Incoming NT Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro keeps her focus on crime
NT Chief Minister-elect Lia Finocchiaro has doubled down on her promise to clamp down on crime as Labor struggles to understand what went wrong in Saturday’s disastrous election.
Northern Territory Chief Minister elect Lia Finocchiaro has doubled down on her promise to get tough on crime as a beleaguered Territory Labor Party tries to understand just what went wrong in Saturday’s disastrous election.
Territory Labor insiders say they are waiting for final numbers to be counted in the seats of Fannie Bay, Barkly and Nightcliffe before deciding who the new opposition leader will be.
On Monday, one Labor source said the party was starting to “come to terms” with its landslide loss, and its “underestimation” of just how big of an issue crime was in the Territory.
Meanwhile, staffers have been seen removing boxes – and some artwork – from level five of Territory parliament, as Ms Finocchiaro reiterates her “tough on crime” agenda to provide police with more support and “restore community safety”.
“This election has been an opportunity for Territorians to show very clearly that they are focused on having a safe place to live, work and invest; they want our police supported,” Ms Finocchiaro said on Monday.
“They want our police to have better powers, and they want to feel safe when they’re in their homes, going to work and are out and about in our community.
Ms Finocchiaro, who will hold the police portfolio, said she had met with NT Police Association president Nathan Finn to reiterate her support for police.
There is a divide between police and top brass in the Territory after police commissioner Michael Murphy apologised for historic racism on behalf of the NT police force without consulting his officers. It resulted in Mr Murphy resigning from the police association.
Ms Finocchiaro also said legislation named after murdered teenager Declan Laverty, who was stabbed to death at a bottle shop last year, would be introduced, tightening the Bail Act to include a presumption against bail for all serious violent offences.
“Our public service and particularly our police and our whole of government response to addressing law and order is something that must be started immediately,” the incoming Chief Minister said.
“I’ve spoken to (Declan’s mother) Samara Laverty and expressed to her that we look forward to seeing her here, back in Darwin, in parliament to pass Declan’s Law, and we look forward to continuing that reform agenda to make our community safe.
“There is much work to do and the days and weeks ahead will be busy, but our priorities are very clear.
“This will be a very stable transition. We want to make sure that the Territory and our public service are part of that change and understand the direction of the CLP government going forward.
“It’s very, very important to me and to my entire team that we steadily fix the direction of the Northern Territory, and that our public service and particularly our police and our whole of government response to addressing law and order is something that must be started immediately.”
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