Justice group claims ‘racists’ bus rules ‘target Aboriginal people’

Hygiene signs on NT public buses have caused a stink, with claims the rule will ‘target Aboriginal people’ – but all is not as it seems. Have your say in the poll.

Signs on Darwin public buses have caused a stink.

Northern Territory public transport bus rules have caused a stink, with a justice group claiming a specific rule “criminalises poverty and homelessness and will target Aboriginal people”.

Darwin-based community organisation Justice not Jails called out what they described as “new” and “racist” rules on NT public buses. 

The group singled out the ‘hygiene rule’, which prohibits “people with dirty or stained clothes or other items that could damage the bus” from riding the bus.

“These hygiene rules criminalise poverty and homelessness and will target Aboriginal people,” Justice not Jails member Natalia Hunter said.

In response to Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro’s announcement she would form a new armed police unit called Police Public Safety Officers (PPSOs) — which would replace transit officers on buses — the group pondered whether “these hygiene rules will be enforced at gunpoint”.

Justice not Jails said this rule was racist. Picture: Justice not Jails

A CLP government spokeswoman dispelled some of the claims, the first being that these rules were ‘new’.

“This is not a new policy,” the spokeswoman confirmed.

“Clear ‘Rules for Travel’ have been displayed on NT buses for many years to inform passengers of their responsibilities when using public transport.

“Hygiene and safety rules are in place to ensure a clean, safe and respectful environment for all passengers and staff.”

Transit safety officers will be replaced by PPSO next year.

The spokeswoman also said PPSOs would “improve the safety in and around our public transport network”, but did not respond to questions from this masthead about how these armed officers may enforce public transport rules.

Speaking to ABC Darwin with Adam Steer on Monday, Infrastructure Minister Bill Yan denied the rules were racist, using tradies dirtied “after a hard days work” as another example of someone who may not pass the hygiene test.

“(This will target) people who have very very dirty clothes, are very very unclean or very very unhygienic,” Mr Yan said.

“A level of common sense has to be applied.”

In response to rough sleepers using the bus service, Mr Yan said mobile laundry services — such as Orange Sky — meant there was no excuse for uncleanliness.

“There’s lots of opportunities now, there’s mobile laundries all over town,” he said.

“There’s the opportunity for people to make sure they’re clean and tidy before they use the network.”

The Infrastructure Minister also clarified the rules were not new, but the signs had been updated recently.

Originally published as Justice group claims ‘racists’ bus rules ‘target Aboriginal people’