CLP push for mandatory sentencing of offenders against frontline workers
The CLP will introduce new laws to parliament this week to mandate jail time for people who assault frontline workers. HAVE YOUR SAY.
Northern Territory
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THE CLP will introduce new laws to parliament this week to mandate jail time for people who assault frontline workers.
It comes amid damning surveys of the NT Police’s workforce, which show officers are some of the unhappiest in the nation.
The Sunday Territorian can reveal the Opposition will seek to legislate that assaults on police and other frontline workers will result in tougher penalties than common assaults.
These laws will include healthcare workers, paramedics and bus drivers.
The NT Police Association has long called for mandatory sentencing for assaults on frontline workers.
But an NT Legal Aid submission in 2018 criticised such laws, saying many perpetrators of violence against officers were “in a state of intoxication and/or agitation”, and “the last thing on their mind would be penal consequences”.
Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro said she was a strong believer in deterrence and that she felt the laws would assist courts in punishing those who target frontline workers.
“If you have strong laws, they act as strong deterrent,” Ms Finocchiaro said.
“We need as (politicians) to meet the expectation of the community rather, and also set boundaries for our courts to be able to implement.
“So while our courts have great discretion as they should, it’s also important that we’re setting the minimum and the maximum barriers of what the expectation is.”
The CLP will introduce the reforms in parliament this coming week, with politicians expected to vote it into law in May. Ms Finocchiaro said she “couldn’t see why” the laws couldn’t get bipartisan support.
Parliament spent much of last week fixated on the crime crisis engulfing parts of the Territory, in particular Alice Springs.
Last week Police Minister Nicole Manison outlined what the government had done to bring down crime, including removing youth justice from the Corrections portfolio, cracking down on ‘ringleaders’ who recruit young kids to crime, and tackling recidivism.
NTPA boss doubles down on ‘consequences will flow’ criticism
NORTHERN Territory Police Association president Paul McCue has continued to double down on his criticism of Michael Gunner’s “consequences will flow” statement.
On ABC Darwin, when asked if the Chief Minister’s words made in days after the fatal shooting of Kumanjayi Walker were being taken out of context, Mr McCue said it was “complete rubbish” and the emotionally charged audience required a better choice of words.
“No doubt he was talking about the coronial investigation but our point has always been, he was in front of an audience that was emotionally charged,” he said.
“They were looking for answers. Nobody could give them right there and then nobody knew all the facts and investigation.
“The word consequences means one thing and the word recommendations, which is what a coroner provides, is a completely different kettle of fish.”
This comes a day after Michael Gunner also appeared on radio stating “if you could go back in time you would say different words” in regards to the now infamous “consequences will flow” speech the day before the charging of Constable Zach Rolfe.
Mr McCue said it was disappointing the Chief continued to not own his words.
“It’s a shame that the Chief Minister continues to not own his words from over two years ago,” Mr McCue said.
“Our issue has always been that our members at the time and members continue today to be concerned about what the perception of those comments look like.
Gunner accuses CLP, union of wanting ‘unrest’ over Rolfe saga
CHIEF Minister Michael Gunner has described a so-called political campaign by the Northern Territory Police Association (NTPA) as “malicious” during Question Time.
The NTPA has continually urged Mr Gunner to withdraw his now infamous line “consequences will flow”, after a jury found Constable Zach Rolfe not guilty of murder.
On the first day of the March sittings, Mr Gunner claimed the Opposition and NTPA were seeking to use the line to stoke “division” in the community.
The NTPA has repeatedly urged Mr Gunner to withdraw his comment, which he said the day before Constable Rolfe was charged with murder over the shooting death of Kumanjayi Walker.
Constable Rolfe was found not guilty earlier this month by a Supreme Court jury.
On Tuesday afternoon, NTPA president Paul McCue called for the Chief Minister to step aside if he couldn’t commit to helping heal divisions within the community and police service.
During Question Time, Mr Gunner was thrown multiple questions from Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro over what he did in the four days between the shooting death of Kumanjayi Walker and the decision to charge Constable Rolfe with murder in late 2019.
