1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,160 Speaker 1: Perfew and joining us live on the line is the 2 00:00:02,240 --> 00:00:05,640 Speaker 1: independent member for aralu and Robin Lambley. Good morning, Robin, 3 00:00:06,559 --> 00:00:11,399 Speaker 1: Good morning Katie, Robin. How are things this morning in Alice? 4 00:00:12,119 --> 00:00:17,040 Speaker 2: Look they're okay. I've been thinking about this curfew. Obviously 5 00:00:17,079 --> 00:00:19,600 Speaker 2: it's front and center of everyone's minds at the moment, 6 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:23,680 Speaker 2: but it really isn't a huge impost, Katie. I mean, 7 00:00:23,760 --> 00:00:27,160 Speaker 2: it's from ten pm to six am in the middle 8 00:00:27,200 --> 00:00:30,400 Speaker 2: of winter. I don't think it's going to be actually 9 00:00:30,480 --> 00:00:33,760 Speaker 2: affecting too many people, but it will clear out people 10 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:38,240 Speaker 2: from the CBD who shouldn't who really shouldn't be hanging 11 00:00:38,240 --> 00:00:42,360 Speaker 2: around anyway, kids and people who are to cause a 12 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:45,960 Speaker 2: bit of trouble. But yeah, it's when you think about it, Katie, 13 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:49,400 Speaker 2: it's really not such a big deal this one. 14 00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:51,360 Speaker 1: Yeah, well it's not such a big deal I suppose 15 00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:53,760 Speaker 1: if you're at home doing the right thing, Robin. But 16 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:56,960 Speaker 1: you know, to those I guess that have been in 17 00:00:57,040 --> 00:00:59,639 Speaker 1: the city and after what we've seen over the weekend, 18 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:02,400 Speaker 1: has it meant things have calmed down a little? I mean, 19 00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:05,040 Speaker 1: I know there was still some three stolen cars the 20 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:07,600 Speaker 1: night before last and from the Action for Alice page 21 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:10,479 Speaker 1: it looks like there was still some incidents last night too. 22 00:01:11,920 --> 00:01:16,160 Speaker 2: Look that happens. That happens every night in Alice Springs. 23 00:01:16,240 --> 00:01:19,000 Speaker 2: And we saw that during the last curfew that despite 24 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:22,520 Speaker 2: the fact that there were restrictions on movement in and 25 00:01:22,560 --> 00:01:26,280 Speaker 2: around the CBD of Alice Springs, there were problems out 26 00:01:26,319 --> 00:01:28,920 Speaker 2: in the suburbs. And this is what we're seeing again. 27 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:32,200 Speaker 2: It's not stopping that. I don't think it's meant to 28 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:35,240 Speaker 2: stop that. It's you know, some people are saying that 29 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:38,360 Speaker 2: it's pushing the problems into the suburbs and into the 30 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:41,760 Speaker 2: industrial areas. Someone said to me yesterday, perhaps they should 31 00:01:41,800 --> 00:01:45,039 Speaker 2: include a curfew not just for the CBD, but also 32 00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:48,160 Speaker 2: for the industrial areas of Alice Springs. Look, this is 33 00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:52,160 Speaker 2: just normal business for us. But yes, in the CBD, 34 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:55,480 Speaker 2: I came into town very early yesterday morning to do 35 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:59,640 Speaker 2: some media at about half past five, and the CBD 36 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:03,680 Speaker 2: was empty apart from a group of people that approached 37 00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:09,480 Speaker 2: me before six am, and I felt a bit unnerved 38 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:12,679 Speaker 2: because there was literally no one else around, and I thought, God, 39 00:02:13,480 --> 00:02:16,440 Speaker 2: if they take me on, I'm in a bit of troule. Yeah. 40 00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:21,440 Speaker 2: I jump back in the car and took off. But look, 41 00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:24,480 Speaker 2: I think it is having the desired effect. There's still 42 00:02:24,520 --> 00:02:27,200 Speaker 2: a lot of people in town from the show. The Katie, 43 00:02:28,480 --> 00:02:32,119 Speaker 2: this is a story about the Alice Springs show weekend 44 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:35,360 Speaker 2: when everyone comes into town, everyone has a great time. 45 00:02:35,480 --> 00:02:39,720 Speaker 2: The show was absolutely fabulous. There were kids from all 46 00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:43,080 Speaker 2: over Central Australia, lots of Aboriginal kids having the time 47 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:46,840 Speaker 2: of their lives. But it got out of hand and 48 00:02:46,919 --> 00:02:49,239 Speaker 2: I think that's the problem and could. 