Police Minister Nicole Manison says local strategies needed to address Alice Springs crime

Police Minister Nicole Manison has shot down the possibility of calling on the commonwealth to help tackle Alice Springs’ crime problem after the town’s mayor sent out desperate cry for help.

UPDATE: POLICE Minister Nicole Manison says there’s no need to seek additional help from the commonwealth to tackle Alice Springs’ escalating crime problem.

Speaking in Alice Springs on Tuesday alongside the mayor, Ms Manison acknowledged there had been a summer crime spike, but cautioned against any kind of federal government intervention.

It comes after Mayor Matt Paterson penned a letter to more than 40 of Australia’s most influential politicians calling for help to get “a town at breaking point” back under control.

“I believe the best strategies are always local strategies,” Ms Manison said.

“I think the best decisions are the ones that are made from Alice Springs about what Alice Springs needs.

“That’s why it’s important that government, non-government, the council, all pull together and we make sure that we’re working together to tackle some of those complex issues around crime in Alice Springs.”

Police Minister Nicole Manison visited Alice Springs days after Mayor Matt Paterson sent out a letter asking for help to tackle the town’s crime problem. Picture: Lee Robinson

Ms Manison acknowledged there was more work to be done in Alice Springs and across the Territory to bring down the high rates of crime, saying there’s “no silver bullet” when it comes to fixing the problem.

“We have very high levels of disadvantage and with that often comes the complexities of crime and anti-social behaviour,” Ms Manison said.

“That’s why we’ve made sure we’ve got a record police budget, we’ve got more police numbers, we’ve got some of the toughest alcohol measures in the nation. We also have done some huge youth justice reforms and we’re investing in the youth justice sector, but there is always more work to do.”

The latest NT Police crime statistics revealed a 67.6 per cent increase in commercial break-ins in Alice Springs for the 12 months ending November 2021.

Mr Paterson said the letter, which was sent out on behalf of the town council, had been “well-received” by the community.

“The community now knows that we’re being listened to across the country,” he said.

“Hopefully, this springs some things into action and we can get a result – not just words on paper and not just discussions but actually change some things.”

Mr Paterson said he sent the letter out at 9am on January 28 and Deputy Police Commissioner Michael Murphy was “sitting at the table at 10am”.

“(NT Police is) obviously listening as well,” he said.

“We meet with police quite regularly. This meeting was quite positive – we talked about how we can work together and all sit down at the table and come up with local strategies to get results.”

Late last year, NT Police launched a new strategy, Operation Saturitas, to combat the predicted spike in property and alcohol-related offences over summer.

Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro was scathing of the NT government’s management of crime and antisocial behaviour in Alice Springs to date.

“The Gunner government came to power and watered down bail and youth justice laws and have done nothing to deal with this issue ever since,” she said on Tuesday.

“People in Alice Springs are afraid for their lives and afraid for their children, they’re afraid for their businesses, and people are making that difficult decision over the dinner table about whether or not there should be leaving Alice Springs and leaving the Territory altogether.

“People in Alice Springs deserve better.

“And just because Michael Gunner and his team don’t care about anyone who lives below the Berrimah line, doesn’t mean they don’t deserve the support that every other Territorian gets if you live in Darwin.”

EARLIER: THE Alice Springs Mayor has penned a letter to more than 40 of Australia’s most influential politicians calling for help with the spiralling rate of crime facing the town.

Mayor Matt Paterson sent the letter on Thursday after the council passed a motion that declared Alice Springs had reached “breaking point”.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Opposition Leader ­Anthony Albanese, Indigenous Australians Minister Ken Wyatt, Education Minister Alan Tudge, the Territory’s four senators and the Chief Minister Michael Gunner were among the recipients.

“I write this letter as the Mayor of Alice Springs; the mayor of a town at breaking point,” the message read.

“Currently, every day, residents are having their businesses destroyed, cars stolen and smashed, houses broken into and are being assaulted walking to their cars from dinner.

“This is not an exaggeration. Intruders are breaking into people’s houses, getting into young children’s bedrooms while they and their parents sleep. People no longer feel safe in their own homes. We’ve had tragic deaths and near misses as a result of crime in our community. Frankly, we are at the end of the road.”

Alice Springs Mayor Matt Paterson says the spiralling rate of crime has reached a ‘crisis point’. Picture: Lee Robinson.

Mr Paterson, elected to the top job last September, said the community was living in constant fear and residents and business owners were “fed up”.

“I am reaching out ­because something needs to change immediately,” the letter continued. “I don’t have all the answers, but I truly ­believe collaboration is the key to success.

“The entire community, all individuals and our institutions, must work together if we are to succeed. Please ­accept this as an invitation; I am urging you to come to Alice Springs to witness this first-hand.”

The latest NT Police crime statistics indicate a troubling state of affairs for the town of 30,000 people, with a 67.6 per cent increase in commercial break-ins for the 12 months ending November 2021.

There were 6084 property-related offences recorded for the year.