1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,920 Speaker 1: As I mentioned a little earlier, another sexual assault in 2 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:06,080 Speaker 1: the city on Tuesday. It happened in broad daylight four 3 00:00:06,120 --> 00:00:09,680 Speaker 1: pm in Austin Lane. According to the police. This is 4 00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:13,039 Speaker 1: on top of the sexual assault last Thursday. Now, I 5 00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:16,400 Speaker 1: want to make it clear the offenders have been apprehended. 6 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:19,480 Speaker 1: Police have done their job, the offenders have been apprehended. 7 00:00:19,920 --> 00:00:22,640 Speaker 1: But it is another example of the terrible things happening 8 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:26,080 Speaker 1: around the Northern Territory, particularly in Darwin. 9 00:00:26,120 --> 00:00:26,640 Speaker 2: At the moment. 10 00:00:27,160 --> 00:00:30,200 Speaker 1: The executive director of the Property Council of Australia's Northern 11 00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:33,040 Speaker 1: Territory Branch, Ruth Palmer, joins me on the show. 12 00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:35,160 Speaker 2: Good morning to you, Ruth, Good morning Katie. 13 00:00:35,320 --> 00:00:38,360 Speaker 1: Now, Ruth, as a woman who's in the city regularly, 14 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:41,479 Speaker 1: this news makes me feel feel pretty disturbed, and I'm 15 00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:44,280 Speaker 1: sure that you probably feel the same. I spoke to 16 00:00:44,320 --> 00:00:46,960 Speaker 1: a number of retailers yesterday who are in the city 17 00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:49,520 Speaker 1: and they're feeling pretty concerned about the state of things. 18 00:00:50,040 --> 00:00:53,080 Speaker 1: What's your reaction when you heard about this latest incident. 19 00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:55,000 Speaker 2: It is very disturbing, Katie. 20 00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:57,960 Speaker 3: And my building where I work is actually at Austin Lane, 21 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:00,280 Speaker 3: so the building that I'm in every single day is 22 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:03,040 Speaker 3: one that backs onto Austin Lane there. So it is 23 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:06,600 Speaker 3: quite alarming that these sorts of events are happening sort of. 24 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:07,880 Speaker 2: In that four pm time. 25 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:11,039 Speaker 3: You know, these are times when parents are walking around 26 00:01:11,080 --> 00:01:14,160 Speaker 3: with their children. You know, even when school goes back, 27 00:01:14,240 --> 00:01:16,480 Speaker 3: this is the times when people have picked up their 28 00:01:16,560 --> 00:01:17,679 Speaker 3: kids and bringing them. 29 00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:19,040 Speaker 2: Into the city for the afternoon. 30 00:01:19,360 --> 00:01:22,959 Speaker 3: So this is completely unacceptable and you know, it should 31 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:25,920 Speaker 3: not be happening on our streets, and especially in our laneways, 32 00:01:25,959 --> 00:01:28,080 Speaker 3: which we're spending a lot of time and effort in 33 00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:31,720 Speaker 3: trying to activate. We've got coffee shops along that laneway, 34 00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:35,080 Speaker 3: we have events on those laneways, and this just puts 35 00:01:35,080 --> 00:01:38,000 Speaker 3: a really bad taste on what our laneways are out 36 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:38,600 Speaker 3: there to achieve. 37 00:01:38,720 --> 00:01:41,600 Speaker 1: Well, we've got the beautiful street, We've got so much 38 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:44,800 Speaker 1: going on to try to entice people into our CBD. 39 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:48,440 Speaker 1: But Ruths, what are property owners and businesses saying to 40 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:49,160 Speaker 1: you at the moment. 41 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:53,000 Speaker 3: So at the moment, Katie, they're just very frustrated and 42 00:01:53,120 --> 00:01:56,040 Speaker 3: asking the question of why am I here? Why do 43 00:01:56,120 --> 00:01:58,360 Speaker 3: I keep my doors open? What am I going to 44 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:00,320 Speaker 3: wake up to in the morning. Is there going to 45 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:03,040 Speaker 3: be another broken window? Or are my staff going to 46 00:02:03,040 --> 00:02:05,880 Speaker 3: get assaulted in the workplace. We know that assaults on 47 00:02:05,960 --> 00:02:08,840 Speaker 3: retail workers have increased over the last couple of weeks. 