1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:02,599 Speaker 1: Joining me on the line right now is the mayor 2 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:04,360 Speaker 1: of Alice Springs, Matt Patterson. 3 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:07,120 Speaker 2: Good morning, Matt, Good morning Katie. 4 00:00:07,120 --> 00:00:07,960 Speaker 3: Thanks for having me again. 5 00:00:08,039 --> 00:00:10,399 Speaker 2: Matt, thanks for joining us for a quick chat this morning. 6 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:12,760 Speaker 1: I understand that there's been no let up in Alice 7 00:00:12,760 --> 00:00:15,760 Speaker 1: Springs over the last few days. You'ds driving around in 8 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:18,720 Speaker 1: stolen cars for a third night in a row. 9 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:23,320 Speaker 3: Yes, it's the same old scenario that we're having last year, Kady. 10 00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:27,680 Speaker 3: It's back to the new normal, which is pre heartbreaking 11 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:30,360 Speaker 3: that you know, we've seen three days of carne and 12 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:34,159 Speaker 3: jeanell Us, stolen cards, more buildings broken into, more shops 13 00:00:34,280 --> 00:00:38,840 Speaker 3: smashed up, driven through, So it's the same old scenario, really, Matt. 14 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:41,239 Speaker 1: Do you know how many cars have been stolen in 15 00:00:41,280 --> 00:00:43,920 Speaker 1: the last couple of days or in the last last week. 16 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:46,960 Speaker 1: From my account of the pressure releases and the info 17 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:48,800 Speaker 1: that's come out, I think it's about nine. 18 00:00:49,280 --> 00:00:50,200 Speaker 2: But what's your take. 19 00:00:51,479 --> 00:00:54,080 Speaker 3: Yeah, that's the same number I've heard, and that's what's 20 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:57,200 Speaker 3: been reported, so there's probably a few more that will 21 00:00:57,200 --> 00:01:01,200 Speaker 3: come out later. But yes, it's minderstanding is there's nine 22 00:01:01,200 --> 00:01:05,080 Speaker 3: and they've been driven around the CBD and putting themselves 23 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:07,039 Speaker 3: at danger, but pedestrians and police as well. 24 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:10,520 Speaker 1: Matt, what is the go Because it seemed ustart quiet 25 00:01:10,520 --> 00:01:11,920 Speaker 1: and down for a little bit there, But you and 26 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:14,040 Speaker 1: I spoke over that time and you said that some 27 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:16,920 Speaker 1: serious work really needed to happen. Well, things were a 28 00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:19,960 Speaker 1: bit quieter to ensure that they didn't kick back off again. 29 00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:21,080 Speaker 2: And here we are. 30 00:01:22,560 --> 00:01:25,680 Speaker 3: Yep. You know everyone was saying how good things were 31 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:29,040 Speaker 3: in winter time, that we knew that this they weren't great, 32 00:01:29,080 --> 00:01:30,679 Speaker 3: that they were better than last summer, but we knew 33 00:01:30,720 --> 00:01:32,479 Speaker 3: that this time had come again when the weather starts 34 00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:36,280 Speaker 3: to warm up. So it's not no one can say 35 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:39,959 Speaker 3: that they're surprised. It's sort of what we expected. And 36 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:41,959 Speaker 3: it's the same script that we read from last year. 37 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:44,600 Speaker 3: So you know, we've had twelve months to prepare for this. 38 00:01:45,959 --> 00:01:48,520 Speaker 3: You know, hopefully things change in the next few weeks 39 00:01:48,520 --> 00:01:50,760 Speaker 3: for the coming summer months, because I know that the 40 00:01:50,800 --> 00:01:55,600 Speaker 3: alis Bling's communities are pretty frightened about the next few 41 00:01:55,640 --> 00:01:58,120 Speaker 3: months and seeing a replay of last year. 42 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:01,240 Speaker 1: Now, are you expecting more police officers are going to 43 00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:04,080 Speaker 1: be surged into Alice Springs over the Christmas period or 44 00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:06,640 Speaker 1: what are you expecting now over the coming weeks. 