Lingiari MP Marion Scrymgour warns NT govt feds won’t rule out intervening in Alice crisis

Just a month after Territory Rights were restored, a federal Labor MP has warned the Commonwealth won’t hesitate to intervene in Alice Springs’ ongoing crisis if social issues are not sorted.

Federal Labor MP Marion Scrymgour has warned the Northern Territory government the commonwealth will intervene if it can’t get social order issues under control in Alice Springs.

But the Northern Territory’s Attorney-General says he wants to push ahead with a formal ballot to decide if alcohol should be allowed in Aboriginal town camps.

Ms Scrymgour told Sky News residents in her electorate of Lingiari were living in fear.

“As the federal representative, I’ll be making sure that we don’t walk away from any of the agreements that have been made over the last couple of days,” she said.

“But moving forward the Prime Minister gave a very clear commitment, if the Northern Territory government doesn’t implement what they said that they should, that he will certainly be looking at acting.”

NT Chief Minister Natasha Fyles and Marion Scrymgour, MP for Lingiari, arrive in Alice Springs as the town battles severe social issues. Picture: Liam Mendes / The Australian

The former Northern Territory deputy chief minister has been arguing since before last year’s federal election that it would be a disaster to allow alcohol back into Aboriginal town camps and smaller Indigenous communities when the Stronger Futures legislation expired last July.

But the Northern Territory government refused to listen to her advice.

Residents in Alice Springs say there has been carnage on the streets since July 17 when the bans were lifted.

It is understood there were heated exchanges when the Prime Minister visited Alice Springs on Tuesday and met NT Chief Minster Natasha Fyles, Police Minister Kate Worden and Attorney-General Chansey Paech.

NT Attorney-General Chansey Paech says the government wants to push forward with a formal ballot of remote communities over alcohol bans and restrictions. Picture: (A)manda Parkinson

It was agreed the alcohol bans would be reviewed with newly-appointed regional controller Dorelle Anderson asked to conduct a review and report back by February 1.

But the Northern Territory government has stepped up its calls for the electoral commission conduct a ballot in the town camps to determine if residents want to see alcohol returned.

“We are willing to take this out to the town camp constituents and let them have a vote as to whether these places should be restricted or not and I acknowledge those calls are backed by the CEO of the Central Australian Aboriginal Corporation,” Mr Paech told Sky News.

Police presence as cars line-up at the 3pm opening of the Gap View Hotel bottle shop in Alice Springs. Picture Mark Brake

“I think this is a really important issue because in all of this lies the local people having their voice heard on this important issue so I think we as governments and as community controlled organisations are saying ‘this is the position, this is what we’re hearing’, I think the best way to overcome this is actually going out to those constituencies and letting them be empowered to make a decision.”

Ms Scrymgour said the NT government needed to step up.

“We don’t want to come in over the top. That’s never been the case for us, but it is important for citizens of this country to feel safe. Everyone’s entitled to that.

“And people in Central Australia haven’t felt that for a long time. So we need to make sure we get those changes happening and happening soon.”

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