Latest / 360 with Katie Woolf / NT Chief Minister Natasha Fyles remains firm that she is up to the job of leading the Territory

Transcript

NT Chief Minister Natasha Fyles remains firm that she is up to the job of leading the Territory · 360 with Katie Woolf

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Thousands of Territorians.
• 0:01
  Speaker 2: Well, they stood on the steps of Parliament House on
• 0:03
  Speaker 2: the weekend to rally against the rate of crime that
• 0:06
  Speaker 2: we're seeing around the Northern Territory, but also to pay
• 0:09
  Speaker 2: their respects to Decklan Lavity. Now more than ten thousand
• 0:13
  Speaker 2: people have also signed a petition which was started last
• 0:16
  Speaker 2: week to demand change.
• 0:18
  Speaker 1: But over the.
• 0:18
  Speaker 2: Weekend there was more chaos with businesses in the rural
• 0:21
  Speaker 2: area ram rated as well as well an issue in
• 0:25
  Speaker 2: Alice Springs. A number of issues in Alice Springs with
• 0:27
  Speaker 2: multiple premises broken into including Impartja TV. Now joining me
• 0:32
  Speaker 2: in the studio is the Chief Minister, Natasha Files.
• 0:34
  Speaker 1: Good morning to your chief.
• 0:35
  Speaker 3: Minister owning Katie Morning listeners.
• 0:37
  Speaker 2: Now, Chief Minister, why didn't you attend the rally on
• 0:40
  Speaker 2: the weekend to hear the concerns of territorians.
• 0:42
  Speaker 4: So, Katie, I acknowledged the number of people that showed
• 0:45
  Speaker 4: up on Saturday, and I appreciate that it was very
• 0:47
  Speaker 4: peaceful and people were able to pay their respects to
• 0:51
  Speaker 4: Declan and also you know, express their voice that enough
• 0:54
  Speaker 4: is enough, and that is the view that I shared
• 0:56
  Speaker 4: with them. But I felt that the rally was a
• 0:58
  Speaker 4: time for the community and certainly will continue to listen
• 1:02
  Speaker 4: to the community through a range of measures.
• 1:04
  Speaker 3: But for me, it wasn't attending the rally.
• 1:06
  Speaker 2: Did you watch any of that vision over the weekend
• 1:09
  Speaker 2: and are you really hearing what people are saying right now?
• 1:13
  Speaker 4: Yes, Katie, the voices have not fallen on deaf ears,
• 1:16
  Speaker 4: and that's the message I want to reiterate to your listeners.
• 1:19
  Speaker 3: And to the community.
• 1:20
  Speaker 4: We will absolutely continue to do everything we can to
• 1:24
  Speaker 4: ensure that the community is safer.
• 1:26
  Speaker 2: Now, there were reportedly thousands there and as I touched
• 1:29
  Speaker 2: on before, more than ten thousand people have now signed
• 1:32
  Speaker 2: a petition which was started less than a week ago.
• 1:35
  Speaker 2: These are everyday territories, people with kids, people who work
• 1:39
  Speaker 2: in the shops that we go into, tradesmen who install
• 1:41
  Speaker 2: our air conditioners, nurses who assist us at the GP everyday,
• 1:46
  Speaker 2: people who.
• 1:47
  Speaker 1: Are saying to you enough is enough.
• 1:49
  Speaker 2: I know that you are saying that that message is
• 1:52
  Speaker 2: not falling on deaf ears, but do you have a
• 1:54
  Speaker 2: true sense of how demoralized people feel right now?
• 1:58
  Speaker 4: Yes, Katie, the voices of territorian's matter, and I have
• 2:02
  Speaker 4: heard and will continue to hear those voices and the
• 2:05
  Speaker 4: feelings that we have in our community.
