1 00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:04,160 Speaker 1: The federal opposition leader, Peter Dutton is in town today 2 00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:06,880 Speaker 1: and joins me on the line right now. Good morning 3 00:00:06,880 --> 00:00:08,240 Speaker 1: to you, Opposition leader. 4 00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:09,840 Speaker 2: And good morning. How are you? 5 00:00:09,960 --> 00:00:12,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, really well, Now what are you doing in Darwin. 6 00:00:13,640 --> 00:00:17,040 Speaker 2: We've got a pretty packed schedule. We've got International Women's 7 00:00:17,079 --> 00:00:21,000 Speaker 2: Day lunch and shortly meeting with some small business owners. 8 00:00:21,760 --> 00:00:26,599 Speaker 2: We've got the CLP function and a couple of other meetings. 9 00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:32,080 Speaker 2: So a busy day. But it's great weather and good 10 00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:32,800 Speaker 2: to be back in the MT. 11 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:36,479 Speaker 1: So it is more, I guess, more about holding some 12 00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:39,000 Speaker 1: meetings and that kind of thing. No, no, oh, I 13 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:41,720 Speaker 1: suppose it's a bit harder to make announcements from opposition, 14 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:44,839 Speaker 1: but any announcements or anything we can expect while you're here. 15 00:00:45,800 --> 00:00:47,760 Speaker 2: No, Well, the sad part about opposition is you don't 16 00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:52,280 Speaker 2: have any cash, so it's much harder to try and 17 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:55,880 Speaker 2: make people happy. The PM's got a big wallet and 18 00:00:55,920 --> 00:00:58,720 Speaker 2: you can write out big checks. So look, we're one 19 00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:00,560 Speaker 2: of the things. I guess the thing that we're doing 20 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:03,240 Speaker 2: at the moment is formulating our policy so that we 21 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:05,560 Speaker 2: can take that to the election. Some of it will 22 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:07,800 Speaker 2: announce before the election. A lot of it, in fact, 23 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:11,320 Speaker 2: will announce before the election. But speaking to people, to 24 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:14,760 Speaker 2: small business owners, you know, the issue of law and 25 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:18,160 Speaker 2: orders obviously huge care but in many other parts of 26 00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:22,120 Speaker 2: the country, so there's an opportunity to care more about 27 00:01:22,160 --> 00:01:25,319 Speaker 2: what some of the solutions could be and putting all 28 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:28,200 Speaker 2: that policy together is a really big priority. 29 00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:30,400 Speaker 1: Well, I do want to ask about that issue. It's 30 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:32,760 Speaker 1: one that a lot of Territorians are struggling with, but 31 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:36,319 Speaker 1: also across Australia we are. It's you know, it is 32 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:40,240 Speaker 1: a terrible situation that we're seeing that's crime, specifically youth crime. 33 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:43,800 Speaker 1: This week we had a group of kids, one of 34 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:46,400 Speaker 1: them was seven years old, involved in the mugging of 35 00:01:46,440 --> 00:01:49,520 Speaker 1: an eighty one year old woman in the early hours 36 00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:51,680 Speaker 1: of Monday morning. When I say early hours, I mean 37 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:54,880 Speaker 1: around ten am in the morning. Now police alleged that 38 00:01:54,920 --> 00:01:57,840 Speaker 1: a knife was pulled on that woman while she was shopping. 