Anthony Albanese’s Alice Springs ‘regional controller’ position cut
A high-paying role spruiked by Anthony Albanese to implement a $250m support package aimed at bringing systemic change for the Northern Territory’s social problems has been quietly axed.
A high-paying role spruiked by Anthony Albanese to implement a $250m support package aimed at bringing systemic change to the Northern Territory and improve outcomes for vulnerable Indigenous Australians has been quietly axed, as the nation’s top end experiences a serious escalation of violent crime.
The Prime Minister in early 2023 appointed Dorrelle Anderson to the role of Central Australia regional controller, with expectations she would assist the federal and territory governments to provide effective solutions to escalating social problems, including domestic violence, alcohol-fuelled attacks and youth crime.
But The Australian can reveal the job – understood to come with about a $300,000 a year salary – has been dropped.
The revelation comes the day after a two-month-old baby was flown to an Adelaide hospital after being left with a brain bleed and a fractured skull following a violent home invasion in Alice Springs.
Extra police patrols were called to conduct a “24/7” watch on Thursday following the horrific incident, after NT police commissioner Michael Murphy and Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro rushed to the area.
Mr Murphy said there had been a huge escalation in violent crime – including sexual assault, abduction and theft – since December 3.
This masthead on Thursday revealed this included a woman who was allegedly raped by a stranger in her own bed, and a 57-year-old man who was threatened by a gang of teenagers with a tomahawk until he handed over a bottle of whisky.
The Weekend Australian can now also reveal late last month a man carrying a huge sword attended the Alice Springs casino after being evicted from the venue. Sources said police took five days to respond to the incident, with publicans forced to circulate warnings and images of the man to each other.
After her appointment, Mr Albanese was accused of “palming off” the issues of Alice Springs to Ms Anderson, whose first task was to prepare a highly-anticipated report examining crime and alcohol for then chief minister Natasha Fyles and the Prime Minister.
Sources within her office said she had been to Canberra at least twice this year.
In February this year the then-Labor territory government under chief minister Eva Lawler appointed Ms Anderson as deputy chief executive officer of the Department of the Chief Minister and Cabinet – on top of her role as regional controller – but failed to announce her new position publicly.
When questioned about the appointment, Ms Lawler said there was nothing “sinister” about it, and that she was confident Ms Anderson would be able fulfil both roles.
When The Australian tried calling Ms Anderson directly, an adviser returned the call before a second adviser from the department also called. Since her appointment to the high-profile role in January last year she has not given one media interview.
An NT government spokesperson said Ms Anderson now held the role of deputy chief executive officer, delivery and regional priorities within the newly formed Department of Housing, Local Government and Community Development.
“The Office of the Central Australian Regional Controller (OCARC) played a key role and engaged extensively with stakeholders and residents in Central Australia to understand priorities for investment and service delivery improvements,” the spokesperson said.
“This included developing frameworks and successfully facilitating Commonwealth and NT government departmental leads in meeting with Central Australian communities to hear directly from residents about their priorities, needs, and proposed solutions. These efforts have laid the groundwork for meaningful, long term policy setting changes and actions.”
Coalition senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price told The Australian that in her opinion there had been “very little transparency” around Ms Anderson’s role, which she described as “quite concerning”.
“On her watch, things have not got better,” Senator Price said, adding that she personally had “no idea” what the role of regional controller was.
“I’d like to know what sort of outcomes that role is supposed to deliver and how those outcomes are going to be measured,” she said.
Alice Springs experienced a massive surge in youth crime at the start of last year after Labor sunsetted alcohol restrictions.
The move to wind back dry community provisions that restricted the intake of alcohol in remote communities led to an explosion of violence on the streets of Alice Springs and many remote regions, and the shuttering of shops, resulting in Mr Albanese having to fly in to address the crisis.
Over the past two years extraordinary footage of young children and teenagers driving stolen vehicles, damaging property and handling serious weapons has repeatedly emerged, and resulted in temporary youth curfews.
Senator Price said while she understands the justice system is “overwhelmed”, Alice Springs is seeing a “revolving door” of young offenders churned out by the courts.
“The judicial system does need to get tougher,” she said. “If these kids are being bailed but not going into situations where they’re with responsible adults or being monitored, and they’re allowed to go and fall back in the cracks again, well of course they’re going to reoffend.”
Senator Price knocked back calls from NT Labor for the entirety of Alice Springs to be put under a curfew.
“The Northern Territory opposition are out of touch. They were out of touch when they were in government. That’s why we’ve got this situation,” she said.
“I don’t think that the entire community should be punished because of the actions and behaviours of a few criminals, especially that we’re going into school holidays.
“If we’ve got that police presence and it’s ongoing, then I think that is enough. But I don’t think an entire community should be punished.”
Federal Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy said those responsible for criminal acts in Alice Springs “must face the full force of the law”.
“Everyone has the right to feel safe in their community and most importantly in their homes,” she said.
“Our government is committed to working with the NT government about its requirements and the roll out of the support that’s already been provided to tackle crime, keep women and children safe and support young people in Alice Springs, across Central Australia and the NT.”
Senator McCarthy did not say whether she thought a curfew should be imposed on the Outback city, saying that is “a matter for NT police and the NT government”.
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