Braitling Greens candidate Asta Hill puts justice system under the microscope in panel discussion

The Greens has launched its crime and justice policy in Alice Springs, in an event where more than 50 people listened to four panellists dissect how justice was tackled in the Territory.

Panelists at the Greens justice and community safety policy launch at the Watertank cafe.

Four panellists in the Red Centre capital have put the Territory’s justice system under the microscope, with more than 50 residents turning up to listen to their ideas.

Held at the Watertank Cafe in Alice Springs on Thursday, May 23, a total of 60 people turned up to the event orchestrated by Greens candidate for Braitling Asta Hill.

Ms Hill sat on the panel with Kings Narrative founder and managing director Tyson Carmody, 2023 NAIDOC Male Elder of the Year William Tilmouth, and the Justice Reform Initiative’s Kirsten Wilson.

With Rachel Neary fielding questions, the four got stuck into discussing what was shaping up to be a hot election topic in Alice Springs: youth crime and the justice system.

Mr Tilmouth shone a light on the disadvantaged backgrounds many of the offending youth’s came from, and said funding youth outreach services was important.

“Kids need to be allowed to express themselves,” he said.

William Tillmouth addresses the crowd at the Greens justice and community safety policy launch at the Watertank cafe, Alice Springs on may 23, 2024

But he also warned if kids were not able to believe in a future they wouldn’t have much to care about.

“If we grow them up wrong, we’re gonna have a lot more problems,” he said.

Mr Carmody said simply locking people up in jail was not working, and looked at the issue from a different angle.

“What are lessons we aren’t learning from our offenders,” he asked.

“Too often our young people and our men aren’t the authors of their own stories.”

Mr Carmody pushed for reconnecting young men to country and culture, and said “when you’re proud of your culture you look after it”.

Ms Wilson, through her work at the Justice Reform Initiative, said she witnessed first-hand how factors such as a poor home life contributed to anti-social behaviour.

“Think about the story that’s happening for that child,” she said,

“How do we meet the needs of families so children aren’t living in poverty?”

The crowd listening to panellists at the Greens justice and community safety policy launch at the Watertank cafe, Alice Springs on may 23, 2024.

Ms Hill outlined the three initiatives which were the cornerstone of the Greens’ crime and justice policy.

The first initiative was meeting the basic needs of youths through upping investment in youth outreach services by funding 24/7 outreach centres and expanding youth crisis accommodation.

The second was expanding housing access, with the Territory having “the worst wait times for public housing in Australia,” according to Ms Hill.

The initiative would also “immediately commit $180 million over five years for domestic, family and sexual violence services,” according to Ms Hill, alongside prioritising an increase in public housing stock and establishing youth specific accommodation.

The third initiative was investing in a breaking the cycle fund – which will invest alternatives to prison such as rehabilitation services and post-release programs.

“The situation we’re in is that the major political parties are in a race to build prisons for votes,” Ms Hill said.