49 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:51,519 Speaker 1: Things have been done a bit differently to be better 50 00:02:51,600 --> 00:02:53,960 Speaker 1: prepared for that show weekend. 51 00:02:55,480 --> 00:02:59,440 Speaker 2: I think so, Katie. There wasn't much talk about preparations 52 00:02:59,480 --> 00:03:02,520 Speaker 2: for the show. Unlike when we used to have a 53 00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:05,560 Speaker 2: lot of football carnivals in town. People would come from 54 00:03:05,919 --> 00:03:09,160 Speaker 2: across Central Australia or the remote areas into town and 55 00:03:09,200 --> 00:03:14,480 Speaker 2: that have grog restrictions and things in place to get 56 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:18,799 Speaker 2: on top of us of stop things unraveling. But yeah, 57 00:03:18,919 --> 00:03:22,480 Speaker 2: there wasn't to my knowledge and the knowledge of most people, 58 00:03:22,880 --> 00:03:26,600 Speaker 2: those plans put in place. I think in hindsight that 59 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:30,160 Speaker 2: was overlooked this year. We should have they should have 60 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:33,400 Speaker 2: been more prepared and I think the fact that a 61 00:03:33,440 --> 00:03:36,200 Speaker 2: lot of kids were out at the show, but I 62 00:03:36,200 --> 00:03:39,000 Speaker 2: think a lot of adults were in town on the Booze, 63 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:45,400 Speaker 2: which is where it all went very very wrong, Robin. 64 00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:48,920 Speaker 1: From your perspective, what was the reaction from locals to 65 00:03:49,520 --> 00:03:52,680 Speaker 1: some of those incidents that we have obviously heard about. 66 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:56,240 Speaker 1: I mean, we know that there was a stabbing, we 67 00:03:56,320 --> 00:03:58,600 Speaker 1: know that there's been a rest made now in relation 68 00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:01,680 Speaker 1: to that near the council law once there. We also 69 00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:04,440 Speaker 1: know that there was a police officer run over at 70 00:04:05,160 --> 00:04:07,600 Speaker 1: you know, at a licensed premises when he tried to 71 00:04:07,720 --> 00:04:11,560 Speaker 1: apprehend somebody who was intoxicated behind the wheel. And then 72 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:14,000 Speaker 1: we also know that there was the four off duty 73 00:04:14,040 --> 00:04:18,360 Speaker 1: officers who were allegedly assaulted by really quite a large 74 00:04:18,400 --> 00:04:19,160 Speaker 1: group of people. 75 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:25,159 Speaker 2: Will people live in fear of this happening because they 76 00:04:25,200 --> 00:04:27,400 Speaker 2: know it does happen, and it will happen, and it 77 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:28,200 Speaker 2: has happened. 78 00:04:29,080 --> 00:04:29,279 Speaker 1: You know. 79 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:32,760 Speaker 2: It was fascinating being at the show for two days, 80 00:04:32,839 --> 00:04:36,080 Speaker 2: Katie and just talking to heads and heaps of people 81 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:39,080 Speaker 2: and the main topic of conversation is of course crime, 82 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:42,400 Speaker 2: probably because I'm a politician, local member of parliament, but 83 00:04:42,520 --> 00:04:46,640 Speaker 2: everyone was talking about their steers to the town and 84 00:04:46,720 --> 00:04:50,240 Speaker 2: their steers for their own safety and the safety of 85 00:04:50,279 --> 00:04:53,359 Speaker 2: their families. And that was at the show, and this 86 00:04:53,520 --> 00:04:56,279 Speaker 2: was kind of before it all kind of came to 87 00:04:56,440 --> 00:05:00,200 Speaker 2: lie that all these crimes were occurring on Friday day 88 00:05:00,279 --> 00:05:07,719 Speaker 2: and Saturday Saturday night pretty much. So people are braced, 89 00:05:08,279 --> 00:05:11,840 Speaker 2: They live in fear already, they live with a certain 90 00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:15,200 Speaker 2: level of anxiety. And I'm hearing the same stories from 91 00:05:15,200 --> 00:05:17,840 Speaker 2: people in the top end too, so this will sound familiar, 92 00:05:17,920 --> 00:05:21,440 Speaker 2: but down here we've had years and years of it. 93 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:25,880 Speaker 2: So waking up on Monday morning and hearing the reports 94 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:32,280 Speaker 2: of the horrific crime so the attacks against those officers 95 00:05:33,080 --> 00:05:35,800 