Scott Morrison grilled over Alice mayor’s crime letter, Darwin Port sale
After jetting into the Territory, the Prime Minister has been grilled over his handling of local crime and national security, as well as the Territory’s health system.
Northern Territory
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SCOTT Morrison jetted into the Territory on Friday and landed into a grilling over crime in Alice Springs, the ownership of the Port of Darwin and the Territory’s crisis-laden health system.
The Prime Minister was in Darwin to announce $282m in defence spending in the Top End, which Labor have since claimed is a reannouncement.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, the Prime Minister was asked whether he was happy with federal funding for the Royal Darwin Hospital (RDH).
The hospital was plunged into its first code yellow of 2022 on Thursday.
“These are accountabilities clearly for the Northern Territory government, and we seek to monitor their performance, but no doubt that they will be very frustrating to the people of the Northern Territory,” Mr Morrison said.
He said the federal government had increased its funding of the Territory’s health system by $13m each year.
Mr Morrison also faced questions about whether the federal government was willing to strip Chinese company Landbridge of its 99-year lease over the Darwin Port.
“If we receive advice from our defence and intelligence agencies, that is something necessary to do to protect Australia’s national interest, I would not hesitate to do that,” Mr Morrison said.
“That is not something that has been advised.”
An earlier Defence Department report found no need for an intervention in the Port’s ownership.
Mr Morrison said the contents of the review were “classified”. He said the federal government had been unable to prevent the sale of the Port of Darwin by the then-CLP Territory government.
He said the federal government had changed the laws in response to the controversial sale to prevent similar deals happening again.
Earlier in the day, Mr Morrison was also grilled over youth crime in Alice Springs by Mix 104.9’s Katie Woolf.
It followed Alice Springs mayor Matt Paterson sending an impassioned letter urging the federal government to help the Red Centre tackle surging youth crime.
Mr Morrison said he had received the letter but sought to play down the fact that Alice Springs was copping it worse than elsewhere.
“I mean, it’s in my hometown of Sydney as well,” he said. But Mr Morrison said any response, particularly from the NT government, had to be “significant”.
“They have to acknowledge there’s a significant problem … and I certainly agree there’s a serious problem.”
Police Minister Nicole Manison dismissed federal health when the letter was released.
ScoMo grilled over Alice crime, Darwin Port
SCOTT Morrison has been grilled over his government’s handling of crime in Alice Springs, after the city’s mayor Matt Paterson pleaded for Canberra to help tackle the issue.
The Prime Minister also faced questions as to whether he had weakened Australia’s sovereignty following the sale of the Port of Darwin in 2015 to a Chinese company.
Mr Morrison has in recent weeks accused the Labor Party of being too soft on the growing superpower.
Talking to Mix 104.9’s Katie Woolf, Mr Morrison said he had received the letter from Mr Paterson on Alice Spring’s crime issue, but sought to play down the fact that Alice Springs was copping it worse than elsewhere.
“I mean, it’s in my hometown of Sydney as well,” he said.
But the Prime Minister said any response, particularly from the NT government, had to be “significant”.
“They have to acknowledge there’s a significant problem … and I certainly agree there’s a serious problem.”
Mr Morrison also defended the Coalition government allowing the then-CLP Territory administration allowing the 99-year lease of the Port of Darwin to the Chinese-backed company Landbridge.
The government have in recent days seized on Chinese state media’s endorsement of Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese, claiming the Labor leader would be too soft on China.
Ms Woolf questioned whether the Coalition could claim they were standing up to China, given they allowed the sale in 2015.
“You guys were in power then,” she said.
“We had no ability to stop it,” Mr Morrison replied.
“I changed the law (after the sale). I got all the states and territories to agree to the fact that we need to change the law that would not allow a Territory government … to sell such an asset or lease an asset.
“So problem – solved it.”
Mr Morrison said the federal government’s intelligence agencies were keeping a close eye on the Port.
The Prime Minister will be in Darwin this weekend for the 80th anniversary of the Bombing of Darwin.
On Friday he revealed the federal government would pledge $282m toward further defence capabilities in the Top End.
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