Shocking photos show fights that led to two schools being banned from Casuarina Square
Two incidents at Casuarina Square shopping centre sparked a month-long ban for about 1100 students from two Top End schools.
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Two incidents at Casuarina Square shopping centre last week triggered management to implement a month-long ban for students from two schools from Monday.
The most recent incidents followed weeks of anti-social behaviour that frightened customers and left store owners at the centre searching for answers.
On Friday afternoon, two female students from Casuarina Senior College exchanged blows near the Coffee Club inside the centre while students from the college and Sanderson Middle School filmed the fracas.
The incident was stopped by Casuarina security guards and the students were dispersed.
On Wednesday afternoon, students were involved in property damage and vandalism near the same location that resulted in lounge furniture and wallpaper being damaged, a table being overturned and a broken floor-tile.
Again, centre security officers responded to the incident and the trouble-makers were dispersed.
On the back of weeks of poor student behaviour since school returned in January, centre management has sent out a clear message they have a zero tolerance approach to poor student behaviour.
On Monday afternoon, the extent of the challenge of enforcing the ban became evident.
There are 19 entrances at Casurina Square, 28 if you include fire escapes, and this publication saw a small number of Casuarina Senior College and Sanderson Middle School students in uniform after school.
One trader, who requested anomity, praised the work done by centre management and security teams but said their challenge was similar to the ‘whack-a-mole’ arcade game where there are multiple escape points.
Two Casuarina Senior College students fled the centre when they spotted security guards and a fire alarm, which may have been deliberately activated, sounded for about 10 minutes at the centre.
Casuarina Square Centre Manager Polly Lamond said poor student behaviour could erupt without warning and often dissipated just as quickly.
Ms Lamond said this included fights between students from different schools as well as students from the same school fighting one and other.
“The police are right when they say incidents involving school students flare up quickly and then die away just as quickly,” she said.
“There’s no pattern to it.”
The month-long ban re-enforces the message Sentinel, the shopping centre’s owner and manager, sent about unruly behaviour last month when it implemented a 48-hour ban for students from six schools, including Casuarina Senior College and Sanderson Middle School.
At the time, the centre promised it would take a zero tolerance approach to anti-social behaviour by students and vowed there would be further bans imposed if poor behaviour continued.
In response to questions from this publication, a spokeswoman from the Education Department said it didn’t condone anti-social behaviour from students.
“We are committed to working with other government agencies and Casuarina Square to support actions that address this type of behaviour,” the spokeswoman said.
“The Northern Territory government has been partnering with Casuarina Square businesses on the ‘No School, No Service’ campaign.
“The campaign supports students attending school every day by limiting service in retail stores and businesses during school hours.”
‘ZERO TOLEARNCE’: MONTH LONG STUDENT BAN
Students from two Top End schools have been slapped with a month-long ban from entering Casuarina Square.
And if student behaviour doesn’t improve they could face a permanent ban.
Casuarina Square management said the latest ban was sparked by students fighting at the complex.
Centre management Sentinel said the ban was implemented to ensure the safety of visitors and workers at the centre.
From Monday, students from Casuarina Senior College and Sanderson Middle School will be banned from the shopping centre until April 3.
It follows last month’s snap 48-hour ban at Casuarina Square of students from six Top End schools.
Chief Minister Natasha Fyles congratulated Sentinel “for taking a stand” and said government outreach workers will patrol the centre.
“Everyone has the right to go about their business safely. Casuarina Square has made a decision in the best interest of their customers and businesses,” Ms Fyles said. “I congratulate them for taking a stand, and working with government to help curb antisocial behaviour.
“Amended trespass laws will make it easier and more streamlined for businesses to issue and enforce trespass orders to adults. This is something many businesses have asked for. Parents need to be responsible for their children.
“To continue to support Casuarina Square, Territory Families youth outreach engagement officers will continue to patrol the centre.”
Casuarina manager Polly Lamond said shopping centre management had “zero tolerance” to student misbehaviour at the centre.
“Clearly, students from Casuarina Senior College and Sanderson Middle School didn’t get the message that we now have zero tolerance of school students misbehaving in the centre, so they won’t be allowed in for a month,” Ms Lamond said.
“This is strike two for these students and we will consider a permanent ban if they don’t get the message this time.”
Ms Lamond said the NT Department of Education, NT Police and the schools have been notified of the ban.
Casuarina Square has urged the schools to alert students and parents to the ban.
“We will have guards on all entries and all students from these two schools will be refused entry to Casuarina Square,” Ms Lamond said.
“Affected school students entering the shopping centre with a parent or guardian will not be refused entry, however, the student must remain with their parent or guardian for the entirety of their visit.
“Students coming to Casuarina Square after school to wait for their parent or guardian will be refused entry and will need to make alternative arrangements to meet their parent or guardian elsewhere.
“Any student from Casuarina Senior College and Sanderson Middle School not in the immediate company of a parent or guardian will be refused entry or moved on.
“We are absolutely determined to ensure a safe environment for all visitors to Casuarina Square and to those working in the centre, and we won’t allow the actions of a few troublemakers to impact everyone.”
Late last month Casuarina implemented a 48-hour ban on students from Casuarina Senior College, Sanderson Middle School, Dripstone Middle School, Darwin Middle School, Darwin High School and Nightcliff Middle School.
Centre management warned at the time that further poor student behaviour could lead to further bans.
Centre management employed up to 10 additional security guards to enforce last month’s ban.
Traders at the centre fully supported the ban, citing stealing and lack of employee safety.
Melissa Peacock, who manages the Nextra news agency, said students had threatened her and staff members.
“It ranges from yelling, fighting, stealing’s pretty bad here,” Ms Peacock said.
“We feel unsafe when they’re raving around and you don’t know what’s going to happen.
“I don’t know if they’re going to come into the store and threaten me or my staff so I definitely do feel unsafe at times, especially in the night times when you’re closing the shop and there’s usually one or two people on and anything can happen.
“If I’m not here there’s only two other staff on so in those times I do worry.”
More than 1100 students will be impacted by the ban.
Latest student attendance numbers on the My Schools website says there are 760 students at the senior college and 352 at the middle school.
In response to questions from this publication at the announcement last month of the 48-hour ban, the Department of Education said most poor student behaviour occurs outside school hours.
“The department acknowledges that schools play a critical role in educating students to exhibit good behaviour in their community,” a spokeswoman said.
The latest bans follow the January declaration of suburban Casuarina, which includes Casuarina Square, as a “high risk area” under Territory liquor laws which allow police to ban problem visitors from entering the zone for up to 14 days and potentially a year.
The Liquor Act 2019 allows the Alcohol Policy Minister – in this case Chief Minister Natasha Fyles – to a high risk area in order to prevent “alcohol-related violence” in a public place, surrounding a licenced premises.
NT Police, the Education Department and government have been contacted for comment.
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