Speaker 2: was just you know, it just hits you to the 96 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:38,920 Speaker 2: core because these people have come to town to provide 97 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:43,240 Speaker 2: us with a service around securing our town, keeping us safe. 98 00:05:43,279 --> 00:05:48,920 Speaker 2: So look, deep disappointment, but really a sense of more 99 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:52,000 Speaker 2: of the same and when are we going to get 100 00:05:52,040 --> 00:05:54,640 Speaker 2: to the other side of this. We felt after the 101 00:05:54,640 --> 00:05:57,880 Speaker 2: first curfew that things got a bit better, and they did, 102 00:05:58,520 --> 00:06:01,680 Speaker 2: but in the middle of jail, Lie to return to 103 00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:05,400 Speaker 2: a state of lawlessness really is unusual. Katie, Well, this 104 00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:09,440 Speaker 2: isn't the time when we experience our peaks in crime, 105 00:06:09,560 --> 00:06:13,200 Speaker 2: so this is even more concerning in some ways than 106 00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:16,560 Speaker 2: what we experience, what we expect to experience and indeed 107 00:06:16,600 --> 00:06:20,240 Speaker 2: we do experience in the peak of summer and Robin. 108 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:23,440 Speaker 1: That's obviously something that people have been speaking about, you 109 00:06:23,480 --> 00:06:25,560 Speaker 1: know the fact that it is the peak of winter 110 00:06:25,880 --> 00:06:28,480 Speaker 1: and you're having to deal with this. Do you think 111 00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:31,039 Speaker 1: that there is going to be an extension of this 112 00:06:31,240 --> 00:06:33,800 Speaker 1: latest curf You should there be from what locals and 113 00:06:34,279 --> 00:06:35,960 Speaker 1: yourself are experiencing. 114 00:06:37,080 --> 00:06:39,640 Speaker 2: Ah, definitely, Look why I go to all the bother 115 00:06:40,200 --> 00:06:45,320 Speaker 2: of implementing a three day curfew. It has to be extended. People. 116 00:06:45,760 --> 00:06:48,640 Speaker 2: There's still a lot of people in town from communities, 117 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:51,440 Speaker 2: and most of those people are good people, just going 118 00:06:51,480 --> 00:06:57,640 Speaker 2: about their business. But the truth of the matter is, Katie, 119 00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:00,880 Speaker 2: that some of those people do cause the trouble. They 120 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:04,839 Speaker 2: come in to drink and they don't know how to 121 00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:07,599 Speaker 2: sort of limit themselves and things get out of hand. 122 00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:11,680 Speaker 2: So people need to be encouraged to go home and 123 00:07:12,240 --> 00:07:14,720 Speaker 2: walking around the streets. Yesterday there was still a lot 124 00:07:14,760 --> 00:07:17,040 Speaker 2: of bush people in town, which is fair enough. This 125 00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:18,960 Speaker 2: is a regional sender. This is where they come to 126 00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:22,320 Speaker 2: do their groceries and go about their business and medical 127 00:07:22,360 --> 00:07:25,080 Speaker 2: appointments and all the rest of us rest of it. 128 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:28,040 Speaker 2: But they do need to be encouraged to go home. 129 00:07:28,120 --> 00:07:30,520 Speaker 2: I haven't been on any town camp though the last 130 00:07:30,560 --> 00:07:33,280 Speaker 2: couple of days, but I'm told that that's where most 131 00:07:33,320 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 2: of these people are staying. It's an impost on the 132 00:07:36,200 --> 00:07:39,360 Speaker 2: residents of the town camp. It just leads to that 133 00:07:39,480 --> 00:07:45,920 Speaker 2: complete breakdown of order and social order in the town. 134 00:07:46,040 --> 00:07:50,000 Speaker 2: And this is where all the Aboriginal organizations got a 135 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:53,520 Speaker 2: huge amount of money, including Tongua Jura Council, need to 136 00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:56,160 Speaker 2: be onto it, and maybe they are. I haven't spoken 137 00:07:56,160 --> 00:07:58,520 Speaker 2: to them. You don't hear from Tongue in Jura Council 138 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:01,920 Speaker 2: that've gone into hiding mad. That's what they're paid to 139 00:08:01,960 --> 00:08:05,080 Speaker 2: do to look after the interest of the town camps 140 00:08:05,120 --> 00:08:07,520 Speaker 2: and get these people out of there who are visiting, 141 00:08:08,080 --> 00:08:11,080 Speaker 2: get them back to where they come from so we 142 00:08:11,160 --> 00:08:13,280 Speaker 2: can go back to a sense of normality. 