City of Palmerston, NT Government shirk responsibility for Elrundie Ave ‘itinerant campers’
A WAR of words has been sparked over a mess at a notorious Palmerston hot spot, as pictures show mattresses, couches and rubbish piling up.
Northern Territory
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THE Northern Territory government and City of Palmerston are pointing the finger at each other as locals revolt over growing piles of rubbish and anti-social behaviour.
One resident, who didn’t want to be named, has shown the NT News photos of knocked over wheelie bins in the middle of the road, abandoned mattresses and soiled couches along Elrundie Ave and Moulden Terrace, Palmerston.
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The resident said the mess was the result of makeshift camps being set up and then abandoned.
“Absolutely disgraceful behaviour happening there which ties up most of our police resources,” she said.
“All these people are from communities who come into town to drink.”
Despite claims by government spokeswomen the mess had been cleaned up, a second visit to the area confirmed much of the debris remained.
A Department of Environment, Parks and Water Security spokeswoman directed NT News questions about the makeshift camps to Palmerston council.
However, a spokeswoman for the City of Palmerston claimed the mess was on Crown land and therefore not their responsibility.
An NT Police spokeswoman said the location was “well known” for itinerant campers.
“Police work with both Larrakia Nation and the City of Palmerston to move campers on from this and other locations surrounding Palmerston on a daily basis,” the spokeswoman said.
“Joint patrols are conducted to this and other locations surrounding Palmerston.”
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The complaints of mess follow a similar story along Channel Island Road, which the NT News revealed last month had become a hot spot for illegal dumping, with one local saying it made him “sick in the stomach”.
Neither the City of Palmerston nor the City of Darwin have issued infringements for illegal dumping.
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