1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:02,360 Speaker 1: Now we know we talk a lot about crime on 2 00:00:02,440 --> 00:00:05,600 Speaker 1: this show, so often senseless crime which has a massive 3 00:00:05,640 --> 00:00:09,160 Speaker 1: impact on the businesses and the individuals on the receiving end, 4 00:00:09,280 --> 00:00:13,520 Speaker 1: and well over the weekend, Alice Springs had an absolute shocker. 5 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:17,040 Speaker 1: By the sounds of things, the newspaper is reporting that 6 00:00:17,079 --> 00:00:21,160 Speaker 1: three hundred and forty incidents over seventy two hours, involving 7 00:00:21,360 --> 00:00:25,160 Speaker 1: one during which rocks were allegedly thrown at a police dog. 8 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:27,760 Speaker 1: Now joining me on the line is the member for Braitlan, 9 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:32,040 Speaker 1: Joshua Burgoin. Good morning to you, Josh. 10 00:00:30,880 --> 00:00:32,680 Speaker 2: Good morning, Katy, Good morning to your listeners. 11 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:35,360 Speaker 1: Josh, it sounds like it was a terrible weekend for 12 00:00:35,440 --> 00:00:38,040 Speaker 1: Central Australia when it comes to crime. Can you tell 13 00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:40,800 Speaker 1: us what you know about some of these incidents. 14 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:44,400 Speaker 2: That occurred, Yeah, certainly, Katy. Look, I've had people contact 15 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:47,720 Speaker 2: me after what curt over the weekend, basically very frustrated 16 00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:52,480 Speaker 2: what they witnessed. They witnessed cars driving around erratically. Yeah, 17 00:00:52,520 --> 00:00:57,240 Speaker 2: basically we're just absolutely no sense of anyone else's safety. 18 00:00:57,360 --> 00:01:00,600 Speaker 2: This particularly treating our Springs like as the game of 19 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:04,479 Speaker 2: grand theft Audo and it's just purely unacceptable. And I've 20 00:01:04,480 --> 00:01:07,440 Speaker 2: spoken with police. The police are doing all that they can. 21 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:10,360 Speaker 2: They have arrested six people in relation to the offenses. 22 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:13,000 Speaker 2: I have heard that one of those people has been 23 00:01:13,040 --> 00:01:15,560 Speaker 2: bailed and this really brings it back to Labour's failed 24 00:01:15,560 --> 00:01:18,759 Speaker 2: bail policy. You know, we police cannot keep mopping up 25 00:01:18,920 --> 00:01:23,080 Speaker 2: able over Labour's failed policies. It's just frustrating for everyone 26 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:25,440 Speaker 2: in our community. The police are out there doing the 27 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:28,800 Speaker 2: best job that they can. They're catching these people. Unfortunately, 28 00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:30,720 Speaker 2: more often than not, these people are getting out again. 29 00:01:31,120 --> 00:01:33,840 Speaker 1: Josh, what are locals saying to you right now in 30 00:01:33,880 --> 00:01:36,360 Speaker 1: Alice Springs? Because we know that crime has been on 31 00:01:36,440 --> 00:01:38,920 Speaker 1: the agenda for a long time. We know that the 32 00:01:38,920 --> 00:01:42,440 Speaker 1: police work incredibly hard in the Red Center, but for 33 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:45,440 Speaker 1: some reason, this just continues to happen. What are locals 34 00:01:45,440 --> 00:01:46,280 Speaker 1: saying right now? 35 00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:50,320 Speaker 2: Well, people are frustrated. You know, when you run a business. 36 00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:52,480 Speaker 2: We've just got through COVID and now you know we're 37 00:01:52,480 --> 00:01:54,920 Speaker 2: looking forward to basically what is quite a time over 38 00:01:55,440 --> 00:01:57,960 Speaker 2: Christmas when it comes to business. But unfortunately, what we 39 00:01:58,040 --> 00:02:00,320 Speaker 2: all know in our springs is that the level of 40 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:02,400 Speaker 2: crime and once that weather starts to warm up, we've 41 00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:06,040 Speaker 2: already had extremely high crime occur in our town. I 42 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:08,760 Speaker 2: think it is important to