39 00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:00,560 Speaker 1: As I said, we've got some real issues to deal 40 00:02:00,560 --> 00:02:03,480 Speaker 1: with here in the Northern Territory. But do you feel, 41 00:02:03,480 --> 00:02:05,800 Speaker 1: as so there needs to be a whole of Australia 42 00:02:05,880 --> 00:02:08,720 Speaker 1: approach on this issue. I mean, do we need to 43 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:11,079 Speaker 1: be looking at things on a federal scale of how 44 00:02:11,080 --> 00:02:13,760 Speaker 1: we deal with it. 45 00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:16,840 Speaker 2: Well, certainly, we've got to look at a jurisdiction by jurisdiction, 46 00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:20,920 Speaker 2: so territory by state, and territory there's there are some 47 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:24,240 Speaker 2: laws that are applicable at a federal level, but most 48 00:02:24,240 --> 00:02:29,480 Speaker 2: of the laws state or territory laws, and there's you know, 49 00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:31,399 Speaker 2: there has to be a desire and a will from 50 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:33,920 Speaker 2: the government at the day to be able to clamp 51 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:37,760 Speaker 2: down and to make sure that the courts understand that 52 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:41,840 Speaker 2: the government has an expectation that penalties will be imposed. 53 00:02:41,840 --> 00:02:45,000 Speaker 2: And if the penalties are insufficient or the courts aren't 54 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:49,400 Speaker 2: making sure that there's a deterrence in the penalties that 55 00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:52,240 Speaker 2: they're handing down, then that's up to the government to 56 00:02:52,240 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 2: make sure that they can respond accordingly. A mend the law, 57 00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:58,040 Speaker 2: make it tougher, send a clearer message, and also put 58 00:02:58,080 --> 00:03:04,480 Speaker 2: the resources into intervention and prevention stages instead of I 59 00:03:04,520 --> 00:03:07,920 Speaker 2: think getting to a point where people are just exhausted 60 00:03:07,919 --> 00:03:12,120 Speaker 2: and in many cases they've just given up. The social 61 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:16,920 Speaker 2: workers have got case loads that no reasonable person could manage. 62 00:03:17,800 --> 00:03:20,280 Speaker 2: And you know, there are many factors that lead into it. 63 00:03:21,639 --> 00:03:25,440 Speaker 2: The age of criminal responsibility. To talk of the federal 64 00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:28,200 Speaker 2: Attorney General of increasing that age is just ridiculous. 65 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:31,400 Speaker 1: Well, it has been increased, like here in the Northern Territory, 66 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:34,080 Speaker 1: it has been increased. It's now been raised to twelve. 67 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:36,119 Speaker 1: Do you think it should remain teen? 68 00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:40,840 Speaker 2: Well, I think people have to look at the evidence 69 00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:44,720 Speaker 2: that's out there. Has it improved the situation has improved, 70 00:03:45,440 --> 00:03:48,640 Speaker 2: the law and order situation in the Northern Territory. I 71 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:50,600 Speaker 2: don't think many people would tell you that it has. 72 00:03:51,160 --> 00:03:55,119 Speaker 2: And if it's contributed to the deterioration in the circumstances 73 00:03:55,200 --> 00:03:58,800 Speaker 2: we've seen, the consequences are real because people who get assaulted, 74 00:03:58,800 --> 00:04:03,320 Speaker 2: people do lose lives. Kids are involved in motor vehicle 75 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:06,680 Speaker 2: accidents where they lose their lives. There's no winner out 76 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:10,960 Speaker 2: of any of that. And pretending that you can