Chief Minister Natasha Fyles commits to tackling anti-social behaviour but unsure of legalities

THE CLP says businessowners can ban troublemakers and has hit out at the NT government for not knowing its own laws.

UPDATE MONDAY: OPPOSITION Leader Lia Finocchiaro has criticised the NT government for claiming to not know its own laws around trespass and bans on premises across the Territory.

Ms Finocchiaro said the provisions to ban a patron were contained in section 8 of the 1987 Trespass Act.

In the face of a growing surge in anti-social behaviour, the Territory Government last week said it was checking whether existing trespass laws allow a patron to be banned from a premises.

The review followed a conversation between Chief Minister Natasha Fyles and Warren Ebert, whose Sentinel Property Group recently purchased Casuarina Shopping Square.

Anti-social behaviour has been identified as a key issue impacting customers at Casuarina Square and Mr Ebert is keen to maximise Sentinel’s $418m purchase by ensuring peak customer satisfaction when they visit the centre.

Ms Finocchiaro, who has also called for the government to respond to growing anti-social behaviour, criticised the chief minister’s “hollow words”.

“Natasha Fyles has been the Alcohol Policy Minister the last six years and was also the Attorney-General,” Ms Finocchiaro said.

“She has had ample opportunity to do something about escalating anti-social behaviour and her hollow words are cold comfort to the 18,966 victims of assault, domestic violence-related assault, alcohol-related assault and sexual assault across the NT in the last 12 months.

“It is not good enough that Natasha Fyles is resorting to promising legislation that already exists, as some sort of solution.

“Under section 8 of the Trespass Act, businesses have the ability to ban troublemakers for 12 months.

“It is not good enough that Natasha Fyles is resorting to promising legislation that already exists, as some sort of solution.

“The CLP supports the strengthening of the rights of Territorians to ban people who have no respect for property.

“The reality is Natasha Fyles needs to spend more time dealing with the scourge of alcohol instead of watering down police power by removing the 2km rule.

“The CLP would launch an immediate review of the BDR, scrap the minimum floor price, enforce alcohol rehabilitation and reinstate watered down police powers.”

INITIAL: THE Territory government is checking if business owners can permanently ban troublemakers from their premises if they have already been evicted from the site.

Clarification of the law was sought by the new owner of Casuarina Square shopping centre, Sentinel Property Group chief executive Warren Ebert.

The Territory government is under pressure to find solutions to a surge in anti-social behaviour across our towns and cities.

Speaking last week at an investor roadshow at Casuarina Club, Mr Ebert said Chief Minister Natasha Fyles had committed to clarifying rules around the Trespass Act as they relate to permanent bans on unruly patrons.

CCTV catches an unidentified offender hacking into the front door glass of the IGA Fannie Bay with an axe. Picture: Supplied.

“So if you have locals creating problems you (escort) them out, then they just come in another door,” Mr Ebert said.

“But the chief minister said there is legislation under the Trespass Act and they’re getting that to us.

“Any angle we can find to destroy their fun we’re working on it.”

At a Property Council corporate lunch at Mindil Beach Casino Resort on Friday, Ms Fyles addressed concerns around itinerancy and anti-social behaviour.

“Everyone in the Territory has the right to go about their daily life without putting up with humbug or worse,” Ms Fyles said.

“I acknowledge that the community is experiencing unacceptable levels of anti-social behaviour and property crime, and I won’t pretend that isn’t happening.

“Some of it is cyclical, some of it is seasonal, but we need to prepare for that and we need to try and stop it before it happens.

“I won’t shy away from those difficult conversations. I wanted to assure you of that. We are committed, invested in the generational change that it will take and we are starting to see those benefits.

“But I also have listened and I know the community wants to see short- and medium-term solutions as well as longer-term generational change.”

One of those solutions could be amending the Trespass Act – although the chief minister on Friday shied away from committing to changing the Act to impose such a ban.

The government is first looking to clarify the intent of the Act, which has had a number of amendments since its 1987 passage through Territory parliament.

“I had a meeting with Sentinel Group and they raised that specific issue,” Ms Fyles said.

“We undertook to go away and have a look at the legislation to ensure there is clarity for them as property owners to understand their rights around that type of situation.

“What rights has (a property owner) got if someone is continuing to cause anti-social behaviour?

“We’ve got a complex legislative system and we have, in terms of anti-social behaviour, a number of measures.”

Originally published as Chief Minister Natasha Fyles commits to tackling anti-social behaviour but unsure of legalities