• 2:07
  Speaker 2: Now the government last Wednesday you yourself announced immediate review
• 2:11
  Speaker 2: of bail laws for offenses involving a weapon and a
• 2:14
  Speaker 2: review of penalties for people carrying weapons. There will be
• 2:17
  Speaker 2: transit safety officers, crowd controllers and security guards equipped with
• 2:21
  Speaker 2: capsicum spray. There's also going to be workplace safety a review,
• 2:26
  Speaker 2: increased police presence, we're being told, as well as funding
• 2:29
  Speaker 2: for crowd controllers until June. There'll also be alcohol secure
• 2:33
  Speaker 2: a relaunch so businesses can increase physical safety and support. Now,
• 2:37
  Speaker 2: all of that announced on Wednesday last week. By Thursday
• 2:41
  Speaker 2: night we saw absolute chaos at the BWSN Palmerston six incidents,
• 2:48
  Speaker 2: there were threats to slit throats, items stolen. Then on
• 2:53
  Speaker 2: the weekend terrible scenes from Alice Springs with businesses broken
• 2:56
  Speaker 2: into and cars torched. You also had businesses ram rated
• 3:00
  Speaker 2: in the rural area. How soon can we expect that
• 3:04
  Speaker 2: the changes that you announced last week are going to
• 3:07
  Speaker 2: make a difference.
• 3:08
  Speaker 4: Katie, I'm equally as frustrated and angry around that behavior.
• 3:12
  Speaker 4: It's not acceptable and police have immediately surged resources and
• 3:15
  Speaker 4: they will continue high visibility policing patrols targeting known hotspots
• 3:20
  Speaker 4: to try and deter and curb this unacceptable behavior that
• 3:23
  Speaker 4: we experience.
• 3:25
  Speaker 2: We spoke though about this last week when it comes
• 3:27
  Speaker 2: to the police numbers, so we all know that there's
• 3:30
  Speaker 2: going to be a review now of these numbers before
• 3:32
  Speaker 2: the next election. But we're in a situation where the
• 3:35
  Speaker 2: Police Commissioner confirmed last week that officers are going to
• 3:38
  Speaker 2: need to be moved from other areas to focus on
• 3:40
  Speaker 2: the issues with alcohol and knife crime.
• 3:42
  Speaker 1: So, as you've said, surge those officers.
• 3:45
  Speaker 2: It is no doubt that that's going to have an
• 3:47
  Speaker 2: impact on our already stretched police force. I mean, is
• 3:51
  Speaker 2: it time to call in the FEDS for assistance for
• 3:54
  Speaker 2: a period of time here.
• 3:55
  Speaker 4: So Katie, I have confidence in the Northern churchid Police.
• 3:58
  Speaker 4: We've provided them with additional budget. There's additional constables that
• 4:01
  Speaker 4: have just graduated in February thirty five, and there's another
• 4:04
  Speaker 4: seventy one in training. I think that you know, the
• 4:07
  Speaker 4: calls for army and AFP certainly don't fall on deaf years.
• 4:10
  Speaker 4: It's something that you know, the thought is entertained, but
• 4:12
  Speaker 4: they are trained in different areas and we have a
• 4:16
  Speaker 4: strong police force that we have increased their budget and
• 4:19
  Speaker 4: their resources, and they certainly and the meetings that I
• 4:22
  Speaker 4: had last week with the Commissioner and the Deputy Commissioner
• 4:25
  Speaker 4: understand the anxiety and the stress that the community is
• 4:28
  Speaker 4: feeling and their role in making sure that they are
• 4:31
  Speaker 4: highly visible to support our community.
• 4:33
  Speaker 2: You have just said that it is something the thoughts
• 4:36
  Speaker 2: been entertained. So are you actually looking at potentially surging
• 4:41
  Speaker 2: some assistance either from the feeds or from the defense force.
• 4:43
  Speaker 4: No, Katie, So when I say it was, you know,
• 4:46
  Speaker 4: a thought that has certainly been considered, that was around
• 4:50
  Speaker 4: earlier in the year, and it's something that people.
• 4:51
  Speaker 3: Raise from time to time.
• 4:53
  Speaker 4: But we have to understand the different roles that those
• 4:56
  Speaker 4: types of organizations have in our community. But I have
• 5:00
  Speaker 4: cofidence in Northern Territory Police. But I've also made it
• 5:02
  Speaker 4: very clear to the Police Commissioner, Katie, the stress, the anxiety,
• 5:06
  Speaker 4: the frustration that the community in the Northern Territory has
• 5:10
  Speaker 4: and their role and that's been acknowledged through that increased
• 5:13
  Speaker 4: police presence and that high visibility targeting those known hotspots.
