1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:03,000 Speaker 1: Now we have heard reports of territorials flocking across the 2 00:00:03,080 --> 00:00:06,880 Speaker 1: Queensland border to access grog in Mount iSER following the 3 00:00:06,920 --> 00:00:10,280 Speaker 1: reintroduction of alcohol bands. Joining me on the line right 4 00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:12,080 Speaker 1: now to tell us a little bit more about what 5 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:15,440 Speaker 1: is happening down the road is the mayor of Mount iSER, 6 00:00:15,880 --> 00:00:16,320 Speaker 1: Danny L. 7 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:21,280 Speaker 2: Slade. Good morning to you, Good morning Katie, thank you. Yeah, look, 8 00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:25,840 Speaker 2: I'm happy to chat about this. We've seen probably keiter 9 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:29,280 Speaker 2: three cars a day turn up from the Northern Territory 10 00:00:29,840 --> 00:00:33,400 Speaker 2: and pretty much going straight into our Lockhart River. We 11 00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:37,800 Speaker 2: do have an agency down there that does meals for 12 00:00:38,560 --> 00:00:42,800 Speaker 2: homeless yea. And what was happening is we always had 13 00:00:42,840 --> 00:00:45,520 Speaker 2: around forty people down there and a lot of times 14 00:00:45,560 --> 00:00:50,520 Speaker 2: they were coming from Queensland drive communities and getting stuck here. Yeah. 15 00:00:50,520 --> 00:00:53,640 Speaker 2: But what we've seen in the last eighteen months is 16 00:00:54,320 --> 00:00:57,000 Speaker 2: a rise in people coming from Northern Territory due to 17 00:00:57,120 --> 00:01:02,400 Speaker 2: a bushbus coming on a red basis. So those numbers 18 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:06,160 Speaker 2: rose to about one hundred and fifty in the Lighthart River. 19 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:09,400 Speaker 2: In the river there the light Heart that's where our 20 00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:13,800 Speaker 2: water source. And now I talked to the agency this 21 00:01:13,880 --> 00:01:17,080 Speaker 2: morning and since about thirty for January, we're up to 22 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:21,440 Speaker 2: five hundred and sixty nine people down there. What so 23 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:25,640 Speaker 2: that's it's very difficult from our niser because we just 24 00:01:25,840 --> 00:01:28,240 Speaker 2: were under resourced for the amount of people coming in. 25 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:32,679 Speaker 2: It's a burden on the police, the ambulance, the health 26 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:37,560 Speaker 2: and the antisocial behavior that's coming in with that. So 27 00:01:37,880 --> 00:01:41,920 Speaker 2: it's evident because two of our bottle shops are in 28 00:01:41,959 --> 00:01:45,039 Speaker 2: the CBD, so about around ten o'clock every morning, we're 29 00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:48,920 Speaker 2: seeing just large amounts of people coming in and waiting 30 00:01:48,920 --> 00:01:49,960 Speaker 2: for the bottle shops open. 31 00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:54,160 Speaker 1: Goodness, may I mean that is that's a huge increase. 32 00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:57,600 Speaker 1: As you've said, there would ordinarily be around forty after 33 00:01:57,840 --> 00:01:59,720 Speaker 1: the last day saying months gone up to maybe a 34 00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:03,560 Speaker 1: hud and fifty and then since January this year it's 35 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:06,200 Speaker 1: gone right up to more than five hundred people. 36 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:13,880 Speaker 2: I'm still coming and they're coming along in unregistered old vehicles, overcrowded, 37 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:18,440 Speaker 2: and they're reporting. The lay I spoke to this morning 38 00:02:18,560 --> 00:02:21,639 Speaker 2: said it's at least one car a day, if not 39 00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:22,919 Speaker 2: two or three. 