1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:03,440 Speaker 1: Were recently contacted by parents whose son was set upon 2 00:00:03,840 --> 00:00:06,320 Speaker 1: by a group of students at the Palmerston bus exchange, 3 00:00:06,320 --> 00:00:10,280 Speaker 1: and I understand that they had a knife and scissors. 4 00:00:10,640 --> 00:00:13,920 Speaker 1: I've also seen footage of the fights and it's absolutely appalling. 5 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:16,640 Speaker 1: Now the boy's mum joins me on the line right now, 6 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:17,520 Speaker 1: good morning to you. 7 00:00:18,680 --> 00:00:19,640 Speaker 2: Good morning Katie. 8 00:00:19,840 --> 00:00:22,079 Speaker 3: Can you talk me through what happened to your son. 9 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:27,680 Speaker 2: It started off as they got off the bus at 10 00:00:27,680 --> 00:00:30,960 Speaker 2: the bus station. I believe there was the usual banter, 11 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:33,040 Speaker 2: come on, let's you know, let's a smash, let's have 12 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:37,400 Speaker 2: a fights. My son and a friend continued to walk away. 13 00:00:37,479 --> 00:00:41,360 Speaker 2: They were followed outside of the bus station into a 14 00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:45,440 Speaker 2: sort of the block area. Commenced what started off as 15 00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:50,120 Speaker 2: a one on one fight and then continued on. You know, 16 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:53,360 Speaker 2: punches were thrown from both parties, from my son and 17 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:57,800 Speaker 2: the other boy. He then sort of, you know, sort 18 00:00:57,800 --> 00:01:00,960 Speaker 2: of stopped. The boy stepped away, some turned his back. 19 00:01:01,200 --> 00:01:02,720 Speaker 2: The rest of the kids all sort of come in 20 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:06,919 Speaker 2: throwing fight, you know, throwing and all sort of coming 21 00:01:06,920 --> 00:01:10,199 Speaker 2: in on top of him. He was able to get away. 22 00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:15,400 Speaker 2: Fight continued. Then they sort of all sort of stopped. 23 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 2: My son started to run. He was chased with scissors, 24 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:22,080 Speaker 2: a knife, slafs bottle was thrown at him. There were 25 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:27,320 Speaker 2: two biggest boys teenagers. I'm not presumingly teenagers. You need 26 00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:30,280 Speaker 2: to chase chase him through the car park at the 27 00:01:30,319 --> 00:01:34,720 Speaker 2: bus station. One of them had a knife. He was 28 00:01:34,800 --> 00:01:39,640 Speaker 2: chased with and then he A lady witnessing all of this, 29 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:43,640 Speaker 2: sitting there in her vehicle waiting for her children, drove 30 00:01:43,720 --> 00:01:46,840 Speaker 2: her car to separate him from the people chasing him 31 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:50,560 Speaker 2: and told him to get into his car, into her car. 32 00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:53,240 Speaker 3: Oh, thank goodness for that woman. 33 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:58,920 Speaker 2: Most definitely I was when I pulled up to pick 34 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:02,200 Speaker 2: him up, this car just beaked at me and he 35 00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:05,680 Speaker 2: got out. He was shaking, sweating, him flood on his mouth, 36 00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:10,360 Speaker 2: and I was like, what's going on? And she was 37 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:13,960 Speaker 2: on the phone to the police at the time. She goes, 38 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:22,040 Speaker 2: I've called the police. I've called the police, and I've. 39 00:02:19,760 --> 00:02:22,200 Speaker 1: Watched some of that footage and it is appalling. Like 40 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:24,679 Speaker 1: your your son, you know, he holds his own he's 41 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:27,600 Speaker 1: like when it's one on one, he does his best 42 00:02:27,639 --> 00:02:29,519 Speaker 1: to look after himself, and he does a good job 43 00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:31,520 Speaker 1: of it. But then this is the issue. You end 44 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:36,079 Speaker 1: up with groups of people then running after him. I mean, 45 00:02:36,360 --> 00:02:39,520 Speaker 1: people armed. It's it's frightening, frightening stuff. 