Lia Finocchiaro and Joshua Burgoyne patrol streets of Alice Springs overnight

NT Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro has patrolled the streets of the Alice Springs CBD at night in an effort to experience what residents claim is a town in a crime crisis.

NT Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro has patrolled the streets of the Alice Springs CBD at night in an effort to experience what residents claim is a town in the midst of a crime crisis.

Ms Finocchiaro told the NT News she, along with Braitling MLA Joshua Burgoyne would together drive and walk around the town on Thursday night.

NT Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro in Alice Springs

“We will walk through the mall and the CBD and get a genuine feel for what’s going on in the town and if we run into kids that are happy to talk to us we’ll ask them why they’re out, what’s going on at home and what are their issues,” she said.

MORE CENTRALIAN NEWS

Man faces first day of trial charged with murder of his wife

Cold blast shocks Red Centre residents in warmer-than-average month

Alice Springs’ oldest veteran, Sydney Kinsman, 99, to honour the Anzac spirit for the 73rd time

“I’m on the ground hearing from people in Alice about what the key issues are and what’s important to them and I think the key takeaway is that crime continues to be a really big issue, and that we can’t optimise our economic opportunities and capabilities here in Central Australia without dealing with those important issues around people having to be safe.”

“We’ll also do another roadside (on Friday) to give people the opportunity to catch me on the way to work.”

Ms Finocchiaro’s visit comes days after Chief Minister Michael Gunner, who was in Alice Springs on Tuesday.

On the issue of crime Mr Gunner said the government was “bringing forward some common sense (bail) reforms that strengthen community safety” which included “strengthening compliance monitoring around bail”.

Ms Finocchiaro said it was important “the people of Alice Springs feel like we’re accessible” and called Mr Gunner a “FIFO Minister”.

Member for Braitling Joshua Burgoyne. Picture: Che Chorley

“Alice Springs is a critical centre in the Territory but also our nation, with an abundance of opportunity and I can see the heartbreak in people when I talk to them about how forgotten they feel by the Gunner government,” Ms Finocchiaro said.

She said her ideas to address issues around crime included a recent bill introduced by the CLP which includes mandatory electronic monitoring for every repeat offender if they get bail and reintroducing breach of bail as an offence.

“Bringing legislation into the parliament was the first step in ensuring this bail response so we start to put the focus back on victims instead of offenders,” she said.

“This government really had an offender-focused approach which is just leaving Territorians behind and it’s leading them to be victimised by policy settings that just aren’t working.”