1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:03,720 Speaker 1: The Property Council of Australia's latest crime survey has been 2 00:00:03,760 --> 00:00:08,440 Speaker 1: released and reveals alarming statistics that underscore the persistent and 3 00:00:08,720 --> 00:00:11,880 Speaker 1: escalating issue of property crime and anti social behavior right 4 00:00:11,920 --> 00:00:15,520 Speaker 1: across the Northern Territory. The Property Council of Australia's Northern 5 00:00:15,600 --> 00:00:20,480 Speaker 1: Territory Executive Director Ruth Palmer said that with participation from 6 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:24,040 Speaker 1: over two hundred businesses, the twenty twenty four survey paints 7 00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:28,520 Speaker 1: a grim picture of the challenges faced by the commercial sector. 8 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:32,400 Speaker 1: Ruth Palmer joins me on the line live from Alice Springs. 9 00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:36,199 Speaker 1: Good morning to you, Ruth. Good morning Katie, Thanks so 10 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:38,599 Speaker 1: much for your time this morning. Now, Ruth, more than 11 00:00:38,640 --> 00:00:42,720 Speaker 1: two hundred businesses took part. What did the participants flag 12 00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:45,120 Speaker 1: as their biggest concerns? 13 00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:48,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, thanks Katie. Yeah, So this is the second year 14 00:00:48,720 --> 00:00:52,839 Speaker 2: that we've run the survey and this time we've sort 15 00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:55,320 Speaker 2: of we kept the exact same question as we had 16 00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:57,800 Speaker 2: last year so we can track the data. But this 17 00:00:57,920 --> 00:01:00,480 Speaker 2: time we actually had some political questions just because we 18 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:03,280 Speaker 2: are leading into an election, so we just did we 19 00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:05,360 Speaker 2: had some questions at the end, but also put in 20 00:01:05,640 --> 00:01:08,160 Speaker 2: sort of what electorate people lived in or what electorate 21 00:01:08,560 --> 00:01:11,679 Speaker 2: people's businesses are located in. So that gives us the 22 00:01:11,720 --> 00:01:14,680 Speaker 2: ability now to cut the data and to provise specific 23 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:19,560 Speaker 2: information to the local MLAs around what's happening specifically in 24 00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:22,679 Speaker 2: their electorate. But a couple of the big the big things, 25 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:25,760 Speaker 2: you know, like when we always ask what behaviors you've witnessed, 26 00:01:26,760 --> 00:01:29,760 Speaker 2: you know, there's that your thirty eight percent of people 27 00:01:29,800 --> 00:01:33,200 Speaker 2: being fat on, sixty one percent of people had damage 28 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:36,760 Speaker 2: to their commercial property. You know, fifty eight percent of 29 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:39,959 Speaker 2: people were seeing you know, people sleeping rough at the premises. 30 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 2: But you know eighty percent of people had to clean 31 00:01:42,319 --> 00:01:46,800 Speaker 2: up humination and pc. Like that's just like so not on, 32 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:49,120 Speaker 2: you know, like every day having to go and do that. 33 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:51,560 Speaker 2: But forty percent of people had witnessed the use of 34 00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:54,760 Speaker 2: weapons or other dangerous items at their commercial prevates. So 35 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 2: these are things that are really concerning, especially like physical abuse, 36 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:03,000 Speaker 2: verbal views, and being threatened. You know, will use up 37 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:07,320 Speaker 2: at eight sixty five percent of people being threatened. Needs 38 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:10,519 Speaker 2: are really big concerns around, you know, when we're looking 39 00:02:10,600 --> 00:02:13,680 Speaker 2: at safety. But if we're looking at safety as your customers, 40 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:16,240 Speaker 2: but you know, then people wanting to invest further in 41 