1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:03,120 Speaker 1: And joining me right now from Catherine is the CLP's 2 00:00:03,360 --> 00:00:07,240 Speaker 1: member for Catherine, Joe Hersey. Good morning to you, Joe. 3 00:00:07,920 --> 00:00:10,280 Speaker 2: Good morning Katie, and good morning listening Joe. 4 00:00:10,360 --> 00:00:12,360 Speaker 1: Always good to head be on the bear, im aligne 5 00:00:12,360 --> 00:00:15,000 Speaker 1: with you and find out what is going on in Catherine. 6 00:00:15,160 --> 00:00:17,600 Speaker 1: How are seniors feeling in Catherine at the moment. 7 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:22,400 Speaker 2: Yes, thanks Katie. And just going on from that incident 8 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:26,520 Speaker 2: last week in Darwin with Poppy Polaitis with her mother, 9 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:30,720 Speaker 2: I just was I was so sad to hear that, 10 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:32,720 Speaker 2: as someone who's lived in the territory for a very 11 00:00:32,720 --> 00:00:36,200 Speaker 2: long time, to think that in broad daylight you cannot 12 00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:40,279 Speaker 2: go out and meet friends for a coffee is it 13 00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:45,280 Speaker 2: is beyond words. I can't believe it. But in actual fact, 14 00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:48,320 Speaker 2: in following on from that, I've held senior's forums in 15 00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:53,680 Speaker 2: Darwin and here in Catherine, and seniors tell me they 16 00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:57,520 Speaker 2: do not feel safe to go out. You know, we 17 00:00:57,560 --> 00:01:00,480 Speaker 2: only have one shopping center for example here in Catherine. Yep, 18 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:02,920 Speaker 2: they do not feel safe to go to the shopping 19 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:05,959 Speaker 2: center to do their shopping in the afternoon. We actually 20 00:01:06,040 --> 00:01:10,800 Speaker 2: had a bag snatching and another into one was at 21 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:14,000 Speaker 2: Woolworth just on Monday, this week and one was at 22 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:17,399 Speaker 2: the post office this week, and both those people have 23 00:01:17,560 --> 00:01:20,840 Speaker 2: been caught, is my understanding. 24 00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:23,440 Speaker 1: So both so sorry, Joe. So in both of those incidents, 25 00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:28,240 Speaker 1: were they bag snatched and were they senior Territorians who 26 00:01:28,280 --> 00:01:29,600 Speaker 1: had those bags snatched? 27 00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:33,360 Speaker 2: But I'm not sure one about the one at Woollye's. 28 00:01:33,400 --> 00:01:36,959 Speaker 2: But I know the one well senior. The lady is 29 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:39,160 Speaker 2: not if you call me a senior, she's a little 30 00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:43,000 Speaker 2: bit older than me, but a mature aged woman. And 31 00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:46,440 Speaker 2: you know, it's just terrible. This was like around eight 32 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:50,600 Speaker 2: eight point thirty in the morning. It is absolutely unacceptable. Well, 33 00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:54,120 Speaker 2: and the thing is no consequences for people either, and it. 34 00:01:54,040 --> 00:01:56,920 Speaker 1: Doesn't it actually, you know, it doesn't matter whether the 35 00:01:56,960 --> 00:01:59,840 Speaker 1: person is a senior or not. But I guess what, 36 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:02,520 Speaker 1: you know, what I was getting to is whether our 37 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:05,080 Speaker 1: seniors are being targeted and it it sort of doesn't 38 00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:08,240 Speaker 1: sound to me like seniors are specifically being targeted. It 39 00:02:08,280 --> 00:02:12,760 Speaker 1: more sounds like it's the opportunistic opportunity. Yeah, and it's 40 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:16,320 Speaker 1: and you know, people maybe not necessarily, you know, these 41 00:02:16,360 --> 00:02:19,760 Speaker 1: criminals that are engaging in this behavior not caring whether 42 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:23,280 Speaker 1: the victim is young or old or whatever, but more 43 00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:26,040 Speaker 1: you know, thinking can I actually get a bag off 44 00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:27,600 Speaker 1: this person? I'm going to give it a crack. 