Marion Scrymgour calls for ‘more transparency’ on Alice Springs offenders, Lia Finocchiaro responds
Lingiari MP Marion Scrymgour says there is a “wall of silence” concerning crime in Alice Springs, claiming the public has the “right to know” whether offenders were on bail when they committed an offence.
News
Don't miss out on the headlines from News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Lingiari MP Marion Scrymgour says there is a “wall of silence” concerning crime in Alice Springs, claiming the public has the “right to know” whether alleged offenders were on bail when they committed an offence.
The claim comes as authorities remain tight-lipped around the arrest of eight girls who are alleged to have physically removed a woman from her car before stealing her vehicle.
About 7pm in Desert Springs on Thursday, police received reports a group of youths allegedly broke into a home and stole a red Mazda.
Police say the group drove the stolen Mazda south to Ilparpa, where the group pulled up behind a parked Ford Ranger, which had a woman inside.
Police allege the group then dragged the woman from her stationary Ranger before stealing it and taking it for a joyride through the CBD.
Within a couple of hours, police apprehended both stolen vehicles.
A 13-year-old, two 14-year-olds, one 15-year-old, as well as two 16 and 17- year-olds were arrested.
When approached by the NT News, police refused to reveal whether any of the alleged offenders were known to police or on bail at the time of the incident.
Authorities also failed to provide an update on the female victim and whether she was injured from the incident.
On Friday afternoon, Ms Scrymgour told this masthead such details needed to be unveiled.
“The public has a right to know if there has been an (alleged) offender that’s been on bail, should have been supervised but wasn’t,” she said.
“If they were subject to an order from Territory Families or part of a child protection order, who was monitoring them? Who was supposed to make sure they weren’t out on the street running amok?”
Ms Scrymgour called on the government to provide more information on those harming others.
“We’re seeing a wall of silence and I think that’s a concern, there should be more transparency in terms of defendants who have committed a terrible crime and whether or not they were on bail.”
Ms Finocchiaro rejected the claim.
“Police should and do release information to the public to the point that it doesn’t jeopardise a successful conviction.”
Ms Finocchiaro also maintained police reports were readily available.
“Operation Ludlow is being reported on weekly, if not daily,” she said.
“The statistics are being put out around arrests, (police) capability and the number of police we have in Alice Springs.”
More Coverage
Originally published as Marion Scrymgour calls for ‘more transparency’ on Alice Springs offenders, Lia Finocchiaro responds
WPL WRAP: Tiwi wins nailbiter as Tigers and Tahs pile on the points
The Tiwi Bombers kept their finals ambitions alive with a mature one-point victory while Nightcliff and Waratah hit triple figures. Read our Round 15 wrap here.
‘Leaders in their fields’: Territory cops honoured with national awards
A crime scene investigator whose discoveries led to the arrest of one of the Territory’s most notorious killers and the head of the anti-terrorism unit have both been awarded with the nation’s highest honour for police. Read their stories here.