Alice Springs councillor calls out NT Police commissioner as visit gets ‘handballed’

Alice Springs councillors left ‘disappointed’ as in-demand Police Commissioner unable to attend requested visit.

In an ‘extremely disappointing’ result, NT Police commissioner Michael Murphy has delegated a crime-related briefing with the Alice Springs Town Council to the on-ground deputy and assistant commissioners.

On November 15, the council sent a letter to the commissioner inviting him to brief the council on issues around anti-social behaviour, crime, and future planning for the community.

In a return letter to mayor Matt Paterson on December 2, Mr Murphy said he would arrange for the deputy commissioner Martin Dole, and assistant commissioner Peter Kennon to meet with the council members to provide updates instead.

At the Tuesday meeting, councillor Eli Melky told the chamber the commissioner not accepting the invitation personally was concerning.

“We didn’t send that letter as an invitation because we miss him and would like to have a cup of tea with him,” Mr Melky said.

NT Police Commissioner Michael Murphy arrives at the Alice Springs Local Court on May 29, 2024. Picture: Jason Walls

“We called on him because that’s what you do when you call triple-0 - if there is a fire going, you ask for the fireys to come and put the fire out.

“The deputy commissioner reports to the commissioner directly, I appreciate that… but the Alice Springs community at the moment is suffering what I believe… an extreme demand on services that are designed to address issues of safety, anti-social behaviour, and general destruction of property and harm to person.

“When a letter from the mayor arrives at the commissioner and it’s dismissed and handballed to the deputy commissioner I would say it’s extremely disappointing and I only question that maybe there’s a breakdown in the relationship with the Alice Springs council, and I would hope that’s not the case.”

In a response to the concerns, Mr Murphy said he was ‘always happy to meet with the council’, but a busy schedule had kept him out of the Red Centre.

“It has been an extremely busy period across the Territory since August and I am actively visiting officers and stakeholders across the Territory,” Mr Murphy said.

“I was last in Alice on October 31 and plan to visit either after Christmas or in the New Year and am happy to meet with the mayor and Alice Springs Town Council members.

“The deputy commissioner Martin Dole is permanently based in Alice Springs along with the assistant commissioner for the region, Peter Kennon, and two senior commanders and a cohort of superintendents.

“These are very senior roles in the Northern Territory and I encourage any stakeholder in the region to talk with them at any time.

“They live in the community and are there to listen, lead and reduce crime and protect Territorians.”

Mr Melky said he would continue to advocate for the commissioner to visit ‘as soon as possible’.