00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:18,400 Speaker 2: their property they're just not going to do it. Seventy 42 00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:21,880 Speaker 2: two percent of people said that this rising issue and 43 00:02:21,919 --> 00:02:26,400 Speaker 2: the ongoing issue have changed their commercial decisions, with sixty 44 00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:28,239 Speaker 2: nine percent of people saying that they want to leave 45 00:02:28,400 --> 00:02:30,920 Speaker 2: in all the territories. So, you know, we're really going 46 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:33,480 Speaker 2: to start looking at this and taking it seriously. Because 47 00:02:33,760 --> 00:02:37,600 Speaker 2: we've been on this issue since twenty seventeen. We did 48 00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:40,280 Speaker 2: have years of me just sort of saying crime wasn't 49 00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:43,799 Speaker 2: an issue, there was no problem. So you know, now 50 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:45,960 Speaker 2: we just need to see everyone banding together and our 51 00:02:46,040 --> 00:02:49,639 Speaker 2: leaders being a united front and really winning the war 52 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:52,080 Speaker 2: on this crime, like standing it out, like get up 53 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:54,320 Speaker 2: together and just lead the issue. 54 00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:58,840 Speaker 1: So rouse in terms of you know, the participants, I 55 00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:01,560 Speaker 1: know that a number of them participants who took part 56 00:03:01,639 --> 00:03:03,960 Speaker 1: last time as well, have they do they believe that 57 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:06,680 Speaker 1: there's been any kind of improvement since they last died 58 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:07,680 Speaker 1: this survey. 59 00:03:08,440 --> 00:03:11,640 Speaker 2: No, no, and so eighty one percent have said that 60 00:03:11,680 --> 00:03:14,920 Speaker 2: it has again worsened in the last twelve months. So 61 00:03:15,040 --> 00:03:17,679 Speaker 2: last year we did actually ask a question of do 62 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:20,800 Speaker 2: you believe there's a turning point? So can this turn around? 63 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:24,040 Speaker 2: Seventy three percent of people last year said that it 64 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:27,359 Speaker 2: can now this year, that sentiment's gone down to forty 65 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:30,360 Speaker 2: two percent, So only forty two percent of people think 66 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:33,840 Speaker 2: that we can curb this issue, and that you know, 67 00:03:33,919 --> 00:03:36,920 Speaker 2: it's just changed so much in just twelve months alone, 68 00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:39,920 Speaker 2: from seventy three percent to forty two percent, I guess, 69 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:40,880 Speaker 2: a really big drop. 70 00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:44,880 Speaker 1: It's a huge drop. So like, what are people saying 71 00:03:44,960 --> 00:03:47,720 Speaker 1: in terms of and I don't know exactly what questions 72 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:50,920 Speaker 1: you asked, but what are participants or those surveyed saying 73 00:03:50,960 --> 00:03:53,960 Speaker 1: in terms of the policies and some of the ideas 74 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:56,119 Speaker 1: that our government have got in the ways to deal 75 00:03:56,160 --> 00:03:57,600 Speaker 1: with this and also with the COLP. 76 00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:01,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, so we have a question in there this time. 77 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:05,320 Speaker 2: Do you feel about Labour's doing a good job on 78 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:08,800 Speaker 2: this issue or do you think that the CLP's promise 79 00:04:08,840 --> 00:04:12,400 Speaker 2: of tougher laws and police powers it's going to work 80 00:04:12,440 --> 00:04:17,919 Speaker 2: as well. It's interesting that both of those answers didn't 81 00:04:17,920 --> 00:04:21,080 Speaker 2: really gain a lot of positive responses. So people are 82 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:24,560 Speaker 2: a little bit cautious around the CELP promise, you know, 83 00:04:24,760 --> 00:04:27,680 Speaker 2: wanting to see more policy, wanting to see more detail, 84 