On at least three occasions in question time, Mr Gunner said: “the union and now the CLP have deliberately, maliciously and repeatedly taken those comments out of context”.
“You want to cause deeper unrest and deeper division.”
Mr Gunner repeatedly denied any suggestion of political interference in the process to charge Constable Rolfe.
He said he travelled to Yuendumu because the community asked him to.
‘Not prepared’: NTPA slam Gunner
THE Northern Territory Police Association has accused the Chief Minister Michael Gunner of inflaming tensions between the government and the police force.
It follows Mr Gunner appearing on ABC Radio on Tuesday, in which he refused to back down on claims he has been subject to a political campaign from the police union.
The NTPA has been critical of Mr Gunner’s comments that “consequences will flow” from the shooting death of Kumanjayi Walker, which were made the day before Constable Zach Rolfe was charged with his murder.
Mr Gunner has refused to withdraw or apologise for the remarks, denying they were political interference and insisting they were comments made in reference to a coronial inquest.
In a statement published just minutes before Question Time on Tuesday, NTPA president Paul McCue said Mr Gunner had done little to ease community and police anxiety in the fallout from the Rolfe trial.
“The Chief Minister is deliberately using terminology which only inflames an already upset police force, and community, this morning saying how the union has weaponised and politicised his words,” Mr McCue said.
“Yet he does not go on to say exactly how we did that, failing once again to understand the that the perception of what he said, is reality to those who heard it.”
Mr McCue, who last week on radio called for the Chief Minister to work on issues around police or resign, reiterated his calls again on Tuesday.
“It is time for the Chief Minister to focus on repairing over two years of damage to the Police Force,” he said.
“Our professional Police Force would expect nothing less from their head of government, and if he is not prepared to mend those bridges, he should step aside and let someone else willing to do those hard yards into the seat”.
Meanwhile, the CLP is set to pursue the government on the fallout of the Rolfe trial in Question Time on Tuesday.
Speaking to media outside parliament on Tuesday, Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro reiterated calls for the government to back a proposed independent inquiry into alleged political interference, and the appearance of political interference, in the decision to charge Constable Zachary Rolfe with murder in 2019.
Chief Minister Michael Gunner has repeatedly and strenuously denied the allegations.
Constable Rolfe was found not guilty earlier this month in an unanimous Supreme Court verdict.
“The comments made by the Chief Minister that ‘consequences will flow’ had a devastating impact on our community over the last few years,” Ms Finocchiaro said.
She also made light of recent revelations that Mr Gunner’s now infamous quote – “consequences will flow” – was among the reasons why a judge moved the Rolfe trial from Alice Springs to Darwin.
The Australian newspaper also reported last week that lead investigators were shocked at the relative speed by which authorities were moving to try to charge Constable Rolfe with murder in 2019.
Ms Finocchiaro said an independent investigation would help those affected by the events in Yuendumu in 2019.
“We’ve seen a young man charged for murder when he was found to have been acting in the course of his duty, and we’ve had a young man lose his life and his family taken through a terrible ordeal,” she said.
Question Time starts at 2pm.
Crime committee debated in parliament
INDEPENDENT MLA Robyn Lambley has introduced a motion to implement a wide-ranging parliament committee into crime in Central Australia, amid a growing crime crisis in Alice Springs.
Ms Lambley had previously said she wanted the inquiry to examine the factors affecting crime in Central Australia and create a three-to-five-year strategy for how to manage it moving forward.
Speaking straight off the bat on the morning of the first days of this week’s sittings, Ms Lambley was downbeat about the prospect of the government voting in favour of the committee.
She said if the government were to side with her in implementing the inquiry, it could report to the House by May 2022.
“We need for the government to listen to the people of Alice Springs,” Ms Lambley said.
“We need to hold the government to account on what is happening in Alice Springs and how (the government) are allocating resources.”
Speaking on the motion, Police Minister Nicole Manison said there was “no silver bullet” to crime but said the government was “getting on with it”.