just 77 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:14,240 Speaker 2: have a soft conversation and that all will be right, 78 00:04:14,920 --> 00:04:16,800 Speaker 2: it won't go out and commit crimes again, it just 79 00:04:16,839 --> 00:04:21,080 Speaker 2: doesn't work. And the lived experience here, particularly in the 80 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:26,320 Speaker 2: Northern Territory, has been confronting to many residents. Because people 81 00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:29,040 Speaker 2: work hard for their money, they buy a car, or 82 00:04:29,839 --> 00:04:33,120 Speaker 2: they build a nice house. They want to enjoy their 83 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:38,280 Speaker 2: life and not be confronted by criminals, particularly young criminals 84 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:42,480 Speaker 2: who don't have any regard for in some cases human life, 85 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:45,599 Speaker 2: certainly for property, and there's a lot that needs to 86 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:46,120 Speaker 2: be done. 87 00:04:46,279 --> 00:04:49,440 Speaker 1: I mean, the issue has absolutely reached fever pitch. I 88 00:04:49,480 --> 00:04:51,560 Speaker 1: think you'd have to say here in the Northern Territory 89 00:04:51,560 --> 00:04:54,160 Speaker 1: people are really fed up with what we're dealing with 90 00:04:54,200 --> 00:04:57,320 Speaker 1: when it comes with crime. But early this morning the 91 00:04:57,360 --> 00:05:00,520 Speaker 1: Northern Territory Police had to commence an investigation into a 92 00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:04,600 Speaker 1: fatal crash in Alice Springs. So just before two o'clock 93 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:08,359 Speaker 1: this morning, the Joint Emergency Services Communications Center received a 94 00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:10,680 Speaker 1: report about the theft of a gray Toyo to high 95 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:14,200 Speaker 1: Lux Duel cab. It was registered in South Australia. It 96 00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:17,560 Speaker 1: had been stolen from a caravan park in Alice Springs. 97 00:05:17,640 --> 00:05:21,200 Speaker 1: It occurred well. The theft occurred at a cabin at the 98 00:05:21,240 --> 00:05:25,000 Speaker 1: caravan park and resulted in the vehicle keys being stolen. 99 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:28,400 Speaker 1: The car was then stolen was driven through the Boomgates 100 00:05:28,480 --> 00:05:31,680 Speaker 1: now at about three point forty in the morning. Then 101 00:05:32,240 --> 00:05:36,279 Speaker 1: that vehicle overturned and crashed while attempting a right turn. 102 00:05:36,960 --> 00:05:40,960 Speaker 1: CCTV footage has captured the incident and revealed that a 103 00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:46,400 Speaker 1: mail passenger seated on the door of the open window space. 104 00:05:46,920 --> 00:05:49,480 Speaker 1: That's where he was when it crashed. Now the vehicle 105 00:05:49,560 --> 00:05:53,719 Speaker 1: rolled on him, rendering him unconscious. Eight mails were observed 106 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:58,000 Speaker 1: then fleeing from the overturned vehicle in various directions. That 107 00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:01,359 Speaker 1: eighteen year old passenger was found in a critical condition, 108 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:05,520 Speaker 1: transported to Alice Springs Hospital, but succumbed to his injuries. 109 00:06:06,320 --> 00:06:08,120 Speaker 1: This is a horrifying situation. 110 00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:12,960 Speaker 2: Well, it's just dreadful. It really is. At every angle, 111 00:06:13,400 --> 00:06:17,640 Speaker 2: it's just it's horrific, and perhaps the most tragic part 112 00:06:17,640 --> 00:06:21,200 Speaker 2: about it is that it's entirely predictable. And I think 113 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:25,440 Speaker 2: the territory government has been warned by police, certainly been 114 00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:29,400 Speaker 2: worn by politicians, been warned by the media, been worn 115 00:06:29,440 --> 00:06:35,400 Speaker 2: by residents, and the situation continues to compound and to deteriorate. 