McCarthy and Scrymgour meet with youth groups to tackle crime

Alice Springs businesses are in support of a visit from the Prime Minister to come and address rising rates of crime. HAVE YOUR SAY

ALICE Springs businesses are still waiting to see the newly-minted Federal Government take action on crime, as the issue worsens.

Jetcor Yamaha owner Michele Thompson said she wasn’t aware of the presence of anyone politicians, but supported Senator Jacinta Price’s push to get the Prime Minister here.

“I’d be quite happy for Anthony Albanese to come and to see what else we’ve had to go through,” she said.

The shop had been ramraided in May and was still waiting on the damage to be fixed.

She said the issue of crime had gotten worse in recent months.

“I think it’s gone up and definitely the word is spreading which isn’t good for the tourism side of things.

“I give every support for Jacinta in trying to get Anthony Albanese to come to town,” she said.

Bike Shop owner Wvonne Pfau has upped security after recent break in.

Bike shop My Ride owner Wvonne Pfau said while she doesn’t follow politics too closely, her view is that the crime issue needs to be priority.

“It’s just continually got worse,” she said.

“Maybe these people coming to Alice Springs might be able to be come and talk to us.”

A worker at homewares store A Home like Alice said there was no engagement from any level of government, despite believing rates of crime had increased.

“No one’s come in but the issue has gotten a little bit worse,” she said.

“I think they’ve got to come and lay the law down — there’s got to be consequences with whatever you do.”

A spokeswoman for Mr Albanese said Malarndirri McCarthy and Marian Scrymgour were in town during the week.

Senator Malarndirri McCarthy. Picture: (A) manda Parkinson

Senator McCarthy said the visit included a meeting with Centralian youth organisations to address rising rates of crime.

“I met with a range of stakeholders who work every day to engage youth, tackle crime and build a better community for everyone to live in.”

“The resounding message that came out of the meeting was the need to stop kids from getting into trouble in the first place and empowering families to take control and ownership of the issues involving young Territorians,” she said.

“Addressing the root causes of disengagement and crime is a huge priority for me as the Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians because reactive responses have clearly not worked adequately.”

PM responds to calls to visit Alice Springs amid crime crisis

PRIME Minister Anthony Albanese will not visit Alice Springs anytime soon, despite calls from Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price to address the rising anti-social behaviour in town.

Taking to Facebook to share a number of videos of crime taken in the town in recent days, Senator Price suggested the PM should “cut short (his) holiday for a visit”.

A spokeswoman for the Prime Minister said other Labor representatives would be in the community this week and the government was “committed to listening to and delivering for all Australians”.

“Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australian Malarndirri McCarthy is visiting Alice Springs today and tomorrow with Marion Scrymgour,” the spokeswoman said.

“Minister Linda Burney has been speaking with local organisations in recent weeks and will continue to work constructively with local partners in Central Australia.”

Senator Price at the weekend posted she had just returned from federal parliament sittings in Canberra, where she claimed she was largely ignored.

“And this is my welcome home after two weeks of being ignored by a Labor Albanese government in Canberra,” she wrote to accompany a video of a naked man damaging a taxi.

“Our once beautiful town has deteriorated into a ghetto since 2016.”

Ms Price said she was yet to hear from the Prime Minister following her calls to action on social media but invited him to Alice Springs.

“If he wants to come and visit I hope he would do so without the fanfare, perhaps he could take a leaf out of Tony Abbott’s book and make regular trips each year to our remote communities without the media and the circus that comes with it,” she said.

“I would show him the grassroots impacts of our ineffective Territory Labor Government and those organisations who have been funded to provide services to help alleviate this out-of-control anti-social behaviour, drug and alcohol abuse and violence at all levels.”

The Labor Government made a $14m election commitment to fighting crime in Alice Springs, matching the promise made by former prime minister Scott Morrison.

Senator Price said the time for action on the crisis in Alice was well and truly now.

“I think it’s pretty evident from the continuous reports from the media, through social media and the NT Police that things are pretty dire in Alice Springs and something needs to be done about it immediately,” she said.

“Isn’t the true definition of insanity, doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results?

“There needs to be consequences for this horrific behaviour otherwise nothing will change.”

Senator Jacinta Price during her passionate maiden speech in the Senate Chamber in Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Gary Ramage

Alice Springs local and Territory Labor minister Chansey Paech said he supported action for crime prevention in the town, which the current government had promised.

“It’s a shame that the Senator didn’t use her voice when that government was in power to have the prime minister (do) more than just a photo shoot,” he said.

“The Federal Labor Government made a commitment to look at Alice Springs as a … site for justice reinvestment, so that’s a really exciting opportunity for the Commonwealth government and the Alice Springs Town Council to all come together and look at how we can address some of the issues that are happening in Alice Springs.”

Mr Paech said the focus would be on protecting residents and stopping the issue at the source.

“We’ll look at really working a clear way forward, addressing those behaviours, helping some of the most vulnerable people and absolutely putting victims and survivors first,” he said.

The Prime Minister’s office has been contacted for comment.