00:04:28,440 --> 00:04:32,279 Speaker 2: and you know, having that experience around it and with Labors, 85 00:04:32,279 --> 00:04:34,760 Speaker 2: a lot of people are sort of saying, well, had 86 00:04:34,760 --> 00:04:37,200 Speaker 2: you asked me earlier, I would have said no. But 87 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:40,080 Speaker 2: Eva's doing a good job. So people are sort of 88 00:04:40,120 --> 00:04:44,640 Speaker 2: coming around to the work that Eva's doing, but still 89 00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:47,200 Speaker 2: not impressed with sort of what's been done with time. 90 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:50,800 Speaker 2: So it's quite interesting to read the comments that people 91 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:55,200 Speaker 2: have put around sort of where people are at. It's 92 00:04:55,400 --> 00:04:59,000 Speaker 2: very mixed on both of those responses around that they're 93 00:04:59,080 --> 00:05:04,080 Speaker 2: just not come with either either not even but you know, 94 00:05:04,160 --> 00:05:07,440 Speaker 2: it's just yeah, So it really is quite interesting to 95 00:05:07,480 --> 00:05:09,760 Speaker 2: read people's views and people's responses. 96 00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:12,520 Speaker 1: And I can see, look, so fifty percent of saying 97 00:05:12,560 --> 00:05:15,400 Speaker 1: that they believe the CLP policy has better. However, it 98 00:05:15,440 --> 00:05:19,360 Speaker 1: appears not much confidence towards the CLP's policy on tougher 99 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:21,479 Speaker 1: laws or stronger powers. 100 00:05:22,640 --> 00:05:25,159 Speaker 2: Yeah, so that's right, and so this is where people 101 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:29,880 Speaker 2: wanting to see more detail around those policies. But also 102 00:05:30,040 --> 00:05:35,040 Speaker 2: there's that skepticism around their experience. So you know, labor 103 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:37,320 Speaker 2: has been in for quite some time now, so there 104 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:40,640 Speaker 2: are experience within the ministers. So I think people are 105 00:05:40,680 --> 00:05:43,760 Speaker 2: sort of feeling a bit well, what do we do, 106 00:05:44,520 --> 00:05:47,000 Speaker 2: you know later feeling for a while, we're kind of 107 00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:50,599 Speaker 2: liking what's now being happening, or you know, there seems 108 00:05:50,640 --> 00:05:54,760 Speaker 2: to be some leadership there through the Chief Minister. So 109 00:05:54,839 --> 00:05:58,040 Speaker 2: it's quite mixed in those responses, but people are still 110 00:05:58,040 --> 00:06:01,760 Speaker 2: looking at the CLP as the third government because one 111 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:03,839 Speaker 2: of the things we did ask is if you voted 112 00:06:03,920 --> 00:06:08,200 Speaker 2: labor in the last election, yeah, has your voter intention changed, 113 00:06:08,279 --> 00:06:11,839 Speaker 2: And sixty set of people who voted labor have said yes, 114 00:06:11,920 --> 00:06:12,520 Speaker 2: their voter. 115 00:06:12,440 --> 00:06:14,760 Speaker 1: Intentions well yeah, and then I can see they're that's 116 00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:17,640 Speaker 1: seventy nine percent believing the Chief Minister is not doing 117 00:06:17,640 --> 00:06:20,559 Speaker 1: a good job to reduce crime. And the really tough 118 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:22,480 Speaker 1: thing here is, look, I know it's you know, it 119 00:06:22,520 --> 00:06:24,800 Speaker 1: is only some people listening. Might be like, okay, well 120 00:06:24,839 --> 00:06:28,040 Speaker 1: it's only two hundred participants, but it's two hundred business 121 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:31,919 Speaker 1: owners across the Northern Territory and they're people that have 122 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:34,680 Speaker 1: done this before. And I think the biggest concern that 123 00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:37,320 Speaker 1: we've probably had over the last you know, since, like 124 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:40,040 Speaker 1: you said, since about twenty seventeen when we all started 125 00:06:40,040 --> 00:06:43,080 Speaker 1: talking about this, is that the main issue people have 126 00:06:43,120 --> 00:06:45,000 Speaker 1: had is that they don't feel as though they're being 127 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:48,080 Speaker 1: listened to on these very serious issues. 