realize that the total property 43 00:02:08,760 --> 00:02:13,000 Speaker 2: offenses for this year to August already sit at six thousand, 44 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:16,000 Speaker 2: one hundred and twenty seven when compared to four thousand, 45 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:18,720 Speaker 2: two hundred and ninety nine for the previous year. Now, 46 00:02:18,760 --> 00:02:22,840 Speaker 2: this is staggering figures. Six thousand total property offenses. It's 47 00:02:22,880 --> 00:02:26,160 Speaker 2: something like sixteen property offenses a day that's occurring in 48 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:29,240 Speaker 2: our community, and that's just unacceptable. And we've been talking 49 00:02:29,240 --> 00:02:29,799 Speaker 2: about this for. 50 00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 3: A long time. 51 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:33,480 Speaker 2: Kape, Yeah, we do really need to see this is 52 00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:36,200 Speaker 2: a twenty four to seven problem, and the police are 53 00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:38,679 Speaker 2: the only ones that are there working twenty four to 54 00:02:38,720 --> 00:02:41,919 Speaker 2: seven mopping up. We need to see more agencies. There's 55 00:02:41,919 --> 00:02:44,560 Speaker 2: something like twenty thousand public service in the Northern Territory. 56 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:47,000 Speaker 2: I imagine there's quite a few and other springs. I 57 00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:49,360 Speaker 2: want to see this gun of government actually commit to 58 00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:52,480 Speaker 2: some real changes in their current policies that mean there 59 00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:54,399 Speaker 2: are more people out there on the street at night 60 00:02:54,720 --> 00:02:59,040 Speaker 2: supporting our police, other agencies out there working in with 61 00:02:59,080 --> 00:03:02,880 Speaker 2: these young people before they commit the crimes, because unfortunately, 62 00:03:02,919 --> 00:03:05,280 Speaker 2: the reality is the police do a great job. 63 00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:07,520 Speaker 3: But they're there after the fact that is the reality 64 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:08,280 Speaker 3: of what we're facing. 65 00:03:08,280 --> 00:03:08,360 Speaker 2: It. 66 00:03:08,400 --> 00:03:12,080 Speaker 1: Our springs make did you say, six thousand, one hundred 67 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:15,560 Speaker 1: and twenty seven property offenses already this year. 68 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:18,519 Speaker 3: That's yeah, for the year to August. 69 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:21,600 Speaker 2: So basically, you know, we get these rolling figures, you know, 70 00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:24,880 Speaker 2: come out every month about you know, the latest property offenses, 71 00:03:24,919 --> 00:03:28,120 Speaker 2: and that is it. I think it's really important to note, Katie. 72 00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:30,240 Speaker 2: You know, I always get frustrated when we say, oh, 73 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:33,080 Speaker 2: year on year, yes, last year was down slightly because 74 00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:34,800 Speaker 2: of the COVID lockdowns. But if we go back to 75 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:38,280 Speaker 2: twenty nineteen and when we fully open, we still and 76 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:41,520 Speaker 2: I say, only only had four thousand, six hundred and 77 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:42,640 Speaker 2: twenty property offenses. 78 00:03:42,720 --> 00:03:44,920 Speaker 3: So to see that huge. 79 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:48,880 Speaker 2: Uptake, you know, well over fourteen hundred property offenses from 80 00:03:48,880 --> 00:03:52,200 Speaker 2: twenty nineteen to twenty twenty one, it's just incredible. And 81 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:54,440 Speaker 2: this is a trend that is evolving in our town. 82 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:57,240 Speaker 2: We are slowly seeing it just get to us a 83 00:03:57,280 --> 00:03:59,400 Speaker 2: state where you know, when you do talk to these 84 00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:02,680 Speaker 2: business owners, they are struggling to get insurance, they are 85 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:05,120 Speaker 2: struggling to deal with this on a daily basis, and 86 00:04:05,160 --> 00:04:07,080 Speaker 2: that's what's going to hurt happen. We don't want to 87 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:09,480 Speaker 2: see good people leaving our town and we want to 88 00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:11,040 Speaker 2: see this problem get turned around. 