40 00:02:23,120 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 1: Wow. And how do you know that they are coming 41 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:29,320 Speaker 1: from the Northern Territory at this point, Danielle, Well. 42 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:33,480 Speaker 2: The agency on the ground, they provide breakfast, lunch and dinner, 43 00:02:33,600 --> 00:02:36,359 Speaker 2: and so they do have a good chat to who 44 00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 2: you're coming to the agency to get the services. So 45 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:45,040 Speaker 2: the the bus that is coming back with them forwards 46 00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:47,960 Speaker 2: from Alice Springs, they're actually stopping off in places like 47 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:52,560 Speaker 2: Heart Range, Bonyad Eagle, Great Eagle, Beak is it, Alice Springs, 48 00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:55,760 Speaker 2: Tenant Creek and then pretty much just dropping them straight 49 00:02:55,760 --> 00:02:58,600 Speaker 2: into Burke Street, which is the Leichhart River, and they're 50 00:02:58,600 --> 00:03:04,320 Speaker 2: almost stranded here. Goodness, Yeah, it's quite concerning. 51 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:07,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, Danielle, can I just ask you have you had 52 00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:09,760 Speaker 1: any influx? Like over the last couple of weeks, We've 53 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:13,480 Speaker 1: obviously had some fairly strict alcohol restrictions put into place 54 00:03:13,960 --> 00:03:16,720 Speaker 1: in Alice Springs. Have you seen much of a difference 55 00:03:16,880 --> 00:03:18,920 Speaker 1: just in the last couple of weeks or the last 56 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:19,400 Speaker 1: week or so? 57 00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:25,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, definitely. I was actually coming back from dropping my 58 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:28,600 Speaker 2: kids at school yesterday morning and there would have been 59 00:03:28,639 --> 00:03:33,840 Speaker 2: fifty people walking into CBD around nine o'clock and they 60 00:03:33,840 --> 00:03:37,320 Speaker 2: were walking up to access alcohol for when the bottle 61 00:03:37,320 --> 00:03:44,200 Speaker 2: shops open. So this is I normally see, and we've 62 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:47,960 Speaker 2: had some rain, so we were people were noticing large 63 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:52,200 Speaker 2: number of people gathering under shop warnings and around the 64 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:57,200 Speaker 2: council buildings and yeah, and definitely down in the riverbed. 65 00:03:57,480 --> 00:04:00,880 Speaker 1: Dannielle, can you tell me what kind of impact is 66 00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:03,360 Speaker 1: this having on mounta Eser at the moment. 67 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:10,480 Speaker 2: It's a huge impact because we're seeing the police are 68 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:16,440 Speaker 2: al going out for DV calls and the ambulance as well, 69 00:04:16,520 --> 00:04:19,760 Speaker 2: so that I'm told that there are just that it's NonStop. 70 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:24,080 Speaker 2: The health system it's being very overburned at the moment 71 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:27,960 Speaker 2: as well. I think the antisocial behavior and the rubbish 72 00:04:28,240 --> 00:04:32,800 Speaker 2: is one thing that's really hard to describe. But the 73 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:36,400 Speaker 2: rubbish that's now accumulating in the Leikehart River, which is 74 00:04:36,720 --> 00:04:43,720 Speaker 2: water supply, is incredible. It's it's yeah, it's really incredible 75 00:04:43,720 --> 00:04:48,040 Speaker 2: the amount of rubbish that's accumulating human waste. Yeah, so 76 00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:52,039 Speaker 2: we're really noticing it in especially in the last couple 77 00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:52,599 Speaker 2: of weeks. 