143 00:08:13,960 --> 00:08:17,080 Speaker 1: Robin, Look, we are just forty five days out now 144 00:08:17,120 --> 00:08:22,280 Speaker 1: from the Northern Territory election. Obviously, you know everything's sort 145 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:26,240 Speaker 1: of you know, like everybody's ideas, I guess are different 146 00:08:26,480 --> 00:08:29,679 Speaker 1: about how to combat these issues that we've got with crime, 147 00:08:29,720 --> 00:08:33,080 Speaker 1: and no one's experiencing them more really than the people 148 00:08:33,080 --> 00:08:37,280 Speaker 1: of Alice Springs. What do you feel needs to happen 149 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:40,719 Speaker 1: that would see meaningful long term change. 150 00:08:42,880 --> 00:08:46,920 Speaker 2: I think we have to have a very clear understanding 151 00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:49,600 Speaker 2: where all the money's going. Where did that two hundred 152 00:08:49,640 --> 00:08:53,000 Speaker 2: and fifty million dollars that al Benezi gave us eighteen 153 00:08:53,000 --> 00:08:55,760 Speaker 2: months ago? Where has that gone? We know that forty 154 00:08:55,800 --> 00:08:58,760 Speaker 2: million dollars went to the schools, which is lovely, but 155 00:08:58,800 --> 00:09:02,120 Speaker 2: where has the rest gone. And the money that's being 156 00:09:02,240 --> 00:09:07,760 Speaker 2: spent locally on crime and law and order and safety issues, 157 00:09:08,080 --> 00:09:11,080 Speaker 2: where is that going and what's happening. We need full 158 00:09:11,120 --> 00:09:15,440 Speaker 2: accountability and transparency around that. We need more housing. I'll 159 00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:19,160 Speaker 2: give credit work credits due the current government have built 160 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:22,120 Speaker 2: a lot of houses on town camps, but that needs 161 00:09:22,160 --> 00:09:25,280 Speaker 2: to continue. We need to get people back to communities. 162 00:09:25,320 --> 00:09:28,040 Speaker 2: We need to get kids back to school. All those 163 00:09:28,040 --> 00:09:30,559 Speaker 2: things that we know, Katie. But you know one thing 164 00:09:30,800 --> 00:09:33,080 Speaker 2: I do believe in now, and I sort of get 165 00:09:33,080 --> 00:09:35,800 Speaker 2: it more clearly now than what I ever have, is 166 00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:38,800 Speaker 2: that it is about one child at a time, one 167 00:09:38,880 --> 00:09:41,920 Speaker 2: family at a time, one community at a time. We're 168 00:09:41,920 --> 00:09:45,839 Speaker 2: talking about a small number of people. Surely we can 169 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:48,959 Speaker 2: identify who these people are, which we did effectively I 170 00:09:49,040 --> 00:09:52,959 Speaker 2: think during the last curfew, and try and make things 171 00:09:53,040 --> 00:09:56,200 Speaker 2: work for them better. And if it is that these 172 00:09:56,240 --> 00:10:00,560 Speaker 2: people are just incapable of helping themselves, then that's when 173 00:10:01,040 --> 00:10:04,040 Speaker 2: territory Families, child Protection and all those sort of other 174 00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:07,480 Speaker 2: statutory services need to step in and help these kids 175 00:10:07,760 --> 00:10:10,800 Speaker 2: out of this cycle of poverty. We know, we know 176 00:10:10,960 --> 00:10:15,679 Speaker 2: what to do, Katie, but it's just we don't get 177 00:10:15,720 --> 00:10:19,280 Speaker 2: any closer to the solution. The more things change, the 178 00:10:19,360 --> 00:10:24,480 Speaker 2: more they stay the same. I just you know, in 179 00:10:24,559 --> 00:10:28,560 Speaker 2: many ways things get worse. And why is that? You know, 180 00:10:28,640 --> 00:10:32,800 Speaker 2: it's about following through and making sure that these things 181 00:10:32,800 --> 00:10:36,720 Speaker 2: aren't spasmodic, that they're not just about pressing the curfew 182 00:10:36,800 --> 00:10:40,440 Speaker 2: button and off we go again. It's about consistency. But 183 00:10:40,559 --> 00:10:44,920 Speaker 2: you know, seeing what happened on the weekend, those four 184 00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:49,240 Speaker 2: young police officers being assaulted, how are we going to 185 00:10:49,280 --> 00:10:52,560 Speaker 2: go recruiting anyone to ourice friends from into state now? 186 00:10:52,760 --> 00:10:55,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, well this is a concern. And Robin, we are 187 00:10:55,080 --> 00:10:58,120 Speaker 1: going to be keep catching up with the father of 188 00:10:58,120 --> 00:11:00,640 Speaker 1: one of those police officers after a living so I'll 189 00:11:00,679 --> 00:11:03,440 Speaker 1: be really interested to hear what he's got to say. 190 00:11:04,400 --> 00:11:06,120 Speaker 1: I'm gonna have to leave it there. We have got 191 00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:09,720 Speaker 1: a full morning, Robin Lamley. I always appreciate your time. 192 00:11:09,800 --> 00:11:11,640 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for joining us today.