128 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:51,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, and that's right, and you've got to remember that 129 00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:54,919 Speaker 2: these two hundred businesses have staffed, so it's not just 130 00:06:55,040 --> 00:06:58,120 Speaker 2: the you know the impact of the business owner, it's 131 00:06:58,160 --> 00:07:01,720 Speaker 2: the impact on staff, the staff going home and feeling 132 00:07:01,760 --> 00:07:04,680 Speaker 2: that same sentiment, probably because they're the ones that are 133 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:07,440 Speaker 2: at the forefront of this behavior. And you know, when 134 00:07:07,480 --> 00:07:10,400 Speaker 2: you look at over two years, over four million dollars 135 00:07:10,440 --> 00:07:13,720 Speaker 2: being spent and this is just the businesses we've you know, 136 00:07:13,840 --> 00:07:16,800 Speaker 2: got the survey from four million dollars to sort of think, 137 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:20,280 Speaker 2: well that four million dollars could be better used in 138 00:07:20,400 --> 00:07:25,080 Speaker 2: growing the workforce, growing our population, getting people in to 139 00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:28,120 Speaker 2: sort of Central Australia or Darwin because you know, chatting 140 00:07:28,120 --> 00:07:31,640 Speaker 2: with all people yesterday down here in Alice, the huge 141 00:07:31,640 --> 00:07:34,200 Speaker 2: Things workforce and you know, I had a board meeting 142 00:07:34,280 --> 00:07:38,000 Speaker 2: up in Darwin with my guys, Huge Thing workforce like 143 00:07:38,040 --> 00:07:41,280 Speaker 2: having to outsource stuff because we can't get workers and 144 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:45,200 Speaker 2: it's because the liverability piece is just not there. That's 145 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:47,960 Speaker 2: the struggle. So you know, I'm on the ground today 146 00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:50,960 Speaker 2: and back to back meetings all day with members and 147 00:07:51,480 --> 00:07:54,760 Speaker 2: local members and stakeholders, so pretty keen sort of get 148 00:07:54,800 --> 00:07:57,360 Speaker 2: more of an understanding of how people are feeling, what 149 00:07:57,440 --> 00:08:00,160 Speaker 2: we can do, how we can support these guys as 150 00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:02,800 Speaker 2: much as what we can, you know, because we want 151 00:08:02,840 --> 00:08:05,040 Speaker 2: to see things turn around, like coming into our thingsas 152 00:08:05,080 --> 00:08:08,240 Speaker 2: like oh this place is just so amazing, like it's beautiful. 153 00:08:08,280 --> 00:08:10,880 Speaker 2: The win it's great, but you know, just we need 154 00:08:10,920 --> 00:08:13,880 Speaker 2: to change the narrative around it and we need to 155 00:08:13,880 --> 00:08:16,280 Speaker 2: make sure that, you know, the territory is on the 156 00:08:16,320 --> 00:08:18,840 Speaker 2: map for all the right reasons. And that's where we 157 00:08:18,880 --> 00:08:22,760 Speaker 2: need our leaders to get together, be united, come together 158 00:08:22,920 --> 00:08:25,040 Speaker 2: and win the war on crime. Like you know, we 159 00:08:25,080 --> 00:08:28,200 Speaker 2: need to see that leadership on from all levels of government, 160 00:08:28,320 --> 00:08:30,800 Speaker 2: but as a united front, like no more back and forth. 161 00:08:31,160 --> 00:08:33,480 Speaker 2: We need to be together on this and show the 162 00:08:33,520 --> 00:08:35,199 Speaker 2: community that it's the priority. 163 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:37,559 Speaker 1: It's easier said than done though at the moment, right 164 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:41,199 Speaker 1: because you've got sort of labor you know, saying that 165 00:08:41,280 --> 00:08:44,240 Speaker 1: what we're doing right now, they're on that track. They 166 00:08:44,240 --> 00:08:47,600 Speaker 1: have got their increased budget for police, they're taking what 167 00:08:47,760 --> 00:08:50,240 Speaker 1: their words are, a common sense approach. But then you've 168 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:53,360 Speaker 1: got the COLP right now saying well, we need to 169 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:56,080 Speaker 1: be tougher in this space. If people are breaking the law, 170 00:08:56,280 --> 00:08:59,200 Speaker 1: and if they're breaching they're bail, then they shouldn't be 171 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:01,280 Speaker 1: given the opportunity need to be out on the streets. 