Finke racer crashes into Alice Springs Youth Detention Centre

A Finke buggy’s mishap at the Alice Springs Youth Detention Centre sparked outrage from the CLP, but the incident wasn’t all that it seemed.

An annual Finke engagement event was disrupted when a buggy slammed into the fence of the Alice Springs Youth Detention Centre.

As part of a longstanding agreement between Finke organisers and Territory Families, competitors bring their vehicles to the Alice Springs Detention Centre every year.

The agreement sees the racers interact with young people ahead of the big race, which is loved across the Red Centre.

However, at 12.20pm on Friday, just as the event finished, the accelerator of one of the vehicles jammed and flew into the recreational yard fence as a result.

No young people were in the recreation yard at the time of the incident, the driver was uninjured and the fence only needed minor repairs which were completed immediately.

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Territory Families Minister Kate Worden said the longstanding agreement was a chance for competitors “to engage with young people”.

It was a statement backed up by Territory Families with a spokesman confirming there were no injuries as a result of the incident.

“Unfortunately when one of the vehicles was leaving it hit a fence at the centre causing minor damage,” Ms Worden said.

“The fence was immediately repaired and the site secured.

“No children were in the vicinity of the vehicle at the time of the accident. There was no damage to the vehicle.”

A Finke buggy struck the fence at the Alice Springs Youth Detention Centre.

However, Braitling MLA Joshua Burgoyne seized on the incident, describing it as “a new low for poor decisions” after finding out about the crash.

“Once again it is taxpayers footing the bill for this poor decision making,” he said.

“I am calling on Kate Worden to provide details as to why she let this occur, and the cost we can expect to repair the damage.

“We know this is a Minister that chooses to strengthen the window not the law, but now all we’re getting is weak laws and broken fences.”

Ms Worden responded to the accusation saying the fence had been restored by onsite contractors and the Opposition would have to talk to Alice Springs residents if they didn’t like Finke.

“If the CLP don’t support the Finke, they should take it up with the residents of Alice Springs who love it,” she said.