1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,200 Speaker 1: Well, there's a great yarn from the ABC about a 2 00:00:02,240 --> 00:00:05,800 Speaker 1: group of grandma's and volunteers who've been camping out the 3 00:00:05,840 --> 00:00:08,600 Speaker 1: front of a Tenant Creek service station in an effort 4 00:00:08,640 --> 00:00:12,600 Speaker 1: to fight youth crime and anti social behavior. Steve Edgington 5 00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:15,880 Speaker 1: is the colp's member for Barkley, encompassing the town of 6 00:00:15,880 --> 00:00:20,120 Speaker 1: Tenant Creek. He joins me on the line. Now gette Steve, oh. 7 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:22,920 Speaker 2: Gray, and thank you for having me on the show. 8 00:00:23,239 --> 00:00:26,239 Speaker 1: Nice David to pleasure. This is a really great initiative 9 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:28,840 Speaker 1: coming out of your electorate. Can you tell us a 10 00:00:28,880 --> 00:00:29,800 Speaker 1: little bit more about it? 11 00:00:31,200 --> 00:00:35,760 Speaker 2: Well, the initiative, as the story's been presented, a group 12 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:40,640 Speaker 2: of granny so to speak, have been I suppose working 13 00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:44,160 Speaker 2: and volunteering outside the BP now for roughly about five 14 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:48,000 Speaker 2: to six weeks. Look, leading up to that Intenant Creek, 15 00:00:48,040 --> 00:00:51,480 Speaker 2: what we were seeing was quite a number of young 16 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:53,760 Speaker 2: people and there was a lot of crime happening around 17 00:00:53,800 --> 00:00:56,440 Speaker 2: the BP and where the temporary IgA is. There was 18 00:00:56,560 --> 00:01:02,160 Speaker 2: rock throwing, car windows being smashed, property at other property 19 00:01:02,160 --> 00:01:05,720 Speaker 2: being damaged, large rocks being thrown even at buses, and 20 00:01:06,959 --> 00:01:11,640 Speaker 2: property being stolen inside of the BP. So, look, these 21 00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:16,160 Speaker 2: ladies have taken upon themselves to help bring down crime 22 00:01:16,240 --> 00:01:20,319 Speaker 2: and support the police, support night patrol, and importantly support 23 00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:22,840 Speaker 2: the staff that are working long hours there at night. 24 00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:26,199 Speaker 1: Steve, what is it that they're actually doing there, because 25 00:01:26,200 --> 00:01:28,760 Speaker 1: I mean, I guess as a citizen, you know, they 26 00:01:28,760 --> 00:01:32,840 Speaker 1: can only do so much. So what type of role 27 00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:33,880 Speaker 1: are they playing there at night. 28 00:01:34,720 --> 00:01:39,480 Speaker 2: Well, it's a real physical presence, and as we alluded to, 29 00:01:39,520 --> 00:01:43,640 Speaker 2: the grannies have quite a lot of cultural authority over 30 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:46,920 Speaker 2: young people in Tenant Creek. So what we're seeing is 31 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:50,080 Speaker 2: a lot of the women and of course some of 32 00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:52,640 Speaker 2: the night patrol men who are spending quite a bit 33 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:56,800 Speaker 2: of time there. Tenant Creek's a small place. They're very 34 00:01:56,840 --> 00:02:01,080 Speaker 2: familiar with who these young people are, which families they're 35 00:02:01,160 --> 00:02:04,760 Speaker 2: part of. But they do have that authority to stop 36 00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:09,160 Speaker 2: talk and try to encourage young people to do the 37 00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:11,960 Speaker 2: right thing. And what we're seeing is that that's actually 38 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:15,919 Speaker 2: had some real impact in that particular area of town. 39 00:02:16,080 --> 00:02:19,919 Speaker 2: So crime has significantly reduced in that area, and we've 40 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:23,280 Speaker 2: seen a significant reduction in the amount of young people 41 00:02:23,320 --> 00:02:24,480 Speaker 2: hanging around there at night. 42 00:02:25,320 --> 00:02:26,720 Speaker 1: See. But I don't know if you've had a chance 43 00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:29,160 Speaker 1: to speak to them or chat with them or not. 44 00:02:29,240 --> 00:02:32,120 Speaker 1: But are they scared or worried about their safety at all? 45 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:37,800 Speaker 2: No, No, they're not concerned about their safety. Look, there's 46 00:02:37,840 --> 00:02:42,760 Speaker 2: been a few rowdy young people hanging around, but the 47 00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:47,680 Speaker 2: family connections are very wide intenne Creek, so the fact 48 00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:51,760 Speaker 2: that the women are there in big numbers, there hasn't 49 00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:55,080 Speaker 2: been any concern for their safety. But I think that 50 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:58,200 Speaker 2: engagement with the young people, talking to the young people, 51 00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:01,520 Speaker 2: encouraging them to go home rather than being out on 52 00:03:01,560 --> 00:03:04,360 Speaker 2: the streets and causing trouble is definitely working. 53 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:09,480 Speaker 1: Steve. It's obviously a good calm legal initiative. But are 54 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:12,840 Speaker 1: there concerns that this could lead to more aggressive forms 55 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:14,600 Speaker 1: of vigilante behavior. 