45 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:31,639 Speaker 2: The thing is, okay, people shouldn't need to be thinking 46 00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:34,919 Speaker 2: about what time they go to the supermarket, whether they 47 00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:37,360 Speaker 2: take their children, because I'm telling you young mums are 48 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:40,840 Speaker 2: telling me exactly the same thing. Some young mums are 49 00:02:41,040 --> 00:02:43,520 Speaker 2: leaving their children at home and going by themselves, or 50 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:47,120 Speaker 2: they'll take their husband with them. It is not acceptable 51 00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:50,040 Speaker 2: for people to having to think about or when will 52 00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:52,360 Speaker 2: I go to the shopping center, when's the safest time. 53 00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:55,560 Speaker 2: Clearly there isn't a safe time because the other day 54 00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:58,480 Speaker 2: we have the internet. At eight thirty yesterday I was 55 00:02:58,560 --> 00:03:03,240 Speaker 2: just as seniors for at Christmas lunch, and again seniors 56 00:03:03,240 --> 00:03:06,359 Speaker 2: are telling me that they are not feeling safe out 57 00:03:06,360 --> 00:03:09,440 Speaker 2: in the community. The thing is, what people are doing, Katie, 58 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:11,920 Speaker 2: is they are changing their life goals instead of going 59 00:03:11,919 --> 00:03:14,760 Speaker 2: out and exercising. One of the things that came out 60 00:03:14,760 --> 00:03:17,040 Speaker 2: of a seniors forum in Darwin was people are now 61 00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:19,840 Speaker 2: walking around their own yard because they do not feel 62 00:03:19,880 --> 00:03:21,840 Speaker 2: safe to go out on the street. Are you serious? 63 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:22,840 Speaker 2: What like? 64 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:25,040 Speaker 1: Is that seniors here or in Catherine. 65 00:03:24,720 --> 00:03:27,679 Speaker 2: Where that was seniors in Darwin? When I hear a 66 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:30,840 Speaker 2: seniors forum out in the Palmerston area. There was some 67 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:36,520 Speaker 2: seniors in that group, and this woman was very well spoken. 68 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:40,120 Speaker 2: She seems like she wouldn't have been someone who would 69 00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:42,160 Speaker 2: have been phased by it. But she said, I will 70 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:45,520 Speaker 2: not go out and exercise in the community anymore. I 71 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:46,520 Speaker 2: do not feel safe. 72 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:48,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, that is not fair. That's not something that they 73 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:52,280 Speaker 1: should be living with. Tell me Joe, in terms of 74 00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:55,040 Speaker 1: Catherine at this point in time, how are things going 75 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:57,520 Speaker 1: with some of the issues that you've experienced with crime. 76 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:03,000 Speaker 2: So yesterday I went down to meet up with Freyer, 77 00:04:03,320 --> 00:04:05,880 Speaker 2: who's the manager at the k Hub for the and 78 00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:09,920 Speaker 2: just to talk about the Wishing Tree and I said, 79 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:12,520 Speaker 2: she's only been here for six months, and I said, 80 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:14,560 Speaker 2: you know how the thing's going. She has a great 81 00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:17,240 Speaker 2: group of staff there, and she was telling me about 82 00:04:17,440 --> 00:04:20,600 Speaker 2: incidents because I know that they get you a bit 83 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:24,440 Speaker 2: targeted there because of the young staff. So she was 84 00:04:24,440 --> 00:04:26,560 Speaker 2: telling me about an incident with one of her staff 85 00:04:26,839 --> 00:04:29,279 Speaker 2: where they were threatened with a pair of scissors that 86 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:32,719 Speaker 2: they were going to be stabbed. You know, again, this 87 00:04:32,880 --> 00:04:36,760 Speaker 2: is totally unacceptable for people to go to work to 88 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:40,960 Speaker 2: not feel safe in their work environment. And their security 89 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:43,359 Speaker 2: on the door there, you know, but out in the 90 00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:47,320 Speaker 2: shopping center, these people, I mean, I don't know, Katie, 91 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:50,000 Speaker 2: maybe if you're not actually shopping, don't go to the 92 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:53,359 Speaker 2: shopping center, you know. I mean, obviously it's hot and 93 00:04:53,440 --> 00:04:56,839 Speaker 2: people come in for the air conditioning, but not to 94 00:04:56,920 --> 00:04:59,919 Speaker 2: go to work and not feel safe and not beef 95 00:05:00,440 --> 00:05:04,600 Speaker 2: in your work environment is again not acceptable. It's not 96 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:09,400 Speaker 2: I do hear. You know things like this happening around town. 97 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:12,280 Speaker 2: You know of different incidents. The butchers the other week 98 00:05:12,440 --> 00:05:16,360 Speaker 2: was broken into and had six knives stolen. You know, 99 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:19,599 Speaker 2: really exciting thing is and I know that. Yeah, so 100 00:05:19,640 --> 00:05:22,120 Speaker 2: when was that? The Butcher's is just across the road 101 00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:24,640 Speaker 2: from me, and they were broken into and they had 102 00:05:24,680 --> 00:05:25,719 Speaker 2: six knives stolen. 