116 00:06:36,360 --> 00:06:40,839 Speaker 2: I think there is a lot of understandable frustration from 117 00:06:40,960 --> 00:06:44,640 Speaker 2: Territorians about a government that just hasn't been capable of 118 00:06:45,279 --> 00:06:49,680 Speaker 2: responding to the realities of these crimes, and they continue 119 00:06:49,839 --> 00:06:55,080 Speaker 2: to increase in severity. I think social media part as well. 120 00:06:55,720 --> 00:06:58,480 Speaker 2: We've advocated Prime minist hasn't taken it up yet, but 121 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:01,320 Speaker 2: we'd like to work together with the government at a 122 00:07:01,360 --> 00:07:04,480 Speaker 2: federal level to implement a rating that means that people 123 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:08,440 Speaker 2: can't post the photos that they want to post online 124 00:07:08,480 --> 00:07:10,960 Speaker 2: to give them cutos in their gang or with other 125 00:07:11,520 --> 00:07:15,760 Speaker 2: kids in their age group on Instagram or TikTok or 126 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:18,160 Speaker 2: whatever it might be, and you can ban those kids 127 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:22,400 Speaker 2: from using those social media apps. There's a you know, 128 00:07:22,520 --> 00:07:25,840 Speaker 2: the technology available that allows you to do that, and 129 00:07:25,880 --> 00:07:28,600 Speaker 2: it takes away some of the glorification of the crimes 130 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:29,280 Speaker 2: that they're committing. 131 00:07:29,560 --> 00:07:31,520 Speaker 1: So, if you have just joined us this morning, we 132 00:07:31,560 --> 00:07:35,680 Speaker 1: are speaking to the federal Opposition leader Peter Dutton. And now, Peter, 133 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:38,640 Speaker 1: do you think that you know that making a change 134 00:07:38,680 --> 00:07:40,880 Speaker 1: like that, because we do very often see youths that 135 00:07:40,960 --> 00:07:44,000 Speaker 1: are committing crimes. They are sharing videos, they're uploading stuff 136 00:07:44,040 --> 00:07:48,440 Speaker 1: on TikTok, on Instagram on various locations. Do you think 137 00:07:48,440 --> 00:07:50,280 Speaker 1: that that would make a difference to some of what 138 00:07:50,320 --> 00:07:53,320 Speaker 1: we are seeing around the place, particularly some of those 139 00:07:53,640 --> 00:07:55,960 Speaker 1: you know, those kids that have stolen cars and them 140 00:07:56,080 --> 00:07:57,280 Speaker 1: taking aim at police. 141 00:07:59,280 --> 00:08:01,600 Speaker 2: I think it would be because it's the currency that 142 00:08:01,920 --> 00:08:04,280 Speaker 2: matters most of them at the moment is their phone 143 00:08:04,280 --> 00:08:09,120 Speaker 2: and the ability to get the cutos and the applause 144 00:08:09,160 --> 00:08:12,520 Speaker 2: and the likes from their mates and from their social groups. 145 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:14,880 Speaker 2: When I was a policeman a long time ago, but 146 00:08:15,320 --> 00:08:17,080 Speaker 2: we'd go to a break and edit. The breaking edit 147 00:08:17,240 --> 00:08:19,840 Speaker 2: was as a result of somebody breaking in for food, 148 00:08:19,880 --> 00:08:23,600 Speaker 2: particularly if it was a young kid or a few 149 00:08:24,160 --> 00:08:26,640 Speaker 2: kids who break into somebody's house or stole a car, 150 00:08:27,160 --> 00:08:30,800 Speaker 2: generally because people were looking for money for drugs. And 151 00:08:31,480 --> 00:08:35,360 Speaker 2: now the situation's very different than what it was, you know, 152 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:39,120 Speaker 2: all those years ago. It's about making sure that you 153 00:08:39,160 --> 00:08:42,760 Speaker 2: can steal something of value. It's standing over an old 154 00:08:42,840 --> 00:08:45,760 Speaker 2: lady and taking a photo and posting that. If it 155 00:08:45,800 --> 00:08:49,120 Speaker 2: wasn't part of the motivation for the committing the crimes, 156 00:08:49,160 --> 00:08:52,120 Speaker 2: they wouldn't be posting it. And that's why I think 157 00:08:52,120 --> 00:08:56,439 Speaker 2: it does make sense and it's certainly worth trying, and 158 00:08:56,520 --> 00:08:58,480 Speaker 2: it's something that we would strongly support. 