‘Please do your job’: Alice Springs Mayor slams Gunner’s ‘disrespect’ on youth crime issue

ALICE SPRINGS Mayor Damien Ryan has slammed Chief Minister Michael Gunner’s letter to council on youth crime, saying it is full of ‘platitudes’ and ‘disrespect’ and shows the government is ‘ignorant’ to the town’s crime problem.

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ALICE SPRINGS Mayor Damien Ryan has slammed Chief Minister Michael Gunner’s letter to council on youth crime, saying it was full of “platitudes” and “disrespect”.

Mr Ryan said the letter, which encouraged council to provide more “activities” for children, showed the government was “ignorant” to Alice Springs’ crime problem.

Police were called to 25 break-ins in 72 hours last weekend.

“Michael Gunner is the only Chief Minister in my lifetime who shows no respect to Alice Springs,” he said.

“Why isn’t this raising alarm bells within his departments? He talked tough on crime during the elections and then let it go.

“Do something about the Bail Act. Show these young criminals who’s in charge.

“Clearly the way forward is to have the Chief Minister meet with the council and do a little bit more than just write this letter.

Alice Springs Mayor Damien Ryan. Picture: Emma Murray

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“He’s forever saying ‘council has to do something’. But the council doesn’t run police. We don’t run the courts, we don’t run Corrections.”

“Support the people of Alice Springs who’ve had enough of this crime. That’s all I ask of the Chief Minister: please do your job.”

Mr Gunner is believed to be visiting the Red Centre on Friday.

However, Mr Ryan said on Thursday he had not received a request to meet with Mr Gunner on this trip.

Mr Gunner responded to the criticism of his letter by praising the efforts of police.

“Our police do an incredible job in difficult circumstances,” he said.

“We are supporting them with record investment in resources – including more police on the beat and more CCTV.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner. Picture: Che Chorley

“There are almost 100 more officers on the beat when compared to the same time last year, and we have 90 recruits currently in the college, who will graduate March 2021 and April 2021.”

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Mr Gunner said his government was committed to combating crime through early intervention via initiatives such as the 24/7 youth hub.

Councillor Eli Melky accused Mr Gunner of “playing politics with the lives of Territorians and Centralians”.