46 00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:43,440 Speaker 2: Hey, you're dead right. It's one on one, fifty calf. 47 00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:45,760 Speaker 2: Everybody's had one on one and that you know, it's 48 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:48,800 Speaker 2: a part of growing up. Yep, when it's ganged and 49 00:02:48,880 --> 00:02:53,519 Speaker 2: weapons and security of that area is a known hot spot. 50 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:57,000 Speaker 2: Not just the boys. Girl, Yeah, it happens all the time. 51 00:02:57,120 --> 00:02:59,919 Speaker 2: It's not good enough. Like kids are just in the mintel. 52 00:03:00,360 --> 00:03:02,840 Speaker 2: Let's just let's you know, they're carrying knives and weapons 53 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:06,000 Speaker 2: all the time. They just don't care. 54 00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:08,440 Speaker 3: No, And that's the frightening part. 55 00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:10,560 Speaker 1: Right as you think to yourself, they are not like 56 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:14,120 Speaker 1: this is I have this conversation almost daily. They are 57 00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:17,680 Speaker 1: not worried about the consequence, and that is utterly terrifying. 58 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:24,400 Speaker 2: There was two people there who boys, children, teenagers with 59 00:03:24,600 --> 00:03:28,760 Speaker 2: ankle bracelets on or you are just one of the 60 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:31,680 Speaker 2: main filma of the fight. Like the kids are silly. 61 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:33,640 Speaker 2: They feel more of this and they think it's really cool. 62 00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:36,680 Speaker 2: And that's it was shared around on Instagram for twenty 63 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:38,400 Speaker 2: four hours. I think it's really cool, but they're actually 64 00:03:38,480 --> 00:03:41,920 Speaker 2: damaging themselves. The evidences the cops can see the bus 65 00:03:41,920 --> 00:03:45,840 Speaker 2: station footage. They've got this footage, you know, and they 66 00:03:45,840 --> 00:03:49,560 Speaker 2: can see an ankle bracelet clearer say, but they just 67 00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:52,440 Speaker 2: don't care. They just don't care. And the weapons is 68 00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:56,680 Speaker 2: the scary thing. Like a year and going around in gangs. 69 00:03:56,720 --> 00:03:59,680 Speaker 2: I mean they talk about the bikis and gangs aren't allowed, 70 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:01,920 Speaker 2: and you know, numbers in public places and stuff like that. 71 00:04:02,040 --> 00:04:05,200 Speaker 2: I mean people're getting around and gain fashion kids all 72 00:04:05,240 --> 00:04:09,960 Speaker 2: the time and stealing those belongings and just it's just 73 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:10,520 Speaker 2: not good enough. 74 00:04:10,600 --> 00:04:12,520 Speaker 1: No, it's not And do you know what, We've all 75 00:04:12,760 --> 00:04:15,760 Speaker 1: had enough of it, Like, we have absolutely all had 76 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:18,080 Speaker 1: enough of it. What's happened to his son is not 77 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:21,400 Speaker 1: good enough? Is he okay? 78 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:27,200 Speaker 2: He's okay, Like he's I think he's still a little 79 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:29,440 Speaker 2: bit in shock about the whole sort of thing. He's 80 00:04:29,480 --> 00:04:31,800 Speaker 2: just trying to get on with it. I think it's 81 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:35,880 Speaker 2: in the back of my mind. I know that he's nervous. 82 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:40,880 Speaker 2: He's looking over his shoulder all the time. Typical teenager 83 00:04:40,880 --> 00:04:42,359 Speaker 2: and a typical boy, you know, they don't sort of 84 00:04:42,360 --> 00:04:46,880 Speaker 2: talk about too much. Yeah, but I've noticed a change 85 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:52,039 Speaker 2: in him since this has happened. So yeah, we're just 86 00:04:52,040 --> 00:04:54,240 Speaker 2: trying to work through you know, finding a new school 87 00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:55,799 Speaker 2: and how we move forward. 88 00:04:55,880 --> 00:04:58,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, what has been the response from the school, Because 89 00:04:58,440 --> 00:05:00,919 Speaker 1: you can see everyone's uniforms, you can see, like you said, 90 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:03,080 Speaker 1: you know, there's all vision of it, Like it's it's 91 00:05:03,279 --> 00:05:04,360 Speaker 1: very identifiable. 