159 00:08:58,160 --> 00:09:01,080 Speaker 1: It opposition later before I go, I think for a 160 00:09:01,080 --> 00:09:03,760 Speaker 1: lot of Territorians listening this morning, they're so fed up 161 00:09:03,760 --> 00:09:05,920 Speaker 1: with the issues of crime, they're so fed up with 162 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:07,839 Speaker 1: some of what we are seeing around the place, and 163 00:09:07,880 --> 00:09:09,760 Speaker 1: I get that a lot of it does fall under 164 00:09:09,960 --> 00:09:13,520 Speaker 1: the Northern Territory government realm, particularly when you're talking about 165 00:09:13,960 --> 00:09:18,520 Speaker 1: you know, about sentencing and about the different legislation when 166 00:09:18,520 --> 00:09:20,640 Speaker 1: it comes to youth crime. But do you think that 167 00:09:20,679 --> 00:09:24,280 Speaker 1: there is more or is there more on a federal 168 00:09:24,520 --> 00:09:27,240 Speaker 1: scale that could be happening to try to help the 169 00:09:27,280 --> 00:09:31,400 Speaker 1: Northern Territory at this point, Well, Katie. 170 00:09:31,400 --> 00:09:34,720 Speaker 2: My sense and I made this point when I was 171 00:09:34,720 --> 00:09:38,400 Speaker 2: in Alice Springs with just Hit a Price. My sense 172 00:09:38,520 --> 00:09:41,560 Speaker 2: is speaking with some of the whistleblowers they're the community 173 00:09:41,600 --> 00:09:44,800 Speaker 2: service workers and the police as well, is that they 174 00:09:44,800 --> 00:09:49,160 Speaker 2: feel completely overwhelmed, not supported by the territory government and 175 00:09:49,480 --> 00:09:53,120 Speaker 2: they don't have the resources to respond. A lot happened 176 00:09:53,360 --> 00:09:57,040 Speaker 2: as a result of the federal government withdrawing the casualist 177 00:09:57,080 --> 00:09:59,800 Speaker 2: debit cards, so greg became an issue again in the 178 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:04,160 Speaker 2: violence domestic violence that flows from that. There's a lot 179 00:10:04,200 --> 00:10:06,600 Speaker 2: that the federal government can do by providing support and 180 00:10:06,679 --> 00:10:10,720 Speaker 2: resource to supplement the work of the Northern Territory Police. 181 00:10:10,760 --> 00:10:14,040 Speaker 2: And if that's what's required to restore law and order, 182 00:10:14,600 --> 00:10:16,319 Speaker 2: then that's what the Prime Minister should be doing, and 183 00:10:16,400 --> 00:10:18,880 Speaker 2: the Chief Minister should be reaching out to the Prime 184 00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:21,920 Speaker 2: Minister asking for that support. But at the moment when 185 00:10:21,920 --> 00:10:25,000 Speaker 2: you speak to people with our cameras there and when 186 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:27,840 Speaker 2: they're being honest with you, for these are the frontline workers, 187 00:10:28,520 --> 00:10:30,680 Speaker 2: they don't feel that they're getting the support. In fact, 188 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:33,160 Speaker 2: they feel that the laws are working against them, and 189 00:10:33,640 --> 00:10:36,000 Speaker 2: I think that's the frustration that's felt within the community 190 00:10:36,000 --> 00:10:40,000 Speaker 2: as well. Until the Chief Minister listens to that frontline advice, 191 00:10:40,640 --> 00:10:43,080 Speaker 2: stops listening to the policy offens who tell you that 192 00:10:43,080 --> 00:10:45,800 Speaker 2: there's nothing wrong and the current path that we're on 193 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:49,520 Speaker 2: is going to solve everything that's failed, and you need 194 00:10:49,559 --> 00:10:52,080 Speaker 2: to start talking to people who have their finger on 195 00:10:52,120 --> 00:10:54,679 Speaker 2: the pulse, know how to respond to it, and are 196 00:10:54,679 --> 00:10:56,640 Speaker 2: dealing with the realities of these crimes every day. 197 00:10:57,320 --> 00:11:00,280 Speaker 1: Well, Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, we are going to 198 00:11:00,320 --> 00:11:01,800 Speaker 1: have to leave it there. Thank you so much for 199 00:11:01,840 --> 00:11:05,199 Speaker 1: your time this morning. We appreciate it my pleasure to 200 00:11:05,200 --> 00:11:05,800 Speaker 1: speak against TU. 201 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:06,480 Speaker 2: Thank you.