103 00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:28,800 Speaker 1: So what night was that? That was last week? 104 00:05:29,800 --> 00:05:32,600 Speaker 2: That was last week sometime as far as I'm aware. 105 00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:35,920 Speaker 1: Was that information released or well, I haven't seen anything 106 00:05:35,960 --> 00:05:39,039 Speaker 1: about it. But so that was another thing I was 107 00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:41,440 Speaker 1: going to say to you, and I hear that. You know, 108 00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:44,719 Speaker 1: I understand that the police are very stretched and the 109 00:05:44,760 --> 00:05:48,800 Speaker 1: police do an amazing job here in town. They're accessible 110 00:05:48,800 --> 00:05:51,000 Speaker 1: with their coffee with a cop that they have every 111 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:53,359 Speaker 1: second Friday and I understand that. 112 00:05:54,080 --> 00:05:55,920 Speaker 2: On the radio yesterday, I think it was that they 113 00:05:55,920 --> 00:05:58,560 Speaker 2: were talking about the police media that are stretched. Yeah, 114 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:00,680 Speaker 2: we were talking about the thin blue line on themselves. 115 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:01,000 Speaker 1: Yep. 116 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:04,000 Speaker 2: But there is a lot of things that I hear 117 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:09,120 Speaker 2: out in the community, for example, like the incident at 118 00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:14,359 Speaker 2: you know, the girl being threatened with the scissors, the 119 00:06:14,360 --> 00:06:18,119 Speaker 2: the knives being stolen at the butchers, And I don't 120 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:21,760 Speaker 2: hear of this out in the media, and and I 121 00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:26,240 Speaker 2: just wonder why people not being alluded to these things. 122 00:06:26,279 --> 00:06:29,520 Speaker 2: I mean, walking around with six knives the butcher. I'd 123 00:06:29,560 --> 00:06:31,960 Speaker 2: say that's fairly then. 124 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:34,200 Speaker 1: I would say that people agree with you, you know, 125 00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:36,040 Speaker 1: I would say that people agree with you if there's 126 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:38,520 Speaker 1: been six knives stolen. And look, this is the first 127 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:41,599 Speaker 1: time hearing of it. We will contact the police Media 128 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:44,000 Speaker 1: Unit to see what we can find out and to 129 00:06:44,480 --> 00:06:47,360 Speaker 1: find out, you know, why that information wasn't released if 130 00:06:47,360 --> 00:06:49,839 Speaker 1: that is the case. But it sounds like it is. 131 00:06:49,880 --> 00:06:52,000 Speaker 1: I mean, you've got no reason to be making that up. 132 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:54,600 Speaker 1: The butcher's got no reason to be something that stole 133 00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:55,039 Speaker 1: the butcher. 134 00:06:55,640 --> 00:06:57,719 Speaker 2: And I've spoken to him about it, and. 135 00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:01,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, and it's a very good point that you raise 136 00:07:01,839 --> 00:07:05,280 Speaker 1: that it is I would think a dangerous situation then 137 00:07:05,360 --> 00:07:08,640 Speaker 1: to have those knives stolen and for them to be 138 00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:10,320 Speaker 1: out on the street, you would think that that is 139 00:07:10,360 --> 00:07:12,200 Speaker 1: something that we're alerting the community to. 140 00:07:13,880 --> 00:07:16,920 Speaker 2: Yeah. Correct, And you know I've spoken in Parliament on 141 00:07:16,960 --> 00:07:20,760 Speaker 2: different times about step Out. Now I'm on the board 142 00:07:20,760 --> 00:07:22,920 Speaker 2: of step Out, and that you know, one of the 143 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:28,240 Speaker 2: supported independent living houses has repeatedly been targeted. They've had 144 00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:30,600 Speaker 2: a ram rate in their fence, they've had the car 145 00:07:30,720 --> 00:07:33,800 Speaker 2: broken into, they've had the step out business broken into 146 00:07:34,160 --> 00:07:39,480 Speaker 2: on numerous occasions this year. And you know, again, these 147 00:07:39,520 --> 00:07:45,240 Speaker 2: are vulnerable people living in houses with terrors and just 148 00:07:45,520 --> 00:07:47,360 Speaker 2: not feeling safe in their house. 