1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:01,960 Speaker 1: Right now we're going to head on down to Alice 2 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:05,440 Speaker 1: Springs and joining us on the line is the Member 3 00:00:05,480 --> 00:00:07,360 Speaker 1: for Braitling, Joshua Burgoing. 4 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:11,080 Speaker 2: Good morning to you, Josh. 5 00:00:09,840 --> 00:00:11,760 Speaker 3: Good morning Katie, and good morning to your listeners. 6 00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:13,880 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for your time this morning. I 7 00:00:13,920 --> 00:00:17,120 Speaker 1: know it's been a busy one for you yourself and 8 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:21,800 Speaker 1: well the other COLP member and also the member Wealthy 9 00:00:21,880 --> 00:00:27,880 Speaker 1: Independent Member Robin Lamley are joining forces this morning and 10 00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:31,120 Speaker 1: it is you guys calling on Michael Gunner to sit 11 00:00:31,200 --> 00:00:33,720 Speaker 1: down with Alice Springs victims of crime. 12 00:00:35,159 --> 00:00:38,839 Speaker 3: Yes, certainly, Katie, look the three representatives. Like a lot 13 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:41,239 Speaker 3: of people, yesterday we started hearing that Michael Gunner was 14 00:00:41,240 --> 00:00:43,960 Speaker 3: coming down to Alice Springs and unfortunately this is a 15 00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:46,840 Speaker 3: far too common occurrence when basically we hear this through 16 00:00:46,880 --> 00:00:50,360 Speaker 3: the media or by someone we know that the Chief 17 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:53,440 Speaker 3: Minister might be coming down. No one knows who is 18 00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:55,640 Speaker 3: meeting with, we have no idea why he's in town, 19 00:00:55,760 --> 00:00:58,280 Speaker 3: and basically everyone just feels like, obviously the issue of 20 00:00:58,320 --> 00:01:02,400 Speaker 3: crime is absolutely huge. You think that you would at 21 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:05,759 Speaker 3: least drop in on the local representatives who are duly 22 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:08,440 Speaker 3: elected to ask him how things are going. I've certainly 23 00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:11,320 Speaker 3: had that courtesy offered to me by Minister Kate Wooden 24 00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:13,560 Speaker 3: when she's come down to other Springs, but from the 25 00:01:13,640 --> 00:01:16,160 Speaker 3: Chief Minister, the Chief Minister of DWN and apparently not 26 00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:19,119 Speaker 3: Ala Springs. Yeah, he feels the need just to come 27 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:21,360 Speaker 3: and go in the same day and not really take 28 00:01:21,400 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 3: any time to talk to anyone about the real issues 29 00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:25,880 Speaker 3: that we face down here. So it's very disappointing and 30 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:27,600 Speaker 3: shows a lack of leadership on his behalf. 31 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:30,360 Speaker 2: So Josh, have you had any insight into who he 32 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:31,560 Speaker 2: is going to be meeting with? 33 00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:35,880 Speaker 3: No idea, Katie, Absolutely, no idea. And I think this 34 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:38,960 Speaker 3: really just goes to the cause of the thing. I mean, 35 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:42,360 Speaker 3: people in Alice Springs are really concerned about what's currently 36 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:45,039 Speaker 3: happening here. And to listen to the Chief Minister the 37 00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:47,640 Speaker 3: other day on your program and I had to do 38 00:01:47,680 --> 00:01:50,320 Speaker 3: a post about I couldn't believe that he said, we 39 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:53,480 Speaker 3: have extremely strong bail laws down here at Alice Springs. 40 00:01:53,520 --> 00:01:56,520 Speaker 3: I mean, you talk to the police. If a young 41 00:01:56,560 --> 00:02:01,800 Speaker 3: offender smashes the window every neither week, that young offender, 42 00:02:02,160 --> 00:02:05,760 Speaker 3: if he does not opt to do diversion or something else, 43 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:09,480 Speaker 3: that young offender could possibly end up being bailed every 44 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:11,560 Speaker 3: single time they are offending, and that is happening in 45 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:14,520 Speaker 3: other Springs. Young people are offending over and over again 46 00:02:14,520 --> 00:02:17,200 Speaker 3: and they're getting bailed. And it's not about locking up kids, Katie. 