Yan says safety of remote workers, residents and service providers must be a top priority

Logistics and Infrastructure Minister Bill Yan says enough is enough and the safety of workers, residents and service providers must be a top priority in remote communities.

Northern Territory Treasurer Bill Yan , January 2, 2025. Picture: Gera Kazakov

Logistics and Infrastructure Minister Bill Yan says enough is enough and the safety of workers, residents and service providers must be a top priority in remote communities.

Mr Yan has condemned incidents in the past week in Lajamanu that have forced Rusca Developments workers to return to Darwin.

Mr Yan said he wants answers about what immediate, decisive actions are being taken to restore safety, deliver certainty for the community, and ensure long-term security for workers and residents alike.

“This kind of disruption not only delays much-needed development — it undermines the trust and progress being built in our remote communities,” Mr Yan said.

"This week, I’ll seek an urgent briefing from key stakeholders to seek clear answers about what is happening on the ground in Lajamanu.”

Mr Yan’s words of anger follow more acts of violence at the weekend at the Lajamanu Workers’ Camp, located around 560 km from Katherine and approximately 890 km from Darwin,

An unlawful entry at the Rusca Developments worker’s compound caused significant property damage and the alleged theft of an ambulance.

The stolen ambulance allegedly was later used to cross the Western Australia border and ram police cars.

It is alleged “multiple” youths were throwing rocks and hitting buildings with bars at the Lajamanu workers’ camp.

Across the following hours, police allege the youths returned to the workers’ camp multiple times, unlawfully entering compound buildings and causing damage.

That stretch of alleged criminal activity in Lajamanu came a day after three male youths allegedly entered the Rusca Developments workers’ compound early Thursday. While there, the youths allegedly attempted to steal a work vehicle and break into several buildings, before confronting the site manager and threatening him.

It is understood the situation escalated when one of the youths allegedly threw a rock at the site manager after he attempted to defend himself with a shifting spanner.

Mr Yan, said the community must take responsibility for the actions of individuals.

“The community is on notice that if behaviour like this continues, they risk missing out on key infrastructure opportunities for their region,” he said.

“Our thoughts are with the individual affected. Contractors who travel away from their families to help build stronger, safer communities deserve to feel safe and respected while doing their jobs.”

Originally published as Yan says safety of remote workers, residents and service providers must be a top priority