78 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:55,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, And what kind of work is the council having 79 00:04:55,440 --> 00:04:58,279 Speaker 1: to do to, you know, to try and grapple with that. 80 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:03,479 Speaker 2: Well, the cleanups themselves are horrendous and they cost us 81 00:05:03,480 --> 00:05:06,440 Speaker 2: about thirty five thousand for every cleanup. A lot of 82 00:05:06,480 --> 00:05:09,479 Speaker 2: times we have to trick the employees into we don't 83 00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:11,159 Speaker 2: tell them we've got to clean up until the day. 84 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:14,800 Speaker 2: They'll try and blow the day because it's such an 85 00:05:14,839 --> 00:05:18,920 Speaker 2: awful job. So it is a big burden on the 86 00:05:19,000 --> 00:05:21,839 Speaker 2: rappayers of man iSER because that's thirty five thousand dollars 87 00:05:21,880 --> 00:05:24,880 Speaker 2: I could be giving to a sporting group or a 88 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:27,919 Speaker 2: charity and instead we're cleaning up the rubbish of people 89 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:30,440 Speaker 2: who don't live here now. 90 00:05:30,600 --> 00:05:34,040 Speaker 1: There obviously, does it appear to you as the coming 91 00:05:34,080 --> 00:05:35,640 Speaker 1: to Mount Aser to access alcohol? 92 00:05:37,480 --> 00:05:43,800 Speaker 2: Absolutely? Yeah, absolutely, I think they. Prior to what's happening now, 93 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:46,039 Speaker 2: I would have said that people were coming into man 94 00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:50,000 Speaker 2: iSER for health court and other reasons and then maybe 95 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:55,240 Speaker 2: getting stranded here or not leaving. But this at the 96 00:05:55,279 --> 00:05:58,919 Speaker 2: moment is definitely people coming here just to access alcohol. 97 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:03,600 Speaker 2: And you know, by lunchtime there are so many people 98 00:06:04,560 --> 00:06:08,800 Speaker 2: very drunk and towards la like ut River. So one 99 00:06:08,839 --> 00:06:12,039 Speaker 2: of the things I've done, especially when I heard about 100 00:06:12,040 --> 00:06:14,800 Speaker 2: the announcement, is I've put out an announcement to my 101 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:19,160 Speaker 2: community saying I have a zero tolerance to any social behavior. 102 00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:22,520 Speaker 2: So if you see people drinking in public, ring. 103 00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:25,120 Speaker 1: The police and Danielle, can you talk us through from 104 00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:28,920 Speaker 1: Ount Eyes's perspective, because obviously, you know, things are I'm 105 00:06:28,960 --> 00:06:31,720 Speaker 1: assuming probably fairly similar in own eyes, and some of 106 00:06:31,800 --> 00:06:34,279 Speaker 1: the issues you guys have got are probably fairly similar 107 00:06:34,480 --> 00:06:36,640 Speaker 1: to what we've got up here in Darwin and also 108 00:06:36,760 --> 00:06:42,599 Speaker 1: in our springs. Are you finding, like, is that public 109 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:47,600 Speaker 1: drunkenness and that anti social behavior, is it being tolerated? 110 00:06:47,720 --> 00:06:50,240 Speaker 1: What's the response from the community, what's the response from 111 00:06:50,279 --> 00:06:51,840 Speaker 1: the police. 