48 00:02:09,040 --> 00:02:13,000 Speaker 3: We've seen numerous reports of people being assaulted physically in 49 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:16,760 Speaker 3: their store. So people are coming into people's areas and 50 00:02:16,760 --> 00:02:20,120 Speaker 3: physically assaulting them and for what purpose, Like, I don't 51 00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:24,720 Speaker 3: understand what the drive is there in a retail store. 52 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:29,040 Speaker 3: So this is just completely unacceptable. It's driving people away 53 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:31,680 Speaker 3: and people will close their doors and we will be 54 00:02:31,760 --> 00:02:33,160 Speaker 3: a ghost town now. 55 00:02:33,760 --> 00:02:36,960 Speaker 1: Raised Cafe actually took to social media yesterday and questioned 56 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:40,519 Speaker 1: how much longer senseless break ins and vandalism can go 57 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:44,399 Speaker 1: on after they were once again targeted. Are we still 58 00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:46,400 Speaker 1: seeing a lot of that kind of crime around the 59 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:47,480 Speaker 1: city as well at the moment. 60 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:49,880 Speaker 3: Yeah, and there's still obviously a lot of break ins 61 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:53,320 Speaker 3: around the hotels as well, So you do see, you know, 62 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:56,720 Speaker 3: the restaurants and hotels still being broken into and targeted. 63 00:02:57,080 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 3: You know, Raised Cafe is a brilliant cafe. It's always acted. 64 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:02,480 Speaker 3: There's so many people that frequent there, and that would 65 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:05,320 Speaker 3: be a huge blow to the city that did close 66 00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:07,960 Speaker 3: its doors. But you know, we're coming into our Christmas season. 67 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:11,560 Speaker 3: We want our doors open. We want our local territory, 68 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 3: businesses supporting territorians and people being able to go into 69 00:03:15,919 --> 00:03:19,000 Speaker 3: a shop and buy things safely. But the fact is 70 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:21,960 Speaker 3: they don't feel safe. And when you don't feel safe, 71 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:24,120 Speaker 3: you're not going to open your doors. But people aren't 72 00:03:24,200 --> 00:03:27,480 Speaker 3: going to go into the CBD or other areas across 73 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:28,079 Speaker 3: the territory. 74 00:03:28,120 --> 00:03:31,040 Speaker 1: And I think we're feeling exasperated at the moment because 75 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:32,320 Speaker 1: the police are doing their jobs. 76 00:03:32,320 --> 00:03:33,880 Speaker 2: They're working incredibly hard to. 77 00:03:33,840 --> 00:03:36,120 Speaker 1: Try to make sure that they're catching offenders when they 78 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:38,840 Speaker 1: do the wrong thing. You know, we've got a situation 79 00:03:38,960 --> 00:03:41,800 Speaker 1: where the government's coming out saying that they're doing this, 80 00:03:41,920 --> 00:03:44,640 Speaker 1: that and the other, but territorians are not feeling as 81 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:45,400 Speaker 1: though it's working. 82 00:03:45,720 --> 00:03:45,800 Speaker 3: No. 83 00:03:45,960 --> 00:03:47,920 Speaker 2: And I mean, you've got to look at the statistics, Katie. 84 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:50,320 Speaker 3: So we're looking at the statistics of the crime rates 85 00:03:50,320 --> 00:03:54,320 Speaker 3: for this report that's come out this week and everything, 86 00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:58,280 Speaker 3: every market is up, so everything is already a high percent. 87 00:03:58,480 --> 00:04:03,320 Speaker 3: But we're already coming off what was very disturbing high 88 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:07,280 Speaker 3: statistics anyway, So year on year it's increasing and we 89 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:10,080 Speaker 3: are getting higher. So when does those number when do 90 00:04:10,160 --> 00:04:13,480 Speaker 3: those numbers become unacceptable? When do we not accept that 91 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:16,640 Speaker 3: the number of offenses or the fact that it's going 92 00:04:16,720 --> 00:04:19,320 Speaker 3: up year on year is unacceptable and that's what the 93 00:04:19,360 --> 00:04:21,640 Speaker 3: government needs to see. If you look back ten years 94 00:04:21,640 --> 00:04:24,000 Speaker 3: to what the numbers were, to how it is now 95 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:28,400 Speaker 3: and the level that it's risen, it's absolutely not appropriate 96 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:30,960 Speaker 3: for where we live and what we love and what 97 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:32,400 Speaker 3: we want to do in the territory. 