Ngaree Ah Kit pushing for police hot desk to address Malak, Karama crime fears

A COMMUNITY forum to address a crime crisis in Karama and Malak has heard local member Ngaree Ah Kit call for a police ‘hot desk’ to be set up to address lengthy response times

MEMBER for Karama Ngaree Ah Kit says she is looking to set up a police hot desk in Malak to address concerns about lengthy response times.

The MLA raised the issues during a community forum about crime attended by about 100 residents from Karama and Malak on Thursday night.

Ms Ah Kit said she had asked NT Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker about potentially setting up a police substation in Karama or Malak but was met with resistance.

She said he was willing to consider setting up a police “hot desk” at the new child and family centre the government constructing in Malak next year.

“I think it would be lovely to have police nice and close,” she said.

Residents at a community forum on Thursday night voiced their concerns about the impacts of crime in Karama and Malak. Picture: Natasha Emeck

The MLA also responded to several residents at the forum who raised concerns about the rise of youth crime in the Karama and Malak.

“We need to get these f**king kids off the streets, get the drugs off the streets!” one man yelled out at the meeting.

“These kids need help, I want a 24 hours safe house for our kids,” another said.

Ms Ah Kit said issues with crime had increased as more people arrived in Darwin from remote communities.

“People come into town because this is their Bali,” she said.

Urban Housing deputy CEO Jim Bamber, who was also at the forum, responded to several concerns raised by attendees about anti-social behaviour at local public housing blocks.

“I understand the suburbs of Karma and Malak has about 600 public houses,” one Malak resident said.

“I feel as if our whole neighbourhood has been socially engineered to be a slum.”

Mr Bamber said his department had been “much more careful” with who it selected to move into public housing.

He encouraged locals to file formal complaints against problem tenants.