47 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:20,440 Speaker 3: It's about ensuring the programs are there so these young 48 00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:23,880 Speaker 3: people can be properly rehabilitated, because that's what we want 49 00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:26,720 Speaker 3: to the community. We want to see more people, you know, 50 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:29,080 Speaker 3: coming to the community and actually being a part of it. 51 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:31,800 Speaker 3: But unfortunately what's happening is business owners are just being 52 00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:35,600 Speaker 3: absolutely smashed at the moment. And it's really hard when 53 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:37,760 Speaker 3: you do go and speak to those business owners to 54 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:41,240 Speaker 3: see the fear in their eyes and how upset they are. 55 00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:45,120 Speaker 3: And a lot of them are unfortunately contemplating leaving other Springs. 56 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:46,240 Speaker 3: And I don't want that to happen. 57 00:02:46,440 --> 00:02:49,640 Speaker 2: No, I agree with you, Josh, I know that. 58 00:02:50,120 --> 00:02:53,320 Speaker 1: I'm fairly sure it's a resident of Alice Springs who's 59 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:57,720 Speaker 1: actually started a petition to the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly. 60 00:02:58,480 --> 00:03:01,160 Speaker 1: It's a class action against an than Territory government for 61 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:05,440 Speaker 1: lack of action and results in addressing youth crime. It's 62 00:03:05,440 --> 00:03:08,959 Speaker 1: been created by Ben Kitson. I believe he's Allie Springs resident. 63 00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:09,880 Speaker 2: Have I got that wrong? 64 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:11,519 Speaker 1: Look? 65 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:15,240 Speaker 3: Yeah, I certainly saw the change dot org petition come 66 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:20,119 Speaker 3: up yesterday. Yeah, last night I was amazed. I sort 67 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:22,760 Speaker 3: of just sat there for five minutes last night. I 68 00:03:22,800 --> 00:03:25,160 Speaker 3: was watching the TV and you could see the numbers 69 00:03:25,200 --> 00:03:29,000 Speaker 3: certainly piling in. And are you currently aware of what 70 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:30,080 Speaker 3: that petition is up to? 71 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:34,880 Speaker 1: It's currently sitting at four thousand, five hundred and ninety 72 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:39,000 Speaker 1: one signatures. I know that in the past sometimes the 73 00:03:39,040 --> 00:03:41,520 Speaker 1: government's sort of been critical of some of these types 74 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:44,360 Speaker 1: of petitions and said that there's people signing from, you know, 75 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:47,000 Speaker 1: from interstate or overseas. But if you go on there 76 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:48,760 Speaker 1: are a lot of the names on there actually look 77 00:03:48,880 --> 00:03:51,000 Speaker 1: like long term territorians. 78 00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:54,960 Speaker 3: Yeah. I think irrespective of exactly the numbers and who 79 00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:56,880 Speaker 3: has signed up, it just goes to show you the 80 00:03:56,920 --> 00:04:00,400 Speaker 3: frustration that people have in the community. They feel like 81 00:04:00,440 --> 00:04:02,800 Speaker 3: nothing's being done, and then when the Chief Minister does 82 00:04:02,800 --> 00:04:05,120 Speaker 3: come down to our springs, it feels like it's a 83 00:04:05,160 --> 00:04:07,520 Speaker 3: tick and flick exercise where he's not actually taking the 84 00:04:07,560 --> 00:04:10,680 Speaker 3: time to stop in to meet with everyone. It's just 85 00:04:10,720 --> 00:04:15,680 Speaker 3: really frustrating because we are generally genuinely trying to get results. 