• 5:17
  Speaker 2: I mean, the fact is at the moment, people do
• 5:19
  Speaker 2: have a lot of confidence in the Northern Territory Police,
• 5:21
  Speaker 2: but they feel as though there's not enough of.
• 5:23
  Speaker 4: Them, and Katie, I just pointed towards recent graduates, there's
• 5:27
  Speaker 4: more coming through. They've had an increase in budget and
• 5:29
  Speaker 4: increase in resources.
• 5:31
  Speaker 3: Of course, we will.
• 5:32
  Speaker 4: Do everything we can to give them more tools and
• 5:35
  Speaker 4: that's something we focus on each and every day.
• 5:37
  Speaker 1: All Right, I just want to.
• 5:38
  Speaker 2: Go back to the announcement that was made obviously last week.
• 5:42
  Speaker 2: You also announced that there is going to be some
• 5:44
  Speaker 2: changes when it comes to bail laws. Now, we spoke
• 5:48
  Speaker 2: to the Police Minister on Friday during the week that
• 5:50
  Speaker 2: was and she said that when it comes to bail
• 5:53
  Speaker 2: right now, for offenses involving a weapon, the presumption of
• 5:57
  Speaker 2: bail is neutral. Why would it not be a pre
• 6:00
  Speaker 2: assumption against bail.
• 6:02
  Speaker 4: So, Katie, when someone commits an offense, the police or
• 6:06
  Speaker 4: the courts can decide if bail is granted or not,
• 6:09
  Speaker 4: and then offenses have either a presumption against bail a
• 6:13
  Speaker 4: presumption for bail. So a driving offense, Katie, might have
• 6:17
  Speaker 4: a presumption that you would be granted bail. But it's
• 6:20
  Speaker 4: not saying that police and courts cannot act differently. But
• 6:23
  Speaker 4: around the edge weapons it is neutral at the moment.
• 6:28
  Speaker 4: So the police have to take into account all the
• 6:30
  Speaker 4: circumstances at that CRIS.
• 6:32
  Speaker 1: It's in line with the community's expectations.
• 6:34
  Speaker 4: And that's what we're reviewing immediately, Katie, and that work
• 6:37
  Speaker 4: has been stood up. Looking from the justice perspective, police
• 6:42
  Speaker 4: are at that table so that we can look at
• 6:45
  Speaker 4: our bail laws and make sure they're contemporary and they
• 6:48
  Speaker 4: match community expectation.
• 6:49
  Speaker 2: So currently do you think that they meet community expectation?
• 6:54
  Speaker 4: So, Katie, our bail laws, they are reviewed in the
• 6:57
  Speaker 4: wake of any incident. We then take that opportunity to
• 7:00
  Speaker 4: make sure they're more contemp you know that there is
• 7:02
  Speaker 4: contemporary and meet that community expectation.
• 7:05
  Speaker 3: So I'll allow that work to be undertaken.
• 7:07
  Speaker 1: Who's doing the review into bail laws, so.
• 7:10
  Speaker 4: The Department of Justice Legal Policy and also Police Youth
• 7:14
  Speaker 4: Justice and the DPP.
• 7:15
  Speaker 1: When's it going to be finished?
• 7:17
  Speaker 4: So, Katie, the work, as I just said, has been
• 7:20
  Speaker 4: stood up immediately, and they may identify something that comes
• 7:23
  Speaker 4: back and we need to make that change quite quickly,
• 7:26
  Speaker 4: or they may say at this point we don't recommend
• 7:28
  Speaker 4: any change, but they'll continue their work and then we
• 7:32
  Speaker 4: will absolutely come back to the community and say this
• 7:34
  Speaker 4: is what we've done, and these were the finding Some people.
• 7:37
  Speaker 2: Might be listening thinking that sounds like an internal review.
• 7:40
  Speaker 2: Is that appropriate? Should it be something that we're looking
• 7:42
  Speaker 2: at externally.
• 7:43
  Speaker 4: I think it's appropriate to have those people that are involved,
• 7:46
  Speaker 4: and so, as I was saying, before police decide bail,
• 7:50
  Speaker 4: courts decide bail, and I think it's important, supported by
• 7:54
  Speaker 4: the DPP who then prosecute, and the policy work of
• 7:58
  Speaker 4: Department of Justice, that they are appropriate people to review this.
