Lia takes it to the Feds as Canberra wrings its hands on NT crime and neglect

The Territory Government will continue to push for changes to welfare, royalties and funding to reduce crime, despite heel-dragging from the Commonwealth.

The Territory Government will continue to push for changes to welfare, royalties and funding to reduce crime, despite heel-dragging from the Commonwealth.

Despite his Christmas time visit to Darwin, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the federal government have pushed back on some of the measures proposed by the NTG.

Late last year Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro announced seven critical areas that required federal government attention, starting with Centrelink payments made on takeaway alcohol free days.

The Government wants the reintroduction of compulsory work or training programs; fortnightly reporting obligations for Centrelink recipients; a performance audit of federal programs; royalty distributions to be made in communities, not towns; civil aviation approval for Alice Springs police drone pilots; 100 per cent income management for parents of juvenile offenders and additional income management for parents who neglect children.

Northern Territory Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro in Alice Springs. Picture: Gera Kazakov

“There’s plenty on the table when it comes to what could be done to drive down our horrific levels of crime,” Ms Finocchiaro said.

“We can’t sit around and wait for the federal government to wake up and have an epiphany, and that’s why my government is making sure that our laws meet community expectation and put the rights of the people to be safe above the rights of offenders.”

She said the Territory wants the Commonwealth to lift the maximum 70 per cent welfare quarantine cap to 100 per cent to remove the discretionary spend capacity for parents who neglect their children.

“We also want to expand the pathways in which we can refer parents to income management,” Ms Finocchiaro said.

“We make no apologies for being tough on parents who neglect their children and fail to send their kids to school. No child should be deprived of a future and by stopping your children from going to school, that’s exactly what people are doing, and we won’t stand for it.

“If parents don’t want to be income managed, my message to you is send your kids to school.”

Despite a “largely collaborative” approach from the Commonwealth, Ms Finocchiaro said engagement had not been all plain sailing.

Anthony Albanese's New Year's address to the nation in Darwin.

“They’re pushing back on how the Centrelink reforms could work, but we’re strong in our resolve to make sure we’re putting a proposal to the Commonwealth Government that really leaves them no choice but to accept it at the very minimum for a trial period.”

Large, lump sum royalty payments from corporations are also in the Territory’s sights.

“One of our seven wish list items to the federal government was around royalty payment reform,” she said.

“Now that seems something that they’re a bit more lukewarm on and I’m going to pursue that through the land councils.

“What we know is that when huge amounts of money flush into towns like Alice Springs, we see a corresponding escalation in violence, alcohol consumption and anti-social behaviour.

“What we’ve seen for a very long time is the federal government turn a blind eye to how royalties and land councils operate. They want this to be a Territory issue where the reality is they sit squarely under Prime Minister and Cabinet, so we’ll continue to push for reform in this space.

“We want this money going to building and strengthening communities, creating jobs, having better housing and other outcomes for people living in the bush. We’ll do everything we can at a Territory level to push ahead while the federal government continues to flounder on this issue.”

Originally published as Lia takes it to the Feds as Canberra wrings its hands on NT crime and neglect