There is no doubt the public should have been told about the incident

THE top brass of the Northern Territory Police and their media advisers clearly learnt nothing from the horrific rape of a child in Tennant Creek

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THE top brass of the Northern Territory Police and their media advisers clearly learnt nothing from the horrific rape of a two-year-old girl in Tennant Creek three years ago.

It was then that the incident was first reported by the media — The Australian newspaper — and not the police themselves.

Had the media never reported that particular incident, the public would most likely still be in the dark as to what had occurred.

Instead, it led to a national outpouring of anger into the abuse and neglect of Territory children.

The outrage was so great it led to then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull becoming only the second PM in Australia’s history to visit the town.

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Fast forward less than three years and the police have again failed to publicly report an alleged rape by a stranger on a three-year-old boy who was playing in the front yard of his Darwin home.

They finally came clean about the incident yesterday morning — nearly four days after it occurred, confirming someone had been arrested soon after the incident.

Again it was another media outlet, NT Independent, which first published details about the shocking incident on Sunday.

The NT Independent is banned from ministerial press conferences and other government agencies, including the police, have been directed to largely ignore their questions.

Parents who live in the area are rightly angry about the incident not being made public earlier.

We understand there are sensitivities involved in releasing particular details about certain crimes however, in this case, there is no doubt the public should have been told about the incident.

The police’s own transparency guide states “timely, significant events of likely public interest” should be considered for public release.

Surely, the alleged rape of a three-year-old boy by a stranger in his own front yard is “of likely public interest”?

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What is more concerning is the police seem to be as brazen as ever when it comes to trying to cover-up information.

In recent weeks, it has provided a firm “no comment” to the NT News around specific questions regarding the “cocaine sex” scandal and the abrupt resignation of assistant commissioner Michael Hebb.

Police Minister Nicole Manison needs to order an independent inquiry into the operations of the police and how they deal with the media, and therefore, the public.

Given she is part of a government which has also failed the open and transparent test, we don’t hold out much hope.

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