1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:03,199 Speaker 1: Now with the alcohol restrictions that we're announced in Alice Springs, 2 00:00:03,240 --> 00:00:06,039 Speaker 1: there had been concerns raised that we may see a situation, 3 00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:08,479 Speaker 1: as we discussed just a short time ago with the 4 00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:12,760 Speaker 1: Police Association president Paul McHugh, that we could see people 5 00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:15,640 Speaker 1: heading to other town centers in effort to get their 6 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:18,639 Speaker 1: hands on alcohol. Now joining me on the line is 7 00:00:18,720 --> 00:00:22,639 Speaker 1: Joe Hersey, the colp's member for Catherine. Good morning to you, Joe. 8 00:00:23,520 --> 00:00:25,599 Speaker 2: Good morning Katie, and good morning listeners. 9 00:00:25,720 --> 00:00:28,040 Speaker 1: Joe. I know that this is a concern that the 10 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:31,520 Speaker 1: residents of Catherine have right now, that we could find 11 00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:35,680 Speaker 1: that when those restrictions are in place in other locations, 12 00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:38,320 Speaker 1: that people will head to the likes of Catherine to 13 00:00:38,360 --> 00:00:39,559 Speaker 1: try and access alcohol. 14 00:00:41,080 --> 00:00:43,559 Speaker 2: Yeah, Katie, what we saw happening in Alice Springs and 15 00:00:43,560 --> 00:00:47,080 Speaker 2: the restrictions that have been placed on them, we have 16 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:51,880 Speaker 2: seen a shift of that coming up Highway. I did 17 00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:53,960 Speaker 2: hear someone say if it's good enough for Alice Springs, 18 00:00:54,160 --> 00:00:56,360 Speaker 2: isn't good enough for the whole of the territory. You know, 19 00:00:56,440 --> 00:00:59,720 Speaker 2: I can't imagine people in Darwin wanting to have the 20 00:00:59,720 --> 00:01:02,880 Speaker 2: same restrictions as they do in Alice, but we I 21 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:05,240 Speaker 2: do know by talking to people in the community that 22 00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:09,759 Speaker 2: we have had you know, it's not like their bus loads, 23 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:12,360 Speaker 2: but we certainly have had people from Alice Springs here 24 00:01:12,400 --> 00:01:15,480 Speaker 2: in Catherine, and they have also presented at the Captal Hospital. 25 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:18,200 Speaker 1: Right, So what in the last couple of days. 26 00:01:18,680 --> 00:01:20,400 Speaker 2: In the last couple of days, yes. 27 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:25,440 Speaker 1: So already in the last couple of days you are 28 00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:29,200 Speaker 1: being told that there are people arriving from Alice Springs. 29 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:33,320 Speaker 2: Absolutely, that is that is correct, and you know that 30 00:01:33,440 --> 00:01:37,959 Speaker 2: is just the government has failed with their policies too, 31 00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:41,400 Speaker 2: you know, for the whole of the territory, and by 32 00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:43,160 Speaker 2: what they've done down there, all that does is just 33 00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:46,800 Speaker 2: pushed the problem elsewhere. It's you know, like a bit 34 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:48,600 Speaker 2: of balloon, you push it in somewhere else, it's going 35 00:01:48,640 --> 00:01:51,920 Speaker 2: to pop out elsewhere. And that's what we're seeing. You know. 36 00:01:52,160 --> 00:01:56,320 Speaker 2: I hope that you know, it doesn't it doesn't continue 37 00:01:56,320 --> 00:01:59,840 Speaker 2: on in to be a massive problem. But at the moment, 38 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:03,320 Speaker 2: have I have definitely heard of that, and I've heard 39 00:02:03,360 --> 00:02:07,240 Speaker 2: it from a very reliable source that there has been 40 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:11,960 Speaker 2: you know, presentations at hospital and there have been people 41 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:14,799 Speaker 2: here in Catherine. I mean, when there are a lot 42 00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:17,919 Speaker 2: of people from out of town in Catherine at the moment. 