45 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:10,440 Speaker 3: Yeah, I imagine as every summer we get an operation, 46 00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:13,320 Speaker 3: which you know, I'm grateful for. I'd love to see 47 00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:15,640 Speaker 3: more policeful time. But we will see an operation, I 48 00:02:15,639 --> 00:02:19,120 Speaker 3: have no doubt. And then my understanding Kadie is that 49 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:21,200 Speaker 3: the out of the forty eight point eight million that 50 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:24,480 Speaker 3: the Prime Minister announced in January this year for police, 51 00:02:24,680 --> 00:02:27,040 Speaker 3: some of that involved new police officers and we'll see 52 00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:30,520 Speaker 3: that roll out in January or February next year, so 53 00:02:30,560 --> 00:02:32,520 Speaker 3: we need to make sure we can it's not that 54 00:02:32,639 --> 00:02:34,960 Speaker 3: much damage before January or February before we get the 55 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:38,280 Speaker 3: new police. But yeah, it's just it's a balancing ap 56 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:38,840 Speaker 3: at this point. 57 00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:40,960 Speaker 1: I was just going to ask, you know, with that 58 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:43,800 Speaker 1: federal money that was announced earlier this year, because it 59 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:45,760 Speaker 1: ended up being more than what did it end up 60 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:47,840 Speaker 1: being in total that was announced? Is it more than 61 00:02:47,840 --> 00:02:50,400 Speaker 1: one hundred million or am I dreaming? No? 62 00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:52,359 Speaker 3: It was three hundred So there was forty eight point 63 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:54,360 Speaker 3: eight that was announced by the Prime Minister, and then 64 00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:56,400 Speaker 3: there was a further two hundred and fifty and now yeah, 65 00:02:56,680 --> 00:03:01,880 Speaker 3: now that's two hundred and fifty was to roll out, 66 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:06,160 Speaker 3: you know, that was to have heavily consultation with the community. 67 00:03:06,200 --> 00:03:09,440 Speaker 3: So I'm actually okay that that rolls out slowly and 68 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:13,079 Speaker 3: we've see money invested in the right area. Get you'll hear, 69 00:03:14,400 --> 00:03:16,600 Speaker 3: you know, no arguments from me about that money, because 70 00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:19,200 Speaker 3: we've seen money wasted in the bush for so long 71 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:21,160 Speaker 3: when we get white elephants everywhere. But the forty eight 72 00:03:21,160 --> 00:03:22,720 Speaker 3: point eight was meant to be meant to be that 73 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:27,480 Speaker 3: instant impact. So we will see those police in January 74 00:03:28,320 --> 00:03:29,000 Speaker 3: in January. 75 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:31,160 Speaker 2: I mean, it's not I get it. I understand what 76 00:03:31,200 --> 00:03:31,640 Speaker 2: you're saying. 77 00:03:31,639 --> 00:03:33,560 Speaker 1: You want to make sure that there's a consultation with 78 00:03:33,639 --> 00:03:35,840 Speaker 1: the whole amount of money. But that forty eight point 79 00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:37,640 Speaker 1: eight that was meant to be an instant impact. 80 00:03:37,640 --> 00:03:38,960 Speaker 2: It's hardly instant. 81 00:03:40,320 --> 00:03:42,400 Speaker 3: Yeah, that's right. And we've seen, you know, twenty five 82 00:03:42,440 --> 00:03:46,360 Speaker 3: million of that rollout for the social service sector, so 83 00:03:46,520 --> 00:03:49,720 Speaker 3: programs continued. Now I don't necessarily think of a whole 84 00:03:49,760 --> 00:03:52,920 Speaker 3: lot of those programs are working, and I don't know 85 00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:57,720 Speaker 3: if a whole lot of social providers doing what they're 86 00:03:57,720 --> 00:03:59,720 Speaker 3: getting funded to do. And I think that that needs 87 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:03,560 Speaker 3: to when to have that conversation, Katie, because