92 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:05,840 Speaker 3: I would think who these people are. 93 00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:12,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, the school, you know, suspensions were issued. They've created 94 00:05:12,560 --> 00:05:15,560 Speaker 2: a safe plan for him if he feels threatened, a 95 00:05:15,640 --> 00:05:18,120 Speaker 2: unsafe at school. He's got certain places to go to 96 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:20,440 Speaker 2: within the school that nobody wants to go to school 97 00:05:20,440 --> 00:05:22,840 Speaker 2: on a daily Basi's not feeling safe like that. No, 98 00:05:23,960 --> 00:05:28,279 Speaker 2: it's cray. Why should we be scared of? Yeah? Hidden? 99 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:31,599 Speaker 1: And look, the point that I always go back to 100 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:33,359 Speaker 1: is like you said, you know, I grew up with 101 00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:34,080 Speaker 1: two older brothers. 102 00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:35,960 Speaker 3: I grew up in Mount Eiser. It was rough as guts. 103 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:38,080 Speaker 1: I understand that there's going to be fisticuffs, you know, 104 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:39,840 Speaker 1: one on one that there's going to be fights from 105 00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:40,479 Speaker 1: time to time. 106 00:05:40,520 --> 00:05:42,200 Speaker 3: But when you've got groups. 107 00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:46,159 Speaker 1: Of people with knives, then you know, I'm sorry, but 108 00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:48,440 Speaker 1: it's bullshit for you son to then you know, be 109 00:05:48,520 --> 00:05:51,320 Speaker 1: trying to find a safe space at school. It's like 110 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:53,240 Speaker 1: it's it's utterly intimidating. 111 00:05:54,360 --> 00:05:56,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, there was I mean, there was girls there, there 112 00:05:56,200 --> 00:05:58,640 Speaker 2: was kids there on their phones, and I I said 113 00:05:58,640 --> 00:06:01,160 Speaker 2: to someone, said, how about these kids are standing around filming, 114 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:04,400 Speaker 2: Why don't they call for help? No, they're too worried 115 00:06:04,480 --> 00:06:08,400 Speaker 2: to getting their insta TikTok famous is a call for 116 00:06:08,440 --> 00:06:10,599 Speaker 2: help for someone else? Is this going to be the 117 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:13,240 Speaker 2: next poor declment? Aveily like someone do we have to 118 00:06:13,279 --> 00:06:16,599 Speaker 2: wait for a murder in the school or a stabbing 119 00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:19,680 Speaker 2: for them to be able to have, you know, to 120 00:06:19,760 --> 00:06:23,000 Speaker 2: check bags and that sort of thing. I mean, we 121 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:27,840 Speaker 2: have police presence at bottle shops to protect people from 122 00:06:27,839 --> 00:06:30,799 Speaker 2: buying alcohol, protecting them. Why don't we have extra people 123 00:06:30,800 --> 00:06:32,520 Speaker 2: at bus stations protecting children? 124 00:06:33,080 --> 00:06:36,479 Speaker 1: I agree with you, I totally agree with you. Now, 125 00:06:36,520 --> 00:06:39,000 Speaker 1: what's the response been from the police. Did they come out? 126 00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:43,200 Speaker 2: The police did attend. They spoke to a couple of kids. 127 00:06:44,120 --> 00:06:48,760 Speaker 2: These kids had said they believe it was a pre 128 00:06:48,920 --> 00:06:53,360 Speaker 2: organized fight. He my son was approached at full four 129 00:06:53,440 --> 00:06:55,400 Speaker 2: or fight and the only thing he said is he's 130 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:57,240 Speaker 2: going to hit me. I'm going to hit him bat Yep. 131 00:06:59,279 --> 00:07:01,120 Speaker 2: The arrange when in the morning was for me to 132 00:07:01,120 --> 00:07:02,840 Speaker 2: pick him up on the bus. Stepo. There was no 133 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:06,560 Speaker 2: pre arrangement of the fight. You know, the children were 134 00:07:06,680 --> 00:07:08,599 Speaker 2: the other children were not even at school that day. 135 00:07:09,560 --> 00:07:12,200 Speaker 2: They had said, you know a few other cases, thirty 136 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:16,800 Speaker 2: nine cases ahead of them. They're still waiting on witness statements. 