they train their great police officers. If you want to
come back, it's here for you.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
Commissioner. I'm going to throw a few quick ones at you.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
I don't know if you'll be able to answer them
that quickly, but let's give it a go. Should Palis
be taken off bottle shops in Alice Springs, That's something
that's been raised previously.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
Definitely a consideration. I think they do fantastic work. It's
really actually difficult for us to recruit to the auxiliary
strain at the moment and we see various positions get
filled with constables. So we've got to balance that because
comfortable needs be on the front line doing calls for
public assistance. So there's a discussion that will be underway
(08:49):
and this will form part of the review about a
better investment. When we're in about resource deployment and what
responsibility may be the hospitality industry or license have in
providing their own security.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
All right, so that is definitely something that you're considering
at this point in time.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
By the sounds of it, Yes, it is. Yeah. Hey.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
Now one of the other ones that we talk about
a lot is the school based constables. Is that something
that you're going to be looking back into. Oh?
Speaker 3 (09:19):
Yeah, absolutely, So the team thinking about that. I think
it's a really worthwhile and of getting an investment. The
auxiliaries and the constables now do a fantastic job. Is
there an opportunity to expand the model. Absolutely. I'll be
meeting with COXO in the near future to discuss some
options in my team to see what that looks like.
And obviously we know the return on investment that has
(09:41):
been in the schools and especially with a nice strategy
that's going to come up about education early intervention and
getting people back to school, working with education about that
engagement strategy and actually reforming that stuff from the front
end and start of waiting for the wrong end of
the spectrum.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
How far off is that knife crime strategy from being
for finalized.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
I think it was due to be released in all this,
but I'm not sure the Attorney General's Department has it,
but I don't know. I can't That's.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
All right, All good Now.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
An area that I do want to ask about, which
I know you know, is going it is going to
require more detail and depth and it's probably something we'll
have to talk about in another stage as well. Is
a very serious issue that we've got with domestic violence
in the Northern Territory. There is no doubt that it's
a scourge. There is no doubt that it has a
huge impact on the Northern Territory police, on the community,
(10:33):
on absolutely everybody in so many ways.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
What work are you hoping to do in this space?
Speaker 3 (10:41):
So there's a whole body of work being undertaken now
within our agency, but across government as well as prevention,
co location, corresponding, looking at enhancing victimization, identifying trends to
protect victims for recurring events. You know, we're learning a
lot as where listening to the coronial processes. We've got
(11:03):
four really tragic inquests the current is looking at at
the moment, so we're doing some work, you know, learning
along the way, what's the gaps where could be better
decision making how do we actually protect people. So we
still see a huge overrepresentation of domestic violence across the chairmanship.
Absolutely tragic, traumatizes everyone it touches. So there's a whole
(11:24):
lot of work, you know, where we've discussions happening at
the national level about investment about with our huge demand
on domestic violence, getting adequate funding to support services and
NGOs to provide services, safe houses and all the right.
There's a huge body of work to do to basically
this is about protection of life.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
Yeah, Commissioner also keen to ask you in the space
of uth crime, I mean, this is something that we're
grappling with here in the territory. We spoke earlier in
the week though as well to a Member of Parliament
in Queensland. We know that it's having a big impact
in Queensland too. Is there going to be a focus
on this space or do you feel as though you're
(12:03):
already making some inroads there.
Speaker 3 (12:06):
Yeah, no, I think we are making some inroads. There's
still it's a very light discussion that's even reached the
national level. It's an agenda item on the Police Minister's agenda.
It's a discussion at Police commissioner level. It is a
national issue and we've got to look at different ways.
I've said it before. We can't keep doing the same
thing expecting different results. But it's not just a policing issue.