the comparison 88 00:04:03,600 --> 00:04:06,119 Speaker 3: I give is if you're a construction company and you've 89 00:04:06,160 --> 00:04:08,440 Speaker 3: been funded to build a four bedroom, two bathroom house 90 00:04:08,920 --> 00:04:11,600 Speaker 3: and you build a two bedroom, one bath house, you're 91 00:04:11,640 --> 00:04:13,280 Speaker 3: not going to get all your money. So if social 92 00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:16,000 Speaker 3: service providers aren't delivering what they're paid to do, then 93 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:19,000 Speaker 3: they shouldn't get all their money either. And there's too 94 00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:22,560 Speaker 3: many providers in Alice Springs getting away with not delivering 95 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:24,360 Speaker 3: on what they're meant to be delivering on. 96 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:27,440 Speaker 1: So you reckon that there are social service providers right 97 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:30,279 Speaker 1: now who are not delivering upon what they are supposed 98 00:04:30,279 --> 00:04:33,280 Speaker 1: to be delivering upon. And is there any questions being 99 00:04:33,360 --> 00:04:36,200 Speaker 1: asked by those that are providing that funding, i e. 100 00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:38,359 Speaker 1: The Northern Territory or the federal government. 101 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:41,520 Speaker 3: I think there's questions that I don't know if people 102 00:04:41,520 --> 00:04:45,680 Speaker 3: want to uncover the uncomfortable troops that are involved in 103 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:47,840 Speaker 3: it that I don't reckon. I know we can't have 104 00:04:47,880 --> 00:04:51,840 Speaker 3: thirty four thirty four social service providers in Alice Springs 105 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:56,760 Speaker 3: or doing their job and still having the chaos and 106 00:04:56,800 --> 00:05:00,760 Speaker 3: carnage that happens every night. You know, half of these 107 00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:03,600 Speaker 3: are solar service providers. They disappear when the sun goes down, 108 00:05:03,680 --> 00:05:06,760 Speaker 3: so it's not working. They need to revent the whole 109 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:08,600 Speaker 3: system and that's probably not going to get us through 110 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:10,840 Speaker 3: this summer, but we need to make sure that's we 111 00:05:10,880 --> 00:05:11,919 Speaker 3: address it going forward. 112 00:05:12,080 --> 00:05:13,040 Speaker 2: Might I agree with you? 113 00:05:13,120 --> 00:05:14,960 Speaker 1: I think you know if we are in the situation 114 00:05:15,040 --> 00:05:17,039 Speaker 1: that we're in in our springs right now, how can 115 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:19,279 Speaker 1: you look at all those different service providers and say 116 00:05:19,279 --> 00:05:20,520 Speaker 1: that things are working? 117 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:22,599 Speaker 2: So what do you reckon needs to happen? 118 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:24,120 Speaker 1: Like I know that you said it can't sort of 119 00:05:24,160 --> 00:05:26,640 Speaker 1: happen immediately, but does there need to be an orders 120 00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:28,880 Speaker 1: of all of those social service providers? 121 00:05:29,880 --> 00:05:31,760 Speaker 3: Well, the Northern Territory government started to the ordered and 122 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:34,159 Speaker 3: I don't know where that's at, but yes, there needs 123 00:05:34,200 --> 00:05:35,680 Speaker 3: to be an audit. And you've got to remember, if 124 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:38,320 Speaker 3: we're paying thirty four service providers are paying thirty four 125 00:05:38,440 --> 00:05:41,040 Speaker 3: general managers, thirty four even and staff thirty four accountants, 126 00:05:41,920 --> 00:05:43,680 Speaker 3: the money's not getting to where it needs to be 127 00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:46,279 Speaker 3: and that's the ground. So there needs to be that 128 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:50,080 Speaker 3: ordered and we need to understand what services are duplicating 129 00:05:50,120 --> 00:05:52,760 Speaker 3: and what services are doing nothing because we can't create 130 00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:56,360 Speaker 3: this environment where we're a service hub, yet we can't 131 00:05:56,360 --> 00:05:59,120 Speaker 3: address the services that need to be addressed. So that 132 00:05:59,160 --> 00:06:01,080 Speaker 3: needs to happen, needs have happened about two and a 133 00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:02,360 Speaker 3: half years ago, and. 134 00:06:02,279 --> 00:06:05,520 Speaker 1: Mate, in the immediate term, what needs to happen over 135 00:06:05,560 --> 00:06:07,600 Speaker 1: the coming days to try and you know, to try 136 00:06:07,640 --> 00:06:09,760 Speaker 1: and minimize what's happening. I know the police are working 137 00:06:09,839 --> 00:06:12,240 Speaker 1: bloody hard by the look of it. You know, they 138 00:06:12,320 --> 00:06:15,279 Speaker 1: have made some arrests. I think that they're well. The 139 00:06:15,360 --> 00:06:18,320 Speaker 1: three vehicles that were driven dangerously last night have been 140 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:21,560 Speaker 1: recovered as I understand it, and sixteen year old's been arrested. 141 00:06:21,960 --> 00:06:25,440 Speaker 1: Investigations on going with police working to determine the earlier 142 00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:28,120 Speaker 1: offending and if it is linked. But what do you 143 00:06:28,160 --> 00:06:30,840 Speaker 1: reckon what needs to happen here, because you know, the 144 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:32,880 Speaker 1: town does not want to have to go through what 145 00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:36,640 Speaker 1: you've been through already earlier this year and towards the 146 00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:37,520 Speaker 1: end of last year. 147 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:43,479 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean short term, all twenty five politicians should 148 00:06:43,640 --> 00:06:46,000 Speaker 3: rent out rooms now are Springings for six weeks and 149 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:49,080 Speaker 3: live there so they know what the residence has to 150 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:51,200 Speaker 3: go through. I think that that's a pretty short term 151 00:06:51,200 --> 00:06:54,640 Speaker 3: measure that you know, people in Daleen and Campbell start 152 00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:57,680 Speaker 3: to understand the realities of it, not what's happening fed 153 00:06:57,760 --> 00:07:00,520 Speaker 3: up through, but it is just that patrolling and the 154 00:07:00,520 --> 00:07:03,800 Speaker 3: accountability piece of these kids. Where's the parents if these 155 00:07:03,839 --> 00:07:07,480 Speaker 3: kids aren't safe, creating a safe space for them, and 156 00:07:08,240 --> 00:07:10,400 Speaker 3: people working together to make sure that we can address this. 157 00:07:10,520 --> 00:07:12,800 Speaker 3: I mean, I can't ask the community of our springs 158 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:15,000 Speaker 3: to do much more. They've done everything that they possibly can, 159 00:07:15,080 --> 00:07:17,280 Speaker 3: but it's out of our control now. We need in 160 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:20,280 Speaker 3: TG to really come to the party and we appreciate. Yes, 161 00:07:20,320 --> 00:07:23,560 Speaker 3: they're trying things. I get it, and you know that's fine, 162 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:26,400 Speaker 3: but when you've had your business driven through, I don't 163 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:27,960 Speaker 3: think that that makes you feel any better. 164 00:07:28,120 --> 00:07:30,960 Speaker 2: No, I agree with you, Matt Patterson. 165 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:31,240 Speaker 3: Mate. 166 00:07:31,280 --> 00:07:33,880 Speaker 1: I appreciate your time this morning on very short notice. 167 00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:37,280 Speaker 1: I'm sorry that you guys are going through this again, 168 00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:40,400 Speaker 1: but stay in contact. Please let us know how things 169 00:07:40,440 --> 00:07:42,200 Speaker 1: are tracking well. 170 00:07:42,240 --> 00:07:44,560 Speaker 3: Do Katie, thank you and thanks you a muys for 171 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:46,520 Speaker 3: having me on I spreading the message through not just 172 00:07:46,640 --> 00:07:49,400 Speaker 3: our springs but through the territory. It's greatly appreciated from 173 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:50,559 Speaker 3: the community, so thank you. 174 00:07:50,680 --> 00:07:53,080 Speaker 1: No worries it all, mate, anytime. Thanks so much for 175 00:07:53,120 --> 00:07:54,000 Speaker 1: your time this morning.