112 00:06:52,320 --> 00:06:54,320 Speaker 2: That's a good question. And I think, you know, because 113 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:58,039 Speaker 2: before it was low numbers, it was tolerated. You know, 114 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:01,440 Speaker 2: I think we all tolerated it because we felt for 115 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:04,120 Speaker 2: the people who are you know, it's a wretched life. 116 00:07:04,560 --> 00:07:07,880 Speaker 2: But now with the numbers swelling to you know, up 117 00:07:07,920 --> 00:07:10,720 Speaker 2: to five hundred now five hundred and sixty nine, which 118 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:13,720 Speaker 2: is incredible, I don't believe we can tolerate it. And 119 00:07:14,400 --> 00:07:18,320 Speaker 2: the other burden that's happening is the people who are 120 00:07:18,360 --> 00:07:21,520 Speaker 2: flocking here for alcohol are also going over to friends 121 00:07:21,520 --> 00:07:26,080 Speaker 2: and family and social housing and overcrowding there. And we're 122 00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:30,560 Speaker 2: noticing that there's an influx of partying happening, which is 123 00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:35,080 Speaker 2: actually driving the youth onto the streets because that these 124 00:07:35,160 --> 00:07:38,080 Speaker 2: parties are going all night and there's big crowds and 125 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:42,760 Speaker 2: a lot of uncle people. So it's something I've been 126 00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:47,080 Speaker 2: reaching out to the Queensland State government about and we're 127 00:07:47,120 --> 00:07:49,560 Speaker 2: putting a plan together as a council at this moment 128 00:07:49,640 --> 00:07:53,520 Speaker 2: to try and put together what the issues are, what 129 00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:55,600 Speaker 2: the impacts are, and we want to go with some 130 00:07:55,720 --> 00:07:59,200 Speaker 2: solutions to the state government and indeed the federal government. 131 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:02,680 Speaker 2: And I really believe that what's happening in Alice Springs 132 00:08:02,680 --> 00:08:05,520 Speaker 2: and man Is needs a whole of government approach, local, 133 00:08:05,560 --> 00:08:10,680 Speaker 2: state and federal. I take my hat off to the 134 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:13,239 Speaker 2: mayor of Alice Springs. I think he was very brave 135 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:16,640 Speaker 2: to do what he did and he's got my admiration 136 00:08:16,800 --> 00:08:20,320 Speaker 2: for standing up for his city. And the other thing 137 00:08:20,360 --> 00:08:24,880 Speaker 2: I note is that social housing. Alice Springs and Mount 138 00:08:24,960 --> 00:08:28,480 Speaker 2: Isa probably have double the social housing than any other 139 00:08:28,600 --> 00:08:33,000 Speaker 2: city well in Queensland anyway. So when you think about 140 00:08:33,040 --> 00:08:37,360 Speaker 2: the resources you need and housing tend to give pride 141 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:39,679 Speaker 2: to people in domestic violent situations. And a lot of 142 00:08:39,760 --> 00:08:43,200 Speaker 2: times if you're in the domestic violent situation, you're in trauma, 143 00:08:43,520 --> 00:08:47,479 Speaker 2: and you try getting a child psychologist or a psychologist 144 00:08:47,679 --> 00:08:50,520 Speaker 2: or any those wrap around supports you need. In communities 145 00:08:50,640 --> 00:08:54,520 Speaker 2: like Mount is I can't speak other Springs. So my 146 00:08:54,640 --> 00:08:57,480 Speaker 2: son's already on a two year waiting list for speech 147 00:08:57,520 --> 00:09:01,000 Speaker 2: therapist and he's been on our way left for twelve 148 00:09:01,040 --> 00:09:03,840 Speaker 2: months for an OT. So you imagine if you child's 149 00:09:03,840 --> 00:09:08,640 Speaker 2: got FAZ or any the disabilities, we're just not equipped 150 00:09:08,679 --> 00:09:12,000 Speaker 2: to deal with that. So I think the social housing 151 00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:14,360 Speaker 2: numbers may be out of portion with the rest of 152 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:17,560 Speaker 2: the cities in the state and maybe in Australia. So 153 00:09:17,640 --> 00:09:22,079 Speaker 2: that's a big burden on places like Mount Issa. And 154 00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:25,280 Speaker 2: we are a mining city. You know, a lot of 155 00:09:25,320 --> 00:09:27,640 Speaker 2: the reason we're here is because of the mine and 156 00:09:27,880 --> 00:09:30,680 Speaker 2: we you know, we need to keep the place liverable. 