Ms Manison said the government would not support the motion.
The CLP’s Josh Burgoyne said he supported the motion, citing “alarming” increases in crime.
Mr Burgoyne said there were 18 property offences being committed a day in Central Australia.
“It is deplorable that those opposite refuse to acknowledge that,” he said, referring to the government benches.
Red tape on the agenda for parliament
THE rattled Gunner government will enter sitting weeks with an agenda to cut red tape for businesses, as it seeks to shake off attacks that it has lacked leadership in the aftermath of the Zach Rolfe verdict.
Tuesday will mark day one of a two-week sitting session, with the CLP hoping to maintain pressure on Chief Minister Michael Gunner.
Parliamentarians will debate more than 100 amendments on 25 pieces of legislation associated with recommendations of the Territory Economic Reconstruction Commission.
Leader of government business Natasha Fyles said the amendments would remove red tape for businesses.
“The Territory Labor Government’s focus over this parliamentary sitting fortnight is to make business easier, improve services for Territorians and keep the community safe,” Ms Fyles said.
“This week we will build on the work we have done – supporting industry and making the Territory a better place to live.”
Ms Fyles made no mention of proposed reforms to the chief health officer’s powers, which she announced on Wednesday last week.
The reforms will provide the CHO with residual powers to enforce Covid-19 restrictions for two years after the Territory’s emergency declaration ends. They are expected to be introduced to parliament in the second week of sittings and then debated in the chamber in May.
The CLP will focus on the expanded CHO powers this week, according to Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro.
“We’ve seen a government so desperate to cling to its unprecedented Covid controls,” Ms Finocchiaro said.
“It’s moving to legislate extraordinary powers for the chief health officer to extend that reporting period for another two years.”
Ms Finocchiaro said the party would pursue ongoing crises within the government, including the Constable Rolfe verdict and crime.
“The CLP is calling for an independent Commission of Inquiry under the Inquiries Act 1945 (NT) to look at the four days between the shooting and the decision to charge Constable Rolfe, including the appearance of political influence,” she said.
“Chief Minister Michael Gunner has serious questions to answer over the appearance of political interference prior to charges being laid, after he promised the residents of Yuendumu, just days after the shooting, that ‘consequences will flow’.”
Mr Gunner has repeatedly denied allegations of political interference.
Constable Rolfe was found not guilty of murdering Kumanjayi Walker earlier this month.
IN PICTURES: Deputy Chief Minister’s mask-off moment
DEPUTY Chief Minister Nicole Manison has apologised after being pictured at a Parliament House ceremony without a mask, in an apparent breach of the chief health officer’s directions.
People who have had Covid-19 must wear a mask in public for seven days after leaving quarantine when they can’t physically distance from people outside their home.
But in pictures posted to Ms Manison’s own Facebook page, she is shown smiling within arm’s reach of other attendees of a commemoration to mark 50 years since the acknowledgment of the Larrakia Petition.
Earlier in the day, she is pictured wearing a mask at a school assembly.
On Friday March 11, Ms Manison took to Facebook to announce she had contracted Covid-19 along with her family.
“We are all doing well and managing it at home,” she said.
The Larrakia ceremony was exactly one week later, on Friday March 18.
In response to comment from the NT News, a spokeswoman for Ms Manison said she “removed her mask for a short period of time to deliver a speech and for a photo”.
“Minister Manison takes CHO directions seriously and offers her unreserved apology,” the spokeswoman said.
Presented with the pictures, Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro accused the Deputy Chief Minister of breaching her own government’s Covid rules.
“Not only was the Minister a no-show on radio so she could escape scrutiny over the Rolfe trial – which is her direct responsibility as Police Minister – but she breached her own government’s Covid rules on her first day out of quarantine by not wearing a mask,” Ms Finocchiaro said.
She was referring to no government ministers appearing on Katie Woolf’s radio segment The Week That Was. Ms Woolf told listeners of her Friday program the only other time a minister had not been available for the segment was the week of the Turf Club ICAC report in 2021.
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