89 00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:14,119 Speaker 1: I would imagine that people are potentially worried as well 90 00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:16,279 Speaker 1: that that crime is going to get worse over the 91 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:18,200 Speaker 1: summer and Christmas holiday period. 92 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:21,600 Speaker 2: It's something that we often talk about and when I'm 93 00:04:21,640 --> 00:04:24,760 Speaker 2: speaking with people on the streets that's exactly what people 94 00:04:24,760 --> 00:04:26,839 Speaker 2: are saying is it's just bad. Now, how bad is 95 00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:28,880 Speaker 2: it going to get? And that's the real fear that 96 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:32,400 Speaker 2: people have in ourtown. It's not about overstating what's happening. 97 00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:34,440 Speaker 3: I read out those figures before. This is real. 98 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:36,720 Speaker 2: We are going through this and that's why we're up 99 00:04:36,720 --> 00:04:39,240 Speaker 2: here in Parliament this week putting pressure on the government 100 00:04:39,279 --> 00:04:41,919 Speaker 2: to change these policies, because you cannot just set and 101 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:42,680 Speaker 2: forget Katie. 102 00:04:43,080 --> 00:04:45,000 Speaker 3: We need to see you know, this is the same. 103 00:04:44,800 --> 00:04:47,000 Speaker 2: Government that for months told us that bail wasn't an 104 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:49,760 Speaker 2: issue before changing their bail laws. Well, they can still 105 00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:51,159 Speaker 2: go a lot further and they. 106 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:53,800 Speaker 1: Need to well, Josh, as you've just pointed out, obviously, 107 00:04:53,880 --> 00:04:57,239 Speaker 1: Parliament is sitting in the territory today and no doubt 108 00:04:57,279 --> 00:04:59,400 Speaker 1: this is going to be a focus for the COLP. 109 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:03,159 Speaker 1: This issue of crime and youth offending. What needs to 110 00:05:03,200 --> 00:05:03,720 Speaker 1: happen here? 111 00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:07,679 Speaker 2: Oh, look, we've spoken about bringing back breach of bail 112 00:05:07,680 --> 00:05:10,400 Speaker 2: as an offense. We simply cannot have young people who 113 00:05:10,520 --> 00:05:13,880 Speaker 2: continually reoffend getting off and being bailed, you know, and 114 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:15,520 Speaker 2: we do need to see more programs. 115 00:05:15,560 --> 00:05:16,839 Speaker 3: We spoke about that before. 116 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:20,000 Speaker 2: There are not many options for young people in our 117 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:24,599 Speaker 2: springs when they have been you know, when an offense 118 00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:27,440 Speaker 2: has occurred, the actual youth justice system, there's not a 119 00:05:27,480 --> 00:05:29,640 Speaker 2: lot of options open to them. We always hear about 120 00:05:29,680 --> 00:05:31,640 Speaker 2: seven EMUs up in Daha. Well what have we got 121 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:33,800 Speaker 2: in our springs? I don't become and talking about these 122 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:36,640 Speaker 2: programs down in our springs. We used to have Love's 123 00:05:36,640 --> 00:05:38,880 Speaker 2: Creek that's been gone, been gone for a long time. 124 00:05:38,920 --> 00:05:41,840 Speaker 3: We need to make sure that there are real programs on. 125 00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:43,960 Speaker 2: The ground in our springs so that a young person 126 00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:46,760 Speaker 2: does do the wrong thing, we can get to them, 127 00:05:46,800 --> 00:05:49,279 Speaker 2: we can change that behavior. So we are not constantly 128 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:52,400 Speaker 2: seeing this revolving door of young people unfortunately going through 129 00:05:52,440 --> 00:05:55,680 Speaker 2: our court system and being bailed and going on to reoffend. 