Law and order NT’s ‘responsibility’, top ministers talk Red Centre crime concerns
Lia Finocchiaro and Anthony Albanese spent Christmas Eve talking about concerns in Alice Springs. Find out what was said.
Northern Territory
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After a spate of violent, anti-social behaviour in Alice Springs in recent months, Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro spent the Christmas period discussing solutions with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
The federal government has already responded with a solution to one of the seven requests made by Ms Finocchiaro in the wake of a brutal attack in the Red Centre.
However, Ms Finocchiaro said the Territory and federal governments would need to be moving in the “same direction” for any further change.
“I met with Prime Minister [Anthony Albanese] and Senator [Malarndirri] McCarthy, and with the Member for Lingiari as well,” she said.
“We were successful at having the federal government change the requirements for our police to use drones.
“So we’ve now got much more enhanced drone capability, which is excellent.
“It’s another tool for our police.”
Ms Finocchiaro said discussions around Centrelink reforms “dominated the discussion”.
“Our next focus is on three of the recommendations I made to the federal government around Centrelink reform,” she said.
“The commonwealth will only income manage up to a maximum of 70 per cent, and we’re asking the feds to go beyond that limit.
“So that’s a negotiation.
“We also then want to have absolute confirmation that if the Territory refers someone to income management, the federal government must accept that referral.
“And so we’re making sure that takes place.
“There might be an opportunity for us to expand the pathways to income management under Territory law, and again, making sure that if we do that, the federal government must then accept those referrals.”
While some people have taken to social media to express their concerns with the way the NT government is approaching the situation, Ms Finocchiaro said it was important to do right by Alice Springs, and the Northern Territory as a whole.
“We keep pushing the feds to make sure that the policy frameworks are right for this town and for the Territory,” she said.
“And ultimately we’ve all got to be moving in the same direction if we’re going to be dealing with these issues.”
Speaking to media on Christmas Eve, Mr Albanese said the federal government had already provided $250m as part of A Better, Safer Future for Central Australia plan – though this funding was allocated in 2023.
Mr Albanese said the plan was comprehensive and the federal government remained vigilant and able to provide support.
“The security and law and order is primarily the responsibility of the Northern Territory Government and the Northern Territory Police, and they are people who are on the ground,” he said.
“And when I met with the Northern Territory Police at that time, they certainly felt that they were in the best position to take action.
“What we’ve seen in Alice Springs recently is once again some horrific incident.
“Violence is always unacceptable and justice should be brought down on perpetrators.
“But we have continued to provide support to the NT government, work with them to tackle crime, to keep women and children safe and support young people.”
Mr Albanese said the federal government had signed a national partnership agreement to deliver additional law enforcement and community safety initiatives, including funding for additional officers, liquor licensing officers and the Aboriginal Licensing Office to be positioned in Alice Springs.
The Prime Minister’s office did not provide further comment or clarity on the meeting.
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Originally published as Law and order NT’s ‘responsibility’, top ministers talk Red Centre crime concerns