Report reveals alcohol-related DV offences in Alice Springs increased by 97 per cent
Domestic violence offences in Alice Springs have almost doubled in the past three years while property crime is at an all-time high, according to an alarming report.
Northern Territory
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PROPERTY crime in Alice Springs is at an all-time high and domestic violence offences in the town have almost doubled in the past three years, according to a report by the Central Australian Regional Controller.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Chief Minister Natasha Fyles tasked Dorrelle Anderson with compiling a report on alcohol-related harm in Alice Springs after the Mr Albanese visited the town last month.
Ms Anderson’s report shows the number of property offences in a 12-month period reached a new high of 8222 offences in the 12 months ending November 2022.
“This represents an increase of 82 per cent compared with the 12 months ending November 2019 and accounted for 30 per cent of total NT property offences in the last 12 months,” she wrote.
Alcohol-related domestic violence offences increased by 96.7 per cent over the same period.
“NT Police confirms that domestic violence call-outs is one of, if not, their biggest single job,” Ms Anderson wrote.
“Given the importance of getting to the victims as soon as possible, these jobs take top priority.
“Higher numbers of domestic violence offences – as recorded in Alice Springs – therefore, mean that less police are immediately available to respond to other jobs, including property offences.”
Ms Anderson said she had compared 2022 data to 2019 as there had been a significant increase in alcohol-related harm since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.
In March 2021, a Sky News investigation based on freedom-of-information documents revealed there had been a significant rise in alcohol-fuelled violence attributed to the former Coalition government’s decision to double welfare payments and allow early access to superannuation during the pandemic.
The investigation revealed an increase in domestic violence, legal and illegal gambling, the sale of used cars for inflated prices and a rise in sales of alcohol on the black market.
At the time, NT Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker told Sky News police had seen bottles of Bundaberg Rum selling for up to $700 on the black market and up to $50,000 being bet between Aboriginal Territorians in card games being played in and around Alice Springs and in other communities.
Ms Anderson’s report confirms this trend.
“Anecdotal evidence suggests that Covid was a significant contributor to the rise in assaults during this period, specifically the economic support payments, the ability to access superannuation, JobKeeper and regular Covid supplement payments,” she wrote.
“It was also reported during this time that a large number of remote community members were travelling to urban centres to consume and purchase alcohol.”
The report found little evidence of an increase in alcohol-related harm in Alice Springs in the first four months after alcohol restrictions in town camps were lifted in July last year.
“However, additional data and operational intelligence obtained through Northern Territory government operations and regular statistical reporting has indicated that there has been an increase in alcohol-related harm from November 2022 to present that warrants consideration of urgent action, particularly as it relates to the consumption of takeaway alcohol,” Ms Anderson wrote.
The report also noted an increase in alcohol-related emergency department presentations at Alice Springs Hospital since last July.
This is supported by the most recent NT government data that showed those presentations had risen by 55 per cent over the past six months.
Hospital staff have also reported an increase in the severity of injuries they are dealing with. Last month, a doctor told Sky News the hospital had treated a woman whose husband had tried to decapitate her before slitting his own throat.
“In the time I’ve been working here I’ve never seen the violence as bad as it is,” he said.
“It’s extreme violence.”
Ms Anderson’s report supports that view.
“Clinical reports from Emergency Department Alice Springs Hospital have observed an increase in the severity of harm being inflicted on Aboriginal women as a result of domestic violence since the cessation of the Stronger Futures Act restrictions,” she wrote.
“Data is still under collection to verify these observations.”
Ms Anderson recommended the NT government urgently pass legislation to return alcohol bans to town camps, “with a clear path forward if the community wishes to introduce responsible drinking options, upon development of a Community Alcohol Management Plan”.
The NT government announced on Monday it would follow this recommendation.
The report also recommends more needs-based funding “as a matter of priority, so that the cycle of intergenerational trauma and disadvantage can truly begin to be broken”.
The federal government will provide an extra $250 million to help address the issues in Alice Springs.
Matt Cunningham is the Sky News Northern Australia Correspondent
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Originally published as Report reveals alcohol-related DV offences in Alice Springs increased by 97 per cent
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