137 00:07:16,840 --> 00:07:20,040 Speaker 2: I think the Easter holidays that are held things up. 138 00:07:20,280 --> 00:07:24,239 Speaker 2: I'm not too sure. And that's as far as I 139 00:07:24,360 --> 00:07:28,160 Speaker 2: know where it's at at the moment, right waiting on 140 00:07:28,200 --> 00:07:30,520 Speaker 2: witness statements. And we're in the pile. 141 00:07:31,320 --> 00:07:34,600 Speaker 1: Well yeah, and you know, like you've said, there so 142 00:07:34,840 --> 00:07:36,760 Speaker 1: thirty nine cases ahead of him. 143 00:07:38,120 --> 00:07:41,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, but this is involving weapons, Like, yeah, they was 144 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:46,280 Speaker 2: running intentionally with weapons to ye, what are they going 145 00:07:46,360 --> 00:07:48,080 Speaker 2: to do with them? Just walk up to him slowly 146 00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:52,480 Speaker 2: and hey, I've got a knife. You know. 147 00:07:52,960 --> 00:07:55,160 Speaker 1: Like I've said it before, I'll say it again. This 148 00:07:55,200 --> 00:07:57,400 Speaker 1: is the thing that you know that I think every 149 00:07:57,480 --> 00:08:00,800 Speaker 1: parent in the Northern Territory is scared about, worried about 150 00:08:01,040 --> 00:08:03,920 Speaker 1: at this point in time. Like we understand there's going 151 00:08:04,000 --> 00:08:06,560 Speaker 1: to be like I totally understand that there's going to 152 00:08:06,560 --> 00:08:10,280 Speaker 1: be fights between boys at different times, but when weapons 153 00:08:10,280 --> 00:08:14,360 Speaker 1: are involved, when there's groups of people involved against one person, 154 00:08:15,120 --> 00:08:18,840 Speaker 1: it is not acceptable that is only planned by one side. 155 00:08:18,920 --> 00:08:22,160 Speaker 1: From my perspective, if you've got a huge group there, 156 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:26,000 Speaker 1: and then you've got you know, your son likes it's 157 00:08:26,040 --> 00:08:29,480 Speaker 1: frightening stuff. And it does like these things do need 158 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:31,760 Speaker 1: to be taken seriously or they're just going to continue 159 00:08:31,840 --> 00:08:34,280 Speaker 1: to happen and they're going to escalate. Like you've said, 160 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:37,120 Speaker 1: then when there's weapons, you know, sometimes things can go 161 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:39,720 Speaker 1: wrong where the kid with the weapon might not actually 162 00:08:39,760 --> 00:08:43,720 Speaker 1: mean to injure someone else, but that injury can be fatal. 163 00:08:44,960 --> 00:08:48,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly agree. And you know the security goers obviously 164 00:08:48,760 --> 00:08:52,840 Speaker 2: they have whatever's in their contract, they're probably not allowed 165 00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:55,800 Speaker 2: to leave the fence line. But it's still not good enough. 166 00:08:55,840 --> 00:08:59,280 Speaker 2: Like these the bus stations are a common known hot 167 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:02,760 Speaker 2: spot around Go and have been for years. There are 168 00:09:02,840 --> 00:09:06,520 Speaker 2: drunks there. Where are the people removing the drunks? The 169 00:09:06,600 --> 00:09:09,560 Speaker 2: kids in the fights? There was another incident a lady 170 00:09:09,960 --> 00:09:12,560 Speaker 2: the same thing happened to her daughter. This credit gups 171 00:09:12,559 --> 00:09:16,920 Speaker 2: did nothing. These are kids, Like these incidences are going 172 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:21,920 Speaker 2: to affect innocent kids for a long time. Like it's terrible, 173 00:09:22,160 --> 00:09:24,360 Speaker 2: it is. I don't understand why can't we have a 174 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:29,280 Speaker 2: police presence or auxilary or somebody around pick up and 175 00:09:29,320 --> 00:09:29,800 Speaker 2: drop off? 176 00:09:30,600 --> 00:09:33,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think it's a really fair question to ask. 177 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:35,560 Speaker 1: One thing I do want to ask you before I 178 00:09:35,640 --> 00:09:38,520 Speaker 1: let you go. I know the government's considering these boasting 179 00:09:38,559 --> 00:09:42,199 Speaker 1: and posting laws where if you do like introducing penalties 180 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:47,000 Speaker 1: of course for people who do share crimes online. I mean, 181 00:09:47,040 --> 00:09:49,040 Speaker 1: do you think something like that would make a difference 182 00:09:49,400 --> 00:09:50,439 Speaker 1: in this situation? 183 00:09:51,760 --> 00:09:53,000 Speaker 2: How do they track them? 184 00:09:53,320 --> 00:09:55,120 Speaker 3: Yeah? 185 00:09:55,280 --> 00:09:58,120 Speaker 2: How do they have a cyber person to track these 186 00:09:58,120 --> 00:10:03,400 Speaker 2: people with multiple identifications, multiple usernames? 187 00:10:04,360 --> 00:10:09,800 Speaker 1: Yeah? Look, I really appreciate your time this morning. Thank 188 00:10:09,800 --> 00:10:11,920 Speaker 1: you very much for speaking with me, thank you for 189 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:15,080 Speaker 1: making us aware of this incident. And I will bet 190 00:10:15,720 --> 00:10:18,560 Speaker 1: that there's other parents listening this morning who probably have 191 00:10:18,679 --> 00:10:20,960 Speaker 1: children that have been in very similar situations. 192 00:10:22,360 --> 00:10:26,000 Speaker 2: Thanks Katie, much appreciate, Thank you to make a change 193 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:29,000 Speaker 2: and my. 194 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:32,640 Speaker 1: Bloody hope, so thank you. I appreciate your time this morning.