Alice Springs mayor flagged crime crisis with government 12 months ago

Escalating violence in Alice Springs was flagged with the NT government a year before Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited the troubled town amid its worst crime crisis in decades.

The NT government was warned escalating violence in Alice Springs had reached “crisis” point a year before Prime Minister Anthony Albanese flew to the Central Australian town in the grips of its worst crime crisis in decades.

In December, Alice Springs Mayor Matt Paterson told the Joint Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs he had flagged the levels of anti-social behaviour with the government on January 25, 2022 – almost a year to the day before the PM and a number of Territory and federal ministers descended on the town.

Mr Paterson, who has called for an Australian Defence Force presence in the town amid its crime crisis, told committee chair and WA Senator Pat Dodson he had asked for immediate federal intervention at start of last year.

A crisis-level declaration was made by the Alice Springs Town Council, sparking visits to the town from former prime minister Scott Morrison and a number of ministers and opposition ministers.

Alice Springs mayor Matt Paterson said in a parliamentary committee hearing the NT government had been made aware of the crime crisis in Alice Springs in January 2022.

However, less than four months later, on May 17, the council declared the level of crime and anti-social behaviour an “emergency” and requested immediate action from the NT government, Mr Paterson told the committee.

He said he then made a further seven requests for the Territory government to intervene.

Mr Paterson, who has criticised the sunsetting of the Stronger Futures legislation, which enforced a blanket alcohol ban on the Indigenous communities around Alice Springs, said the town wasn’t ready for the transition.

“I can hold my hand on my heart and say that I believe that if it hadn’t lapsed around the time of a federal election it would have been extended,” Mr Paterson said.

Asked about how crime in Alice Springs in December compared to at the start of the year, Mr Paterson said the town was “no better off”.

WA Senator Pat Dodson said in December that “everyone seems to be frozen” over the Alice Springs crime crisis. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Martin Ollman

“Every day that this goes on, we’re a day closer to a kid killing themselves in a car accident or killing another innocent person in Alice Springs or a child being killed by a parent, big brother or sister who was intruding into their property.”

Mr Dodson said questions about the town’s crisis had to be raised with the government.

“I’ve heard the mayor talk about the crisis, but everyone seems to be frozen,” he said.

“Over here you’ve got human beings and children, and we’re inert.

Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said Labor had been trailing different crime prevention measures for the past six years. Picture: (A)manda Parkinson

“You’ve got to ask yourself why we’re inert and then you’ve got to ask yourself what the remedies are to get over the inertness.”

Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said the NT government had been trialling different crime prevention methods in Alice Springs for the past six years.

Ms Fyles said the government had contributed $900,000 to a project for more street lighting – which has not yet been completed – to the town council.

“We are constantly investing in safer communities … while also keeping offenders accountable.”

Ms Fyles did not comment specifically on when Mr Paterson had first requested government intervention.