130 00:05:55,720 --> 00:05:57,359 Speaker 2: We simply do not want that to happen. 131 00:05:57,640 --> 00:06:00,560 Speaker 1: Josh, what would you say to anybody who's listening this morning, 132 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:02,960 Speaker 1: who thinks that this is just a bit of political 133 00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:07,760 Speaker 1: muck raking, or thinks that the colp is is really 134 00:06:07,839 --> 00:06:10,160 Speaker 1: just sort of, you know, trying to make this a 135 00:06:10,200 --> 00:06:11,479 Speaker 1: bigger issue than what it is. 136 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:14,320 Speaker 3: Look look at the statistic. 137 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:17,080 Speaker 2: The statistics speak for themselves, and when you speak to 138 00:06:17,120 --> 00:06:20,480 Speaker 2: anyone in our community of Alice Springs, the problem is real. 139 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:23,240 Speaker 2: We are doing what we can in opposition to try 140 00:06:23,279 --> 00:06:26,479 Speaker 2: to get this government to move to change their current 141 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:30,200 Speaker 2: policies to make Alice Springs a safer community, because that 142 00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:31,840 Speaker 2: is at the end of the day, what we all 143 00:06:31,880 --> 00:06:34,799 Speaker 2: want to achieve. Police are out there doing there. Government 144 00:06:34,839 --> 00:06:37,279 Speaker 2: can do a lot more help us fix these issues 145 00:06:37,320 --> 00:06:38,800 Speaker 2: that we face in our springs. 146 00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:42,719 Speaker 1: Josh, Before we wrap up, we obviously heard yesterday the 147 00:06:42,720 --> 00:06:45,400 Speaker 1: government made this major announcement when it comes to the 148 00:06:45,480 --> 00:06:49,119 Speaker 1: changes for home quarantine around COVID. We did just speak 149 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:52,760 Speaker 1: to the health Midistine Natasha Files. She reckons that our 150 00:06:52,800 --> 00:06:54,880 Speaker 1: health system is going to be able to keep up 151 00:06:54,920 --> 00:06:58,640 Speaker 1: with what is an incredibly strict testing regime. By the 152 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:01,799 Speaker 1: look of things. Do you think that this plan goes 153 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:04,039 Speaker 1: far enough or is good enough, or do you think 154 00:07:04,080 --> 00:07:07,240 Speaker 1: that realistically we need to know exactly what date we 155 00:07:07,279 --> 00:07:09,800 Speaker 1: are going to open two other states and territories to 156 00:07:09,840 --> 00:07:11,280 Speaker 1: anybody who's double vaxed. 157 00:07:12,320 --> 00:07:14,560 Speaker 2: I think the biggest thing that industry, the people on 158 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:17,320 Speaker 2: the street are wanting is more information regards to how 159 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:20,360 Speaker 2: this is going to work, what happens if these trials 160 00:07:20,360 --> 00:07:22,200 Speaker 2: don't work out exactly the way they're going to government 161 00:07:22,280 --> 00:07:24,240 Speaker 2: hoping them. At the end of the day, Katie, I 162 00:07:24,320 --> 00:07:26,320 Speaker 2: know that everyone wants to go and see their loved 163 00:07:26,320 --> 00:07:28,160 Speaker 2: one at Christmas time, but we must make sure that 164 00:07:28,280 --> 00:07:30,960 Speaker 2: obviously we're taking the best health advice and making sure 165 00:07:30,960 --> 00:07:32,600 Speaker 2: that everyone in the Northern Territory is safe and at 166 00:07:32,640 --> 00:07:34,600 Speaker 2: the moment, I just really feel like when I talk 167 00:07:34,640 --> 00:07:36,800 Speaker 2: to people in the electorate of Freightling, they're still a 168 00:07:36,840 --> 00:07:40,040 Speaker 2: bit unsure about exactly what the plan is and exactly how. 169 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:40,560 Speaker 3: It's going to happen. 170 00:07:40,840 --> 00:07:43,960 Speaker 1: Well, Josh Burgoyne, the Member full Brakling, we really appreciate 171 00:07:44,040 --> 00:07:46,160 Speaker 1: your time this morning. No doubt we'll talk again soon. 172 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:48,280 Speaker 3: Thank you, Thank you.