86 00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:19,480 Speaker 3: That's why the three MLAs, myself, Bill Yarn and Robin 87 00:04:19,520 --> 00:04:21,919 Speaker 3: Lambley have come together. We've just said, look, we know 88 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:26,320 Speaker 3: I've had disagreements in the past, but hopefully, maybe, just maybe, 89 00:04:26,320 --> 00:04:28,880 Speaker 3: if we send a letter to the Chief Minister invited 90 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:30,479 Speaker 3: and meet with all three of us. We don't expect 91 00:04:30,520 --> 00:04:32,080 Speaker 3: him that to go to all three of our officers. 92 00:04:32,120 --> 00:04:34,480 Speaker 3: We'll go to one place. Let's just all meet up. 93 00:04:34,880 --> 00:04:36,600 Speaker 3: We thought we might be able to just get him 94 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:39,279 Speaker 3: for five minutes and explain to him the severity of 95 00:04:39,320 --> 00:04:41,880 Speaker 3: the issues that we're dealing with down here. We haven't 96 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:45,200 Speaker 3: heard back. I understand the letter only went three yesterday afternoon, 97 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:47,680 Speaker 3: but you would have thought, I mean, singers have no 98 00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:49,760 Speaker 3: idea who he's actually is meeting with. I mean, who 99 00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:51,120 Speaker 3: knows what his schedule looks like. 100 00:04:51,440 --> 00:04:54,800 Speaker 1: Josh, are you just playing politics here? Some people listening 101 00:04:54,880 --> 00:04:55,839 Speaker 1: might be wondering that. 102 00:04:57,440 --> 00:05:00,560 Speaker 3: Playing politics? I think when you have look at the 103 00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:05,200 Speaker 3: fact that literally, on a daily basis, Katie, I'm getting 104 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:07,640 Speaker 3: people call into my office ring me up. They are 105 00:05:07,720 --> 00:05:11,440 Speaker 3: really worried about what's happening. Now. Everyone in Alice Springs 106 00:05:11,520 --> 00:05:13,880 Speaker 3: feels like the Chief Minister just isn't listening. I mean 107 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:17,440 Speaker 3: he literally doesn't have a member of Parliament who was 108 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:20,359 Speaker 3: actually represented down here in Central Australia, the Minister for 109 00:05:20,400 --> 00:05:23,479 Speaker 3: Central Australia, the Member for Quadja Chanzy Paid. I mean 110 00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:25,720 Speaker 3: he's just been gone. I mean you have a look 111 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:30,240 Speaker 3: through his Facebook, Cecee, whether he's actually admitting to the 112 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:32,400 Speaker 3: issues that we face down here in regards to crime. 113 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:34,680 Speaker 3: I put something up the other day, Katie, and it 114 00:05:34,720 --> 00:05:37,680 Speaker 3: really just goes to show you this isn't just about politics. 115 00:05:37,680 --> 00:05:41,640 Speaker 3: In October last year, Alice Springs, a population of twenty 116 00:05:41,640 --> 00:05:47,520 Speaker 3: six thousand, had more break ins total property offenses than Darwin, 117 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:50,760 Speaker 3: a community of eighty six thousand people. Now, surely that 118 00:05:50,920 --> 00:05:53,719 Speaker 3: just goes to show you how bad things have got 119 00:05:53,760 --> 00:05:57,640 Speaker 3: down here. Twenty six thousand people. We've got more total 120 00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:01,160 Speaker 3: property offenses occurring in Alice Springs in October of last 121 00:06:01,240 --> 00:06:04,560 Speaker 3: year than Darwin, a place that has three times the 122 00:06:04,560 --> 00:06:08,480 Speaker 3: amount of people. Now that just isn't that is unsustainable. 123 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:13,120 Speaker 3: People are dealing with that on a daily basis. So yeah, okay, 124 00:06:13,200 --> 00:06:16,560 Speaker 3: people might say playing politics, Well, you know, police statistics 125 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:18,080 Speaker 3: don't lie, and there's a lot of people that are 126 00:06:18,080 --> 00:06:20,719 Speaker 3: just sick and tired of even ringing up and reporting 127 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:24,000 Speaker 3: a lot of this and if those people are listening, please, 128 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:26,839 Speaker 3: if you are affected by crime, ring up, because it's 129 00:06:26,839 --> 00:06:29,640 Speaker 3: so important that we actually get a real picture of 130 00:06:29,640 --> 00:06:30,679 Speaker 3: what's happening down here. 131 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:32,800 Speaker 2: I feel for you guys, I really do. 132 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:35,120 Speaker 1: You know, it's something that we've all been talking about 133 00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:37,280 Speaker 1: for such a long time. And I said this earlier 134 00:06:37,320 --> 00:06:39,479 Speaker 1: on the week that was I think we all just 135 00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:40,960 Speaker 1: need to sort of, you know, to. 136 00:06:42,440 --> 00:06:45,000 Speaker 2: Have a look at doing things slightly different. 