98 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:35,440 Speaker 1: What impact do you think that it's having on liveability? 99 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:37,920 Speaker 1: But also investments into the territory. 100 00:04:37,520 --> 00:04:38,880 Speaker 2: Oh, investments a struggle. 101 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:43,120 Speaker 3: People will not come here because of the unacceptable behavior 102 00:04:43,160 --> 00:04:43,719 Speaker 3: and the crime. 103 00:04:43,800 --> 00:04:45,080 Speaker 2: People don't feel safe. 104 00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:48,120 Speaker 3: We know of people who have left the territory because 105 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:50,800 Speaker 3: of this reason. We know businesses who have shut their 106 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:53,359 Speaker 3: doors because they've had enough and they've moved down south. 107 00:04:53,400 --> 00:04:55,120 Speaker 3: And you know what they say, best thing I ever 108 00:04:55,160 --> 00:04:57,520 Speaker 3: did and their things as a territory And you don't 109 00:04:57,560 --> 00:04:58,320 Speaker 3: want to hear like, you. 110 00:04:58,279 --> 00:05:00,680 Speaker 2: Don't hear behalt I dare like I says. 111 00:05:00,680 --> 00:05:03,120 Speaker 3: People here that still love it, they're still trying to 112 00:05:03,120 --> 00:05:05,440 Speaker 3: sell the message, still trying to say it's a great place, 113 00:05:06,080 --> 00:05:09,200 Speaker 3: but sadly it's becoming really difficult to sell the message 114 00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:13,560 Speaker 3: because we are seeing it and somehow it's become this 115 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:15,960 Speaker 3: accepted thing that we just have to get on with 116 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:16,680 Speaker 3: and deal with. 117 00:05:16,720 --> 00:05:18,440 Speaker 2: And it's completely unacceptable. 118 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:21,080 Speaker 1: It is completely unacceptable, and I think, you know, even 119 00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:24,919 Speaker 1: for myself, like I feel sad hearing people, you know, 120 00:05:25,080 --> 00:05:27,159 Speaker 1: like hearing that people are leaving and that they're happy 121 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:29,640 Speaker 1: when they leave, because I still believe in the place, 122 00:05:29,680 --> 00:05:32,760 Speaker 1: and I still believe that it can actually turn around, 123 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:35,000 Speaker 1: but there has to be the will and there has 124 00:05:35,040 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 1: to be the actual desire from the government to do it. 125 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:37,560 Speaker 3: Now. 126 00:05:37,560 --> 00:05:39,800 Speaker 1: I know that they're saying all the right things, but 127 00:05:39,960 --> 00:05:43,840 Speaker 1: unfortunately we're not seeing that change that we all need 128 00:05:44,080 --> 00:05:44,760 Speaker 1: and it's having. 129 00:05:44,680 --> 00:05:47,039 Speaker 2: A massive impact on everybody. 130 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:50,240 Speaker 1: What does the government need to be doing from the 131 00:05:50,279 --> 00:05:52,160 Speaker 1: Property Council's perspective. 132 00:05:51,720 --> 00:05:53,479 Speaker 3: Yeah, and that's right, Katie, And I guess the question 133 00:05:53,640 --> 00:05:55,440 Speaker 3: is as well, how long do people have to wait? 134 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:58,159 Speaker 3: We've already been waiting a long time and we have 135 00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:01,880 Speaker 3: heard a lot of or a lot of changes coming through, 136 00:06:01,920 --> 00:06:06,200 Speaker 3: but unfortunately the statistics aren't matching with what the legislative 137 00:06:06,279 --> 00:06:09,120 Speaker 3: changes had promised to do. So we need to go 138 00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:12,200 Speaker 3: back to the drawing board really looking at what is 139 00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:12,600 Speaker 3: going on. 140 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:15,080 Speaker 2: Is it a resourcing issue, is there security? 141 00:06:15,520 --> 00:06:19,599 Speaker 3: Is there something that's drawing people into areas where there 142 00:06:19,640 --> 00:06:23,400 Speaker 3: is high activity, like why are people walking around at 143 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:24,839 Speaker 3: ten am in the morning drunk? 