43 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:21,520 Speaker 2: When I walk early in the morning, I quite often 44 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:26,240 Speaker 2: speak to Indigenous people sleeping rocks around town and they 45 00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:30,600 Speaker 2: choose to sleep Russ. There's no problem of that, you know. 46 00:02:30,760 --> 00:02:34,520 Speaker 2: And in conversations with them, they're from Larger Manu, some 47 00:02:34,600 --> 00:02:41,080 Speaker 2: of them Pigeonhole, Katharingi, Larger Manu. You know, some people 48 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:45,440 Speaker 2: were from Yundermou. So you know there's people from all 49 00:02:45,480 --> 00:02:48,320 Speaker 2: over the territory that have come to Catherine for whatever 50 00:02:48,360 --> 00:02:50,440 Speaker 2: their reasons, catch up with family or whatever. 51 00:02:51,080 --> 00:02:54,760 Speaker 1: At the moment, Joe, what's the situation in Catherine at 52 00:02:54,760 --> 00:02:57,280 Speaker 1: the moment with the Do you still have the palis 53 00:02:57,320 --> 00:03:00,480 Speaker 1: on bottle shops and is it a bit more difficult 54 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:02,359 Speaker 1: for people to just sort of be able to access 55 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:05,560 Speaker 1: alcohol or is it pretty you know, pretty much you 56 00:03:05,639 --> 00:03:07,919 Speaker 1: can go in and buy alcohol. If you're not on 57 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:10,760 Speaker 1: the BDR, you can. 58 00:03:11,160 --> 00:03:13,240 Speaker 2: We still have paleis on the bottle shops. You still 59 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:16,920 Speaker 2: have to show your license to go in and purchase alcohol. 60 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:20,320 Speaker 2: But unless you're on the BDR, anyone can go and 61 00:03:20,360 --> 00:03:24,560 Speaker 2: purchase alcohol. And you know that we've always had a 62 00:03:24,720 --> 00:03:28,120 Speaker 2: problem with secondary supply hearing Catherine. You know, it's just 63 00:03:28,120 --> 00:03:31,040 Speaker 2: a matter of they need to be caught. But that's 64 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:33,160 Speaker 2: you know, that is a problem as well. I mean 65 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:36,200 Speaker 2: just the other day, you know, the crime and antisocial 66 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:40,400 Speaker 2: behavior here in Catherine has been rampant for quite some 67 00:03:40,560 --> 00:03:43,520 Speaker 2: time now, and some young girls just walking up from 68 00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:45,760 Speaker 2: the Hot Springs the other day. They live no more 69 00:03:46,040 --> 00:03:49,080 Speaker 2: than i'd say, four hundred meters from the Hot Springs. 70 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:51,960 Speaker 2: One of those girls was assaulted, you know, I think 71 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:54,720 Speaker 2: they're eleven and twelve year olds, had a black eye. 72 00:03:55,160 --> 00:03:58,440 Speaker 2: You know, it is absolutely not acceptable that this kind 73 00:03:58,440 --> 00:04:03,000 Speaker 2: of behavior goes on and people are now starting to 74 00:04:03,240 --> 00:04:07,800 Speaker 2: feel unsafe in their homes, unplaced for their children to 75 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:11,520 Speaker 2: you know, walk to even just a place like the 76 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:15,440 Speaker 2: Hot Springs. School goes back next week, so are people 77 00:04:15,440 --> 00:04:17,400 Speaker 2: going to allow their children to walk or ride their 78 00:04:17,400 --> 00:04:20,159 Speaker 2: bikes to school? You know, these are things that a 79 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:23,200 Speaker 2: community should be able to do. And we live in 80 00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:26,400 Speaker 2: a great community here in Catherine, and you know I've 81 00:04:26,680 --> 00:04:28,839 Speaker 2: been I've lived here for thirty three years and it 82 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:31,800 Speaker 2: is a fantastic community. The community always pulls through. But 83 00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:34,640 Speaker 2: this is an issue that needs to be dealt with 84 00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:36,960 Speaker 2: by the government rather than put band aids on them 85 00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:39,280 Speaker 2: and just hope that it goes away, because all you're 86 00:04:39,279 --> 00:04:42,200 Speaker 2: doing is pushing it in a different direction. Yeah. 87 00:04:42,279 --> 00:04:44,760 Speaker 1: Look, I think that everybody listening would agree with you. 88 00:04:44,839 --> 00:04:48,760 Speaker 1: There has to be some really serious change this year 89 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:51,080 Speaker 1: when it comes to the issues that we've got with 90 00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:55,120 Speaker 1: crime and public drunkenness. I don't even know if I 91 00:04:55,120 --> 00:04:58,120 Speaker 1: want to call it anti social behavior anymore, because it's 92 00:04:58,320 --> 00:05:00,960 Speaker 1: gone well past anti social behalf. If you're some of 93 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:02,760 Speaker 1: what we are saying, I believe. 