149 00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:50,840 Speaker 1: And so tell me, so, have we got a situation 150 00:07:50,880 --> 00:07:53,680 Speaker 1: where there are staffing levels that are low or that 151 00:07:54,040 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 1: you know, you're not able to fill some of those 152 00:07:55,760 --> 00:07:59,400 Speaker 1: jobs setting Catherine as well in terms of looking after 153 00:07:59,440 --> 00:08:00,160 Speaker 1: the scene. 154 00:08:03,400 --> 00:08:07,000 Speaker 2: So with the in the step Out case, I know 155 00:08:07,080 --> 00:08:09,840 Speaker 2: that they do have the staffing levels there, So they 156 00:08:09,880 --> 00:08:12,360 Speaker 2: do have staffer in those houses and staff stay in 157 00:08:12,400 --> 00:08:16,920 Speaker 2: the house overnight and support the clients that they have. 158 00:08:18,480 --> 00:08:21,720 Speaker 2: They've got CCTV footage there, they've got a six foot fence. 159 00:08:21,760 --> 00:08:24,000 Speaker 2: They do absolutely and they cut down the hedge out 160 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:28,000 Speaker 2: the front so they could see better. They've done everything 161 00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:32,240 Speaker 2: that they can to keep that house and those participants safe, 162 00:08:32,880 --> 00:08:35,640 Speaker 2: and last week they just drove straight to the fence. 163 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:38,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, it is. 164 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:42,640 Speaker 2: Staffing in others, in other areas. I did note that 165 00:08:42,720 --> 00:08:46,959 Speaker 2: the Minister of the Territory Families, Maria kid has said 166 00:08:47,320 --> 00:08:52,440 Speaker 2: we are currently one hundred and forty vacancies across the 167 00:08:52,559 --> 00:08:57,439 Speaker 2: territory and Darwin have the police and Territory Families working together. 168 00:08:57,480 --> 00:08:59,840 Speaker 2: And so to Alice Springs, Well, when I heard that announcement, 169 00:09:00,160 --> 00:09:03,240 Speaker 2: thinking well, why don't Catherine and Tenant Creek have the 170 00:09:03,280 --> 00:09:06,720 Speaker 2: same because we all have the same, you know, levels 171 00:09:06,720 --> 00:09:11,160 Speaker 2: of crime happening. You know, someone said our crime here 172 00:09:11,160 --> 00:09:15,240 Speaker 2: and Catherine is worse than you know, potentially in our Springs. Well, 173 00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:19,680 Speaker 2: I don't know about that. Yeah, what I do know 174 00:09:19,840 --> 00:09:22,400 Speaker 2: is there is a lot of crime going on and 175 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:25,800 Speaker 2: I don't think that we would have the staff in 176 00:09:25,840 --> 00:09:30,040 Speaker 2: our Territory Families Housing in Communities office here in Catherine. 177 00:09:29,160 --> 00:09:33,480 Speaker 2: And again I hear we are thirty start down justin Katherine. 178 00:09:33,920 --> 00:09:36,160 Speaker 1: Well look we have got the we are going to 179 00:09:36,160 --> 00:09:38,880 Speaker 1: have the Minister for Territory Families Naia kit on the 180 00:09:38,880 --> 00:09:41,360 Speaker 1: week that was tomorrow, so I'll certainly ask some more 181 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:46,839 Speaker 1: questions in that space. Joe Hersey. Yeah, yeah, we're waiting 182 00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:49,640 Speaker 1: here at what they have to say, particularly with those 183 00:09:49,679 --> 00:09:53,480 Speaker 1: staffing levels. Joe Hersey. Always appreciate your time. Thank you 184 00:09:53,600 --> 00:09:55,160 Speaker 1: very much for having a chat with us this morning, 185 00:09:55,200 --> 00:09:57,320 Speaker 1: and we'll see what we can find out about those 186 00:09:57,400 --> 00:10:00,800 Speaker 1: knives being stolen from the butcher as well. 187 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:03,440 Speaker 2: No worries, Katie. And just before I go, we have 188 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:06,760 Speaker 2: our Catherine lights up with the Katherine Community Projects and 189 00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:10,079 Speaker 2: Oke's house is open on the weekend. So there are 190 00:10:10,240 --> 00:10:13,560 Speaker 2: some antisocial and problems going on in Catherine, but we 191 00:10:13,640 --> 00:10:17,800 Speaker 2: do have a great community of lights and simple businesses 192 00:10:17,840 --> 00:10:20,199 Speaker 2: have lit up their places for people to have a 193 00:10:20,240 --> 00:10:23,120 Speaker 2: look at. And this year it is just next level 194 00:10:23,679 --> 00:10:24,760 Speaker 2: from what it was last year. 195 00:10:24,760 --> 00:10:26,960 Speaker 1: It's good, much stuff, awesome stuff. 196 00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:27,959 Speaker 2: It's all lit up. 197 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:31,199 Speaker 1: It's really great, oh wonderful stuff. That is great to hear. 198 00:10:31,320 --> 00:10:33,880 Speaker 1: Will Joe Hersey, lovely to speak to you this morning. 199 00:10:33,920 --> 00:10:35,480 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for your time. If I don't 200 00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:37,760 Speaker 1: talk to you before Christmas, have a lovely Christmas and 201 00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:39,840 Speaker 1: thanks for your time throughout the year. 202 00:10:41,040 --> 00:10:43,080 Speaker 2: No worries thanks Katie, and Merry Christmas to you and 203 00:10:43,160 --> 00:10:44,760 Speaker 2: for the listeners, Thank you.