(12:29):
It's across the whole spectrum of investment, early intervention. You know,
we see our cold Field syndrome, disorder in the territory,
a lack of education, board and engagement in really poor
decision making, and how we adjust that to make improvements
and really disrupt the behaviors and invest in the front ends.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
Yes, that is an absolute priority Police Commissioner.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
We hear a lot from territorians on the text line,
on the phone line here on three sixty. They you know,
they understand that the police are doing a really hard job.
They know that you guys do a fantastic job, but
there are concerns that police aren't able to go out
and attend different you know, different crimes that they are
(13:10):
victims of, or different incidents that they're victims of because
there just isn't enough or you know, they call the
call center, they're being told that they're not able to
get somebody out immediately. What work's going to happen in
this space.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
So the Joint Emergency Communications Center is very busy. We're
seeing thirty to thirty five thousand calls a month. There's
probably a lot of calls going to the center that
aren't required. We're looking at better technology about like an
online portal for online reporting so it can streamline actually
people who need doing up triple zero one three one
(13:48):
trible flour to get police to a location, and how
we actually look at our services to say what's call
and what's expanding to say we don't really need to
go to But ultimately and you'll know with deployment foot print,
weather adjuster to make sure there's more police graduating into
the capital city, so we've got more units to provide
a service that's going to continue. But it's about having
(14:10):
a look about an education campaign about people ring up
triple zero really for matters for barking dogs or other
matters that really don't deserve a triple zero call and
the use of that service and taking up time and
then impacting other calls. But getting a police car to
someone that's needing assistance is absolutely important. And also the
(14:34):
other thing is that redirecting traffic that's not necessarily should
be coming into the desk, but being more proactive and
instead of this reactive space we've been seeing for the
last twelve to our ten months, being more proactive, engaging,
getting ahead of the wave.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
Yeah, look, I think that sounds like a good thing,
and I know that people in the community will be
pleased to hear that as well. I know you very
pressed for time. I do want to ask you quickly though.
You're not only, of course a police commissioner, but you
are also CEO for Fires and Emergency Services. We know
that with the fires they have had quite a long
and protracted EBA negotiation there. Some would argue that morale
(15:10):
there is not at its best at this point either.
What work are you going to do with the fireries
to try to boost that morale?
Speaker 3 (15:19):
Yeah? Look, well, fieries are great. You know, they're highly dispontine. Thankfully,
you know, we'll see a resolution to their enterprise owning
agreement and see them recognize and remunerated for the hard
work they do, and that's going to be fantastic. When
you look at over a thousand days in negotiation, that's
just way too long in keeping them in limbo. So look,
I like connecting with the fires They're a good bunch
(15:41):
of people. They do important work. They've been incredibly busy
assisting bushfires and parks across the territory in what is
a heightened season at the moment with all the fuel
loads and the light. So I just had a recruit
graduation last night, So I think that's going to affect
morale and the tempo and their outlook. But you know,
they do fantastic work, Emergency said, But not forgetting all
(16:01):
the volunteers. I've got about five hundred volunteers across the
Emenity Services and the Fire Service who do incredible work.
You know, when you're incredibly proud when you look at
across the Try Service and you've got so many hard
working officers over sixteen hundred pployees who turn up for
work to make a difference every day. You know, they
go to dangerous jobs, they sacrifice time, they put themselves
(16:24):
in harm way. They're working for every hard same with
the Fire Service going to fires, doing the engagement road crashes,
the emergency services who just relentlessly help the community in
a job of the hat. We all should be pretty
proud and just a big thank you to everyone that
does the hard work. Every day well.
Speaker 1 (16:42):
Northern Territory Police Commissioner and also CEO of Fire and
Emergency Services Michael Murphy. Sounds good not saying acting at
the start, doesn't it.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Yeah, thanks Katie, I like it.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
Thanks so much for your time this morning. I really appreciate.
I know it's a busy, busy time for you, so
thank you for speaking to me and my listeners this morning.
Speaker 3 (17:04):
Absolute pleasure, Katie. Thank you, and I'll talk to you in.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
Sounds good than you too. Thanks so much.
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