157 00:09:30,760 --> 00:09:33,160 Speaker 1: You do well, you know I grew up in Mount Isa. 158 00:09:33,320 --> 00:09:36,360 Speaker 1: You do need to play keep the place livable. And 159 00:09:36,400 --> 00:09:38,880 Speaker 1: I know that the people who live there are wonderful. 160 00:09:39,640 --> 00:09:41,920 Speaker 1: Same as the situation in Alice Springs. You've got so 161 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:44,440 Speaker 1: many great people, but it's really hard when you're grappling 162 00:09:44,760 --> 00:09:47,280 Speaker 1: with what's going on. Danielle, can I just ask you 163 00:09:47,320 --> 00:09:49,840 Speaker 1: before I let you go, have you got any plans 164 00:09:49,880 --> 00:09:52,400 Speaker 1: to sort of liaise with the Northern Territory government at 165 00:09:52,400 --> 00:09:55,000 Speaker 1: this point in time as well in relation to what's 166 00:09:55,040 --> 00:09:58,080 Speaker 1: going on, particularly with the number of people that have 167 00:09:58,120 --> 00:10:00,239 Speaker 1: crossed the border. 168 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:04,720 Speaker 2: I actually have been liaising with the Northern Territory government 169 00:10:04,760 --> 00:10:09,800 Speaker 2: prior to this, prior to the announcement. But the difference 170 00:10:09,960 --> 00:10:15,760 Speaker 2: is in Queensland we have different alcohol laws to what 171 00:10:16,040 --> 00:10:19,520 Speaker 2: the Territory has with their restrictions, and you can actually 172 00:10:19,559 --> 00:10:24,200 Speaker 2: buy alcohol in Manuser without showing IDs. You don't have 173 00:10:24,200 --> 00:10:27,760 Speaker 2: to show an address and so there's no accountability there. 174 00:10:28,280 --> 00:10:30,360 Speaker 2: So that's one of the impacts. And we don't have 175 00:10:30,400 --> 00:10:33,439 Speaker 2: the restrictions that the Northern Territory have. So if we 176 00:10:33,440 --> 00:10:36,360 Speaker 2: were to bring in the same restrictions in Manuser, you 177 00:10:36,559 --> 00:10:40,240 Speaker 2: find that then everyone would start driving past Manoneuser and 178 00:10:40,320 --> 00:10:44,720 Speaker 2: heading to Chunsel and so on. So I don't know 179 00:10:44,760 --> 00:10:47,040 Speaker 2: if alcohol restrictions are the answer. 180 00:10:48,559 --> 00:10:54,040 Speaker 1: It's really tough, it's really tough going. I'm not actually 181 00:10:54,160 --> 00:10:56,440 Speaker 1: overly surprised to hear what you've said this morning. I 182 00:10:56,480 --> 00:10:59,840 Speaker 1: am surprised to hear just how many people are now 183 00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:04,560 Speaker 1: you know, living rough in the Leichhart River. Danielle. I 184 00:11:04,640 --> 00:11:06,840 Speaker 1: really appreciate your having a chat with us this morning 185 00:11:06,880 --> 00:11:08,760 Speaker 1: and just giving us a bit of context and letting 186 00:11:08,840 --> 00:11:11,280 Speaker 1: us know what's going on in Mount iSER as well, 187 00:11:11,600 --> 00:11:14,840 Speaker 1: and the onflow of those alcohol restrictions to other locations. 188 00:11:16,080 --> 00:11:18,000 Speaker 2: Thank you, Katie, and I'm glad you've given me the 189 00:11:18,040 --> 00:11:21,840 Speaker 2: opportunity just to speak out. And you know, I think 190 00:11:22,440 --> 00:11:25,720 Speaker 2: people need to consider when you make decisions what the 191 00:11:25,960 --> 00:11:28,640 Speaker 2: possible flow on effects can be. Yeah. 192 00:11:28,720 --> 00:11:31,360 Speaker 1: Well, Danielle, thanks so much. Please keep in contact. We'll 193 00:11:31,440 --> 00:11:33,280 Speaker 1: keep in contact with you as well. It's been great 194 00:11:33,280 --> 00:11:34,200 Speaker 1: to speak to you today. 195 00:11:35,320 --> 00:11:36,079 Speaker 2: Thank you, Katie. 196 00:11:36,160 --> 00:11:37,320 Speaker 1: Thank you have a good one.