172 00:09:01,320 --> 00:09:03,680 Speaker 1: So I guess it's a really like it's tough to 173 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:06,559 Speaker 1: try and bring them together when fundamentally at the moment 174 00:09:06,600 --> 00:09:10,320 Speaker 1: it seems like they're their objectives are the like, you know, 175 00:09:10,360 --> 00:09:12,640 Speaker 1: the objective of reducing crime is the same, but the 176 00:09:12,679 --> 00:09:16,800 Speaker 1: ways to get there they feel very differently about them. 177 00:09:16,880 --> 00:09:19,479 Speaker 2: Yeah, but I think it's really about showing the community 178 00:09:19,559 --> 00:09:22,680 Speaker 2: right that is the priority and we can work together 179 00:09:22,920 --> 00:09:25,440 Speaker 2: because you want to be able to have your leaders 180 00:09:25,880 --> 00:09:28,520 Speaker 2: are the strength of sort of what is how the 181 00:09:28,640 --> 00:09:31,400 Speaker 2: territory is going to survive, So you know, it can 182 00:09:31,440 --> 00:09:33,680 Speaker 2: be leadership on all levels of government. So you know, 183 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:36,800 Speaker 2: if if it's the federal government, if it's our counsels, 184 00:09:37,200 --> 00:09:39,480 Speaker 2: if it's the territory government. You know, we need to 185 00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:41,800 Speaker 2: be able to show that we are united on this 186 00:09:41,920 --> 00:09:44,559 Speaker 2: and you know it, and you're you're absolutely right. When 187 00:09:44,559 --> 00:09:47,640 Speaker 2: you look at traditional policing or community policing, they're two 188 00:09:47,760 --> 00:09:51,000 Speaker 2: very different things. You know, that's different at law enforcement 189 00:09:51,120 --> 00:09:54,040 Speaker 2: or the preventative measures before there's that law enforcement, but 190 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:57,840 Speaker 2: you know there's that conversation of we can look at 191 00:09:57,880 --> 00:10:00,679 Speaker 2: both because we do need to have the community. Police 192 00:10:00,679 --> 00:10:04,600 Speaker 2: think in our community to put in those preventative measure measures. 193 00:10:04,679 --> 00:10:08,240 Speaker 1: So Ruth, where to from here with this survey? I 194 00:10:08,280 --> 00:10:10,480 Speaker 1: mean obviously going to be presenting it to both of 195 00:10:10,480 --> 00:10:12,360 Speaker 1: the political parties, I would imagine. 196 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:15,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, So we've done that. So it has gone to 197 00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:19,959 Speaker 2: every single MLA, say twenty five MLAs, also the federal 198 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:23,120 Speaker 2: members and also the Council. So it has gone to 199 00:10:23,160 --> 00:10:25,280 Speaker 2: those and I have spoken to people about it and 200 00:10:25,320 --> 00:10:27,680 Speaker 2: obviously down Nollie today, I'll be going through it with 201 00:10:28,440 --> 00:10:32,440 Speaker 2: no Robin, Bill, Josh, you know, all the people that 202 00:10:32,480 --> 00:10:35,880 Speaker 2: are down here and Matt Patterson at the Council because 203 00:10:36,120 --> 00:10:38,480 Speaker 2: and like I said, there's got to be that like 204 00:10:38,520 --> 00:10:40,920 Speaker 2: we don't want to be known for this, but unfortunately 205 00:10:41,040 --> 00:10:45,480 Speaker 2: we are. So you know, there has to be something 206 00:10:45,520 --> 00:10:47,600 Speaker 2: that's going to make it change. And you know, as 207 00:10:47,600 --> 00:10:50,960 Speaker 2: you know, Katie, we've put forward countless recommendations. We've put 208 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:54,680 Speaker 2: forward a lot of ideas, you know, following from previous 209 00:10:54,679 --> 00:10:56,719 Speaker 2: trips down to Alice Springs and a calling for that 210 00:10:56,840 --> 00:11:02,040 Speaker 2: independent coordinator, and you know, changes to the legislation around 211 00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:05,920 Speaker 2: those drinking rules, many many things to know, ram raid 212 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:09,520 Speaker 2: sentencing rules. You know, there's there's so many recommendations. It's 213 00:11:09,559 --> 00:11:12,600 Speaker 2: just around, you know how, we sort of push those 214 00:11:12,640 --> 00:11:15,280 Speaker 2: further and with the election, we just we just don't know. 215 00:11:15,400 --> 00:11:18,400 Speaker 1: So well, Ruth, we are going to have to leave 216 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:20,959 Speaker 1: it there. Always appreciate your time. Thank you very much 217 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:22,360 Speaker 1: for having a chat with me this morning. 218 00:11:23,280 --> 00:11:24,800 Speaker 2: Thanks lot, Katie appreciate it. 219 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:25,560 Speaker 1: Thank you.