144 00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:26,880 Speaker 2: So you know, they're the things that need to be 145 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:27,520 Speaker 2: looked at, and. 146 00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:30,440 Speaker 3: You know, looking at the fact that well what is 147 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:33,279 Speaker 3: going on here, there's obviously the underlying issue around it 148 00:06:33,320 --> 00:06:36,159 Speaker 3: and that's what needs to be established. So are these 149 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:38,320 Speaker 3: why are people doing this? And that's the question that's 150 00:06:38,360 --> 00:06:41,160 Speaker 3: got to be asked. We know that in our survey 151 00:06:41,200 --> 00:06:42,800 Speaker 3: that we did at the start of the year that 152 00:06:42,839 --> 00:06:46,360 Speaker 3: people highlighted that resourcing was a massive issue. We've heard 153 00:06:46,360 --> 00:06:48,960 Speaker 3: it from the Northern Territory Police before that there was 154 00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:52,400 Speaker 3: the resourcing issue. So you know, we really need to 155 00:06:52,480 --> 00:06:55,200 Speaker 3: make sure that twenty twenty four is a better year 156 00:06:55,240 --> 00:06:58,239 Speaker 3: for Territorians because right now you do have people leaving 157 00:06:58,240 --> 00:07:00,200 Speaker 3: in droves and it's not good enough. 158 00:06:59,760 --> 00:07:00,640 Speaker 2: No, it's not. 159 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:02,520 Speaker 1: We need to see some change. We've got to see 160 00:07:02,560 --> 00:07:06,719 Speaker 1: some really serious change. And I think everybody wants the 161 00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:10,120 Speaker 1: crime that we're seeing around the place to turn around. 162 00:07:10,120 --> 00:07:11,720 Speaker 1: And I know that it's not going to happen overnight. 163 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:14,080 Speaker 1: But as you touched on, you know, seven years worth 164 00:07:14,080 --> 00:07:15,600 Speaker 1: of work here and I said it to the police 165 00:07:15,640 --> 00:07:18,080 Speaker 1: minister yesterday, Like, at what point are we going to 166 00:07:18,160 --> 00:07:19,640 Speaker 1: actually see an impact? 167 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:20,040 Speaker 2: Yeah? 168 00:07:20,080 --> 00:07:22,119 Speaker 3: Well that's right, Katie, And like I said, how long, 169 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:25,280 Speaker 3: how long do we have to wait? You know, we've 170 00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:27,960 Speaker 3: talked about the change, we've talked about things don't happen overnight, 171 00:07:28,040 --> 00:07:32,200 Speaker 3: but you know this has been a very long, ongoing problem. 172 00:07:32,400 --> 00:07:34,320 Speaker 2: So at what point do we go? 173 00:07:34,560 --> 00:07:34,760 Speaker 3: Right? 174 00:07:34,880 --> 00:07:35,480 Speaker 2: That is it? 175 00:07:35,520 --> 00:07:38,160 Speaker 3: We are completely fed up? Like we can't live in 176 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:39,080 Speaker 3: our town anymore. 177 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:42,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, oh, Ruth, Look, I really appreciate you coming in 178 00:07:42,840 --> 00:07:45,400 Speaker 1: this morning, and I know you love the place. I 179 00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:47,080 Speaker 1: know that you want to see it thrive, and I 180 00:07:47,120 --> 00:07:50,120 Speaker 1: know yeah that we all do. That's the whole point here. 181 00:07:50,480 --> 00:07:52,160 Speaker 1: And I feel like we're banging a drum that we've 182 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:54,840 Speaker 1: been banging on for quite some time. But at some 183 00:07:55,160 --> 00:07:59,000 Speaker 1: point something has to change. It cannot continue to get worse. 184 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:00,000 Speaker 2: Well that's right, Katie. 185 00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:02,640 Speaker 3: And you know you're a mother like myself, and we've 186 00:08:02,640 --> 00:08:04,680 Speaker 3: got children who live in the territory, and we want 187 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:06,160 Speaker 3: our kids to stay in the territory. 188 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:08,720 Speaker 2: So how do you keep them here? 189 00:08:08,920 --> 00:08:12,600 Speaker 3: Like when they're actually witnessing this behavior, they're seeing it 190 00:08:12,640 --> 00:08:15,120 Speaker 3: on the news, they're hearing it at a school, but 191 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:16,160 Speaker 3: they're actually. 192 00:08:15,840 --> 00:08:18,360 Speaker 2: Seeing it on the streets or at the shopping centers. 193 00:08:18,560 --> 00:08:21,920 Speaker 3: So this is physical acts that our children are witnessing 194 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:24,440 Speaker 3: and to them, is it okay for them to think 195 00:08:24,440 --> 00:08:25,640 Speaker 3: that that behavior is okay? 196 00:08:25,760 --> 00:08:26,520 Speaker 2: It's not. 197 00:08:26,720 --> 00:08:28,600 Speaker 3: And so how do you put that message to your 198 00:08:28,720 --> 00:08:30,920 Speaker 3: children that this is not okay behavior. 199 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:34,480 Speaker 1: That is an incredibly good point, Ruth. I really appreciate 200 00:08:34,559 --> 00:08:36,720 Speaker 1: you joining us this morning. We'll talk to again very soon. 201 00:08:36,880 --> 00:08:38,120 Speaker 2: Thank you, Katie, thank you