Alex Antic: Hutt St crime solution is being stifled by political correctness – solve it before someone is killed

HUTT Street’s southern end has become a barren, dangerous place and the fear of being politically incorrect is stifling the potential to fix it, writes Adelaide City Councillor Alex Antic.

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THE existence of so called “anti-social behaviour” at the southern end of Hutt Street has been an ongoing problem for a long period of time.

Those who live and work in the area have become accustomed to the disturbances, the yelling and the littering, however over the past 12 months, something appears to have changed, and the situation has reached crisis point.

Hutt Street was once a thriving, bustling dining precinct. Picture: AAP/Emma Brasier

Hutt Street was once a thriving, bustling dining precinct from its northern intersection with Wakefield Street, all the way through to South Terrace. Sadly, the southern part of that strip is now a barren and at times, dangerous place. Those businesses which have stuck it out tell stories of fights, drug dealing, threats and intimidation. Indeed in the last two weeks alone, I have been told of repeated threats of physical violence, an elderly lady who was punched in the face, and too many reports of abuse, public urination and illegal camping to mention.

Mental health services, illicit substance abuse and the criminal activities which all too often come hand in glove with these problems are State Government issues which fall outside the remit of local government.

The Hutt St Centre provides meals to the homeless.

The State Government is however moving too slowly, and appears to be taking little interest in helping the people of this precinct.

The Adelaide City Council has done its best to help. It has secured a dry zone in the parklands after 8pm, and raised concerns with SAPOL, both of which have had minimal impact on the current crisis.

No longer will the people of this area suffer in silence. They are hard working, compassionate people who fully understand the difficulties of homelessness, drug problems and alcohol abuse but whose tolerance has been stretched to breaking point.

Hutt St Centre CEO Ian Cox. Picture: Tait Schmaal

Nobody is suggesting that these complex issues will be solved simply but by taking a politically correct approach and ignoring them, we place our residents and business owners in grave danger. Safety and security must be the priority.

Political correctness is the enemy of opinion, intellectual critique and sound decision making.

The curse of people in decision-making roles being frightened to speak the truth about issues of community importance for fear of engaging the intemperance of the PC brigade, has become a blight on our decision making process and an impediment to good governance. It cannot be allowed to ride roughshod over issues of basic law and order.

A solution needs to be found to the serious criminal activity at the southern end of Hutt Street before it becomes entrenched, and it needs to be found quickly before someone is killed.

Alex Antic is an Adelaide City Councillor and senior Liberal.