56 00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:19,840 Speaker 2: No, not at the moment and certainly not in that area. 57 00:03:19,960 --> 00:03:25,119 Speaker 2: The group of grannies that are out there volunteering their 58 00:03:25,200 --> 00:03:29,840 Speaker 2: time it is having an impact. But look, I think 59 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:33,160 Speaker 2: what we're seeing and what people are observing in the 60 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:38,560 Speaker 2: area is that it's a very friendly, calm approach to 61 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:42,360 Speaker 2: dealing with the issues and there's certainly no suggestion that 62 00:03:42,400 --> 00:03:46,200 Speaker 2: it could lead to any vigilanteism going on. So look, 63 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:50,840 Speaker 2: I'm really happy and I think all credit to these 64 00:03:50,880 --> 00:03:54,200 Speaker 2: women that are doing this off their own back. You know, 65 00:03:54,240 --> 00:03:57,080 Speaker 2: they're spending long hours anywhere between about nine thirty and 66 00:03:57,680 --> 00:04:00,960 Speaker 2: five point thirty in the morning on some night. It's 67 00:04:00,960 --> 00:04:03,160 Speaker 2: a real credit to the women that they've stepped up 68 00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 2: to make sure that crime is reduced and engaging with 69 00:04:08,120 --> 00:04:08,680 Speaker 2: young people. 70 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:11,920 Speaker 1: Steve. Last week we saw Alice Springs thrown into the 71 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:15,760 Speaker 1: national spotlight with that horrific report on a current affair. 72 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:20,119 Speaker 1: Tenant Creek's been in a similar situation about three years 73 00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:22,880 Speaker 1: ago now with the alleged rape of a child in 74 00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:25,760 Speaker 1: the town. Obviously, you were a mayor at the time. 75 00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:28,720 Speaker 1: You're no stranger to you know, when your town does 76 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:31,440 Speaker 1: get thrown into the national spotlight for all the wrong reasons. 77 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:34,640 Speaker 1: What would you say to the residents of Alice Springs? 78 00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:36,720 Speaker 1: And I guess also, how are you you know this 79 00:04:36,760 --> 00:04:38,760 Speaker 1: is an issue that does affect those in the Barkley 80 00:04:38,760 --> 00:04:41,880 Speaker 1: and Tenant Creek as well. What's been your reaction since 81 00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:43,200 Speaker 1: that report on a current affair? 82 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:48,480 Speaker 2: Well, you know, just looking at that footage of what 83 00:04:48,560 --> 00:04:51,279 Speaker 2: was going on in Alla Springs, that was really horrifying stuff. 84 00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:54,039 Speaker 2: And you know, for the people were involved in that, 85 00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:58,279 Speaker 2: the residence of Tenant Creek. Look, I really feel for 86 00:04:58,360 --> 00:05:02,000 Speaker 2: all of the residents in Tennant Creek business people houses 87 00:05:02,040 --> 00:05:04,960 Speaker 2: are being broken into and cars are being stolen. I've 88 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:09,760 Speaker 2: also seen footage of large fights, vehicles on fire. It 89 00:05:09,880 --> 00:05:12,240 Speaker 2: seems to be certainly out of control there and it's 90 00:05:12,320 --> 00:05:15,360 Speaker 2: time in my view, for the government to step up 91 00:05:15,400 --> 00:05:19,080 Speaker 2: and show some leadership when it comes to dealing with crime. 92 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:22,880 Speaker 2: Look that the issue around repeat offending is a big 93 00:05:22,920 --> 00:05:27,039 Speaker 2: issue right across the Northern Territory and that's why today 94 00:05:27,279 --> 00:05:31,440 Speaker 2: we'll be introducing some new legislation into Parliament to try 95 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:35,080 Speaker 2: and stop that revolving door of a repeat offenders getting 96 00:05:35,120 --> 00:05:38,400 Speaker 2: out on bail. But there's a lot more to it. 97 00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:43,400 Speaker 2: What needs to happen is, in my view, it's the 98 00:05:43,480 --> 00:05:45,760 Speaker 2: first approach. Needs to be a whole of government, whole 99 00:05:45,760 --> 00:05:48,760 Speaker 2: of community approach. What they need. In my view, the 100 00:05:48,839 --> 00:05:51,960 Speaker 2: thing that I often say is missing when it comes 101 00:05:52,000 --> 00:05:55,400 Speaker 2: to crime is that we hear of economic plans, we 102 00:05:55,480 --> 00:05:59,479 Speaker 2: hear of tourism plans, we hear of liquor plans, we 103 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:03,000 Speaker 2: hear of domestic violence action plans. What we don't have 104 00:06:03,279 --> 00:06:06,240 Speaker 2: is a crime reduction plan and it's high time this 105 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:09,320 Speaker 2: government to step back and start putting something together. To 106 00:06:10,160 --> 00:06:12,520 Speaker 2: have a documented plan that's going to help to reduce 107 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:16,080 Speaker 2: crime and pull the people together, the stakeholders. It's government, 108 00:06:16,120 --> 00:06:19,960 Speaker 2: it's non government, it's business people, it's young people. It 109 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:23,680 Speaker 2: needs that whole of government, whole of community approach, set 110 00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:27,359 Speaker 2: some real targets, deal with the underlying issues, but hold 111 00:06:27,400 --> 00:06:31,400 Speaker 2: every agency accountable for the funding that they get and 112 00:06:31,480 --> 00:06:36,560 Speaker 2: make sure they're delivering on what the intended part of 113 00:06:36,600 --> 00:06:39,240 Speaker 2: their contract is. So everybody has a role and it's 114 00:06:39,320 --> 00:06:42,200 Speaker 2: high time the government did a more coordinator than collaborative 115 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:43,400 Speaker 2: approach to tackling crime. 116 00:06:43,880 --> 00:06:45,800 Speaker 1: Well, we know you are a busy man with this 117 00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:49,480 Speaker 1: in Parliament today, we will let you go. Colp's Member 118 00:06:49,520 --> 00:06:51,719 Speaker 1: for Barclay, Steve Edgington, thank you so much for your 119 00:06:51,760 --> 00:06:52,400 Speaker 1: time this morning.