137 00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:47,080 Speaker 1: You know, the government's got to kind of take a 138 00:06:47,080 --> 00:06:50,800 Speaker 1: step to the side for a second and instead of 139 00:06:50,920 --> 00:06:54,280 Speaker 1: you know, not liking the message that they're getting or 140 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:57,440 Speaker 1: the messenger, they have to kind of listen a little 141 00:06:57,440 --> 00:07:00,240 Speaker 1: bit more deeply to what Territorians are saying to them 142 00:07:00,279 --> 00:07:00,680 Speaker 1: right now. 143 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:05,440 Speaker 3: Absolutely, Katie, and I mean to their credit. Last year 144 00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:10,640 Speaker 3: in Parliament we spoke very continually about the need for 145 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:12,600 Speaker 3: a twenty four to seven youth pub. Now we got 146 00:07:12,600 --> 00:07:15,160 Speaker 3: a twenty four to seven youth pub. Unfortunately it was 147 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:17,200 Speaker 3: right in the center of town and that has brought 148 00:07:17,200 --> 00:07:19,880 Speaker 3: its own issues. So you know, the people that work 149 00:07:19,920 --> 00:07:21,480 Speaker 3: in that twenty four to seven youth pub and I 150 00:07:21,480 --> 00:07:23,520 Speaker 3: actually went down there and spent a couple of hours 151 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:27,080 Speaker 3: late one night, saw young kids as young as a 152 00:07:27,280 --> 00:07:29,760 Speaker 3: coming and going from that center. The people that are 153 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:32,760 Speaker 3: working there are doing really good work. Perhaps we could 154 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:35,400 Speaker 3: just get the mechanisms, you know, a little bit better. Obviously, 155 00:07:35,440 --> 00:07:38,360 Speaker 3: there was no consultation with anyone from town when that 156 00:07:38,440 --> 00:07:40,679 Speaker 3: went in. To my knowledge, the people in the street 157 00:07:40,680 --> 00:07:45,600 Speaker 3: weren't consulted. We certainly weren't consulted as local representatives. If 158 00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:48,120 Speaker 3: you had something like that in a community center, in 159 00:07:48,200 --> 00:07:50,840 Speaker 3: a town camp where I spoke to a lot of 160 00:07:50,880 --> 00:07:53,320 Speaker 3: the young kids that were using the center, a lot 161 00:07:53,320 --> 00:07:55,200 Speaker 3: of them are coming from town camps. If you had 162 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:58,800 Speaker 3: these centers there, then it would give them somewhere to 163 00:07:58,880 --> 00:08:01,280 Speaker 3: be at night. You'd had the support of services from 164 00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:04,280 Speaker 3: territory families wrapping around them. I think that there's some 165 00:08:04,320 --> 00:08:06,720 Speaker 3: good things happening. We're just not quite getting it right 166 00:08:06,720 --> 00:08:09,480 Speaker 3: at the moment. So let's listen to people of Alice Springs. 167 00:08:09,680 --> 00:08:12,680 Speaker 3: We're not all you know, we're not asking for anything ridiculous. 168 00:08:13,040 --> 00:08:15,440 Speaker 3: We just want to be heard. If the government's willing 169 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:17,640 Speaker 3: to sit down and speak with us, or hey, we'd 170 00:08:17,640 --> 00:08:18,400 Speaker 3: be happy to chat. 171 00:08:19,160 --> 00:08:22,119 Speaker 1: Josh Burgoyne, I really appreciate your time this morning. 172 00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:24,880 Speaker 2: Do let us know how you go and let us know. 173 00:08:24,840 --> 00:08:27,000 Speaker 1: If you have any luck being able to catch up 174 00:08:27,000 --> 00:08:27,880 Speaker 1: with the Chief Minister. 175 00:08:28,200 --> 00:08:30,120 Speaker 3: I certainly won't hold my breath, Katie, but thank you 176 00:08:30,240 --> 00:08:32,120 Speaker 3: very much for the opportunity to come on your show today. 177 00:08:32,200 --> 00:08:34,400 Speaker 1: Thanks mate, we'll talk to you again very soon. That 178 00:08:34,559 --> 00:08:37,559 Speaker 1: is the Member for Brakling there, Joshua Burgoyne