Northern Territory Government announces a plan to combat Alice Springs crime as Chansey Paech’s office is vandalised

Attorney-General Chansey Paech is the latest victim of the crime crisis in Alice Springs. He was targeted as his government announced a response to anti-social behaviour in the town.

Anti-social behaviour in Alice Springs continues to plague the town, with one of the Territory’s top politicians the latest victim.

Attorney-General Chansey Paech’s Alice Springs office was vandalised overnight as Territory business leaders called for more action to stamp out anti-social behaviour.

“Vandalism is absolutely unacceptable,” Mr Paech said.

“No one is immune to anti-social behaviour. The community is frustrated, I am frustrated and I know we have to break the circuit.

NT Attorney-General Chansey Paech's Alice Springs office was vandalised overnight. Picture: Facebook

“We know that locking people up for a week or two is not going to change these behaviours. It hasn’t changed them before and it won’t change them now.

“Our restorative justice approach is focused on real, behaviour-changing results.”

Following the vandalism, Police and Territory Families Minister Kate Worden has announced a public plan for a government task force to combat crime and anti-social behaviour in Alice Springs.

Attorney-General Chansey Paech said vandalism was “unacceptable”. Picture: (A)manda Parkinson

The Social Order Response Team (SORT), which was established in August, is a collaboration between government, non-government and community groups.

The first plan for the town will include targeting public drinking and substance abuse, constructing safety zones and improving lighting and amenities, reinvigorating the ‘No School, No Service’ campaign, which works to keep young people in school, and working with government agencies and non-government organisations to target outreach to illegal campers and rough sleepers.

The plan will also work towards improving safety in the CBD around late night venues and explore after hours and courtesy buses.

Attorney-General Chansey Paech said the community was “frustrated” after his Alice Springs office was vandalised overnight. Picture: Jason Walls

A council of stakeholders, which is meeting for the first time on Wednesday, is made up of representatives from Alice Springs Town Council, the Chamber of Commerce, Lhere Artepe Aboriginal Corporation, Tourism Central Australia, the National Indigenous Australians Agency and senior officials from NT Police, Territory Families and the Department of the Chief Minister.

The government also announced $2.5 million to establish the Safer Territory Grant Program, which can be used to fund resourcing deemed necessary by SORT.

Ms Worden said solutions would be led by people living and working in the community.

“We recognise there are a lot of services and agencies in this space and SORT is a way to better coordinate and resource the areas that need it most,” she said.

Police and Territory Families Minister Kate Worden has announced a new plan to combat rising crime levels and anti-social behaviour in Alice Springs. Picture: Amanda Parkinson

“It is about improving social order and delivering better safety outcomes for children, families, businesses and by extension, the wider community.

“It’s encouraging to see this group meet for the first time.

“We know that working together is the only way forward for everyone to feel safe and welcome within our communities”

A SORT plan for Darwin’s northern suburbs is also being worked on and will be followed by plans for other regions.

Originally published as Northern Territory Government announces a plan to combat Alice Springs crime as Chansey Paech’s office is vandalised