94 00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:06,000 Speaker 2: And I spoke to a woman at the on the 95 00:05:06,080 --> 00:05:07,719 Speaker 2: steps for the post office the other day and she 96 00:05:07,839 --> 00:05:10,840 Speaker 2: told me she's a woman similar age to myself and 97 00:05:10,880 --> 00:05:13,880 Speaker 2: she sleeps with a knife under her pillow. I mean, 98 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:18,839 Speaker 2: I was horrified, what has the world come to? And 99 00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:21,800 Speaker 2: talking about the world, I hear Daniel Rochester say that 100 00:05:21,880 --> 00:05:25,440 Speaker 2: even in our springs they're getting people from overseas canceling 101 00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:29,279 Speaker 2: going to Alice Springs on holidays. Yes, just saddens me 102 00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:32,520 Speaker 2: that that kind of thing is what's happening. I hear 103 00:05:32,880 --> 00:05:35,600 Speaker 2: the same issues. You know friends of mine down south 104 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:38,520 Speaker 2: Texy and saying, is it really as bad as this? Well? 105 00:05:38,560 --> 00:05:42,279 Speaker 2: I say no, but you know, it depends on where 106 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:44,839 Speaker 2: you're looking at. Who you're talking to because because I 107 00:05:44,880 --> 00:05:48,720 Speaker 2: think across the territory it is it is, you know, 108 00:05:49,240 --> 00:05:52,839 Speaker 2: a crisis right across the board. It seriously is very 109 00:05:52,880 --> 00:05:55,159 Speaker 2: long time, Katie, we have been saying that there is 110 00:05:55,800 --> 00:06:01,360 Speaker 2: millions of dollars being spent on different organized stations. In town. 111 00:06:01,480 --> 00:06:04,320 Speaker 2: We have over thirty five NGOs. They all get money 112 00:06:04,360 --> 00:06:07,240 Speaker 2: from the government and the federal government, you know, they 113 00:06:07,800 --> 00:06:11,200 Speaker 2: maybe there needs to be an immediate audit of all 114 00:06:11,240 --> 00:06:14,839 Speaker 2: governments spending, not only just in Central Australia, but wherever 115 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:16,599 Speaker 2: we are in the territory. You know how much is 116 00:06:16,640 --> 00:06:18,160 Speaker 2: being spent there and where. 117 00:06:18,160 --> 00:06:20,640 Speaker 1: Joe, is that something that working and what's not? Is 118 00:06:20,680 --> 00:06:23,800 Speaker 1: that something that the CLP would call for an immediate 119 00:06:23,839 --> 00:06:26,520 Speaker 1: audit so that we are able to see, you know, 120 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:28,960 Speaker 1: just how well this money is or isn't being spent. 121 00:06:30,040 --> 00:06:32,920 Speaker 2: Absolutely, Katie and I have been talking about this or 122 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:36,120 Speaker 2: as we have for opposition for you know, ever since 123 00:06:36,160 --> 00:06:39,400 Speaker 2: I've been in since the last election. So you know 124 00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:42,400 Speaker 2: that I think that's a fairly important thing that needs 125 00:06:42,400 --> 00:06:46,200 Speaker 2: to happen to just you can't keep spending good money 126 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:49,320 Speaker 2: after bad you know, money is not going to fix 127 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:52,560 Speaker 2: the problem. You need to find out where the problems 128 00:06:52,560 --> 00:06:56,240 Speaker 2: are and put the money into specific areas that it 129 00:06:56,360 --> 00:06:59,320 Speaker 2: is needed. Don't just throw more money at it and 130 00:06:59,360 --> 00:07:00,400 Speaker 2: hope that it will go away. 131 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:04,359 Speaker 1: Well, Joe Hersey, the member for Katherine, The CLP member 132 00:07:04,360 --> 00:07:06,839 Speaker 1: for Katherine. I appreciate your time this morning. Thank you 133 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 1: very much for having a chat with us. 134 00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:12,320 Speaker 2: Thanks Katie, it's great to talk. Thank you talk again.