Glaring absence at Alice Springs meeting reveals crisis town’s major problem

Thousands of furious locals gathered for an urgent meeting in Alice Springs yesterday – but one glaring absence has everyone talking.

Thousands of fed-up locals gathered for a crisis meeting in Alice Springs on Monday night – and one telling photo has exposed the town’s biggest problem.

The Save Alice Springs meeting was held yesterday evening, with photos from the event showing up to 3,000 furious locals in attendance.

According to organiser, local business owner and lifelong resident Garth Thompson, the incredible turn out was proof that “the love for Alice is still strong”, and that residents are desperate for change.

“I am so proud to see the number of locals giving their time and support to help bring change,” he posted on Facebook after the event.

Biggest gathering I’ve ever seen of #AliceSprings locals at the Convention Centre. People from all walks of life with diverse ideas about the town. pic.twitter.com/fb4MDxltsk

— Alex Barwick (@_AlexBarwick) January 30, 2023

“I’m proud to be a local here in Alice Springs, the community coming together tonight was a showing of what is possible in our amazing town!!!”

However, attention is now turning to the lack of politicians in the crowd, adding weight to the claim that the Alice Springs community had long been neglected by the Northern Territory in particular.

In fact, it was the central theme of the event, with Mr Thompson announcing the community planned to sue the territory government for $1.5 billion in compensation “to move forward”, and that residents “deserve to be compensated for what the government has put us through”.

“We are Alice Springs … we deserve a better run from our government, we deserve a better place to live, and we need a sense of calm across our town,” he said.

A packed Town Hall meeting in Alice Springs has raised eyebrows after no politicians showed up. Picture: Facebook

He added “the negligence … needs to stop, and it’s as simple as that”.

Mr Thompson announced he had been speaking with lawyers for several weeks regarding a class action.

“We need to hold our government accountable,” he said.

“They’ve proven quite a few times that they’re aware of the neglect – the way the town was emptied when the Prime Minister was coming was the biggest single form of acknowledgment that the way that we are living that they deem as being is OK is not right.

“They were embarrassed for that to be seen and that is just proof that they know exactly where we are standing is not right.”

Mr Thompson added the control measures put forward by the government were “sometimes quite disgusting”.

“They have the ability to fix these problems … but they choose not to,” he said, “Instead, we’re all affected.

“We’re all controlled and we’re all put in a place where we’re disadvantaged by their decisions to try [to] fix our problems with a Band-Aid and it’s wrong.”

Mr Thompson said the system was failing.

“We deserve better than what we are being given, people out on the street, they deserve better welfare than what they are provided,” he said.

The police presence has been beefed up in Alice Springs. Picture: JPL/Media Mode/news.com.au

“There are so many different avenues that we are being neglected that it’s hard to pinpoint just one or two or highlight a story, and that’s why tonight we’ve all come together.

“The judicial system fails us, absolutely fails us … the bail system is no different.”

The federal and territory governments have both earmarked cash for extra policing and temporary bottle shop closures, with both governments now considering reintroducing alcohol bans in Indigenous communities.

It comes as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is also facing criticism for spending more time at the Australian Open than in Alice Springs.

The PM attended both men’s and women’s finals, as well as Friday night’s semi-final, with critics arguing he spent considerably more time at Melbourne Park than he did in the crisis-ridden town.

Alice Springs has been hit by a wave of violence. Picture: JPL/Media Mode/news.com.au

“The people of Alice Springs need national leadership, and they aren’t getting that from Mr Albanese,” Deputy Opposition leader Sussan Ley said.

“We need more leadership from the Prime Minister. If he wants to go to the tennis that’s up to him and there’s no issue with that, but the fact he’s seemingly spent three days watching the tennis in Melbourne and just four hours in Alice Springs doesn’t pass the pub test.”

Alice Springs-based senator Jacinta Price also told The Herald Sun it was an “insult and a kick in the guts” for Alice Springs locals to see the PM “spending more time relaxing and chugging back beers at the tennis than what he did on the ground in Alice Springs”.

Originally published as Glaring absence at Alice Springs meeting reveals crisis town’s major problem