• 8:00
  Speaker 2: I got to understand that obviously they are the appropriate
• 8:02
  Speaker 2: people to review, and.
• 8:04
  Speaker 1: That you know that it is it is.
• 8:07
  Speaker 2: You know, there's a lot of different factors at play here,
• 8:10
  Speaker 2: but what I guess I'm trying to get across to
• 8:12
  Speaker 2: you is that it's not in line with the community's
• 8:15
  Speaker 2: expectations right now. The community's expectations right now are that
• 8:19
  Speaker 2: if somebody is involved allegedly in an offense with an
• 8:24
  Speaker 2: edged weapon, that they would then not be out on
• 8:27
  Speaker 2: bail to be able to commit a further offense.
• 8:30
  Speaker 4: And Katie, our justice system has a presumption of innocence
• 8:34
  Speaker 4: until proven guilty, but community safety and that individual's actions
• 8:40
  Speaker 4: always taken into account when looking at whether someone should
• 8:44
  Speaker 4: be held on remand or granted bail. But we absolutely,
• 8:48
  Speaker 4: in the wake of this tragic incident, we are looking
• 8:51
  Speaker 4: at our laws to see whether they are contemporary. And
• 8:55
  Speaker 4: it's a difficult space to discuss, but we need to
• 8:58
  Speaker 4: make sure that we're acting on the best evidence and
• 9:00
  Speaker 4: it's balanced with communities expectations.
• 9:02
  Speaker 2: The situation right now here, though, is that the community
• 9:05
  Speaker 2: has been screaming about issues of crime for quite some time.
• 9:08
  Speaker 2: Why has it taken the government this long? Or is
• 9:12
  Speaker 2: such a tragic situation unfolding before you've decided to do
• 9:16
  Speaker 2: a review?
• 9:17
  Speaker 4: So, Katie, we have put in place a range of measures,
• 9:20
  Speaker 4: and we have put in place, you know, new resources
• 9:24
  Speaker 4: for police. We've put in place new legislation to protect people.
• 9:27
  Speaker 4: We've expandedhol electronic monitoring alcohol policy. So there has been
• 9:31
  Speaker 4: a huge body of work done.
• 9:32
  Speaker 3: But is there more to do?
• 9:33
  Speaker 1: Yes?
• 9:34
  Speaker 3: And that's what's happening well.
• 9:35
  Speaker 2: And I think if I could make one point to
• 9:37
  Speaker 2: you and try to make it as clear as possible
• 9:39
  Speaker 2: that the community is saying, is you know that you
• 9:43
  Speaker 2: keep saying to us that you know that this huge
• 9:45
  Speaker 2: amount of work has happened, But unfortunately, all the while
• 9:49
  Speaker 2: things are getting worse and the community is feeling less
• 9:52
  Speaker 2: and less safe. They're not feeling better as those changes
• 9:56
  Speaker 2: come into place. So how are these changes from last
• 10:00
  Speaker 2: week that you announced going to make an immediate change
• 10:04
  Speaker 2: and immediately make people feel safer?
• 10:06
  Speaker 4: And so, Katie, that's why that increase police presence. That's
• 10:10
  Speaker 4: why we have some venues that are through their location
• 10:15
  Speaker 4: and the times that operate, we've identified as higher risk
• 10:18
  Speaker 4: talking to industry.
• 10:19
  Speaker 3: So obviously the.
• 10:20
  Speaker 4: Takeaway outlets of alcohol outlets is one, but it's the
• 10:23
  Speaker 4: service stations, those late night fast foods. So that's why
• 10:26
  Speaker 4: immediately we're providing funding for crowd controllers who can provide
• 10:30
  Speaker 4: that physical security presence at those locations, backed up by police.
• 10:33
  Speaker 3: That's one exact when.
• 10:34
  Speaker 2: You see, though, the argument from people right now that
• 10:36
  Speaker 2: it's not you know, like that we're putting all of
• 10:39
  Speaker 2: these band aid solutions in place, you know, like giving
• 10:42
  Speaker 2: crowd controllers and giving people capsic and spray to deal
• 10:45
  Speaker 2: with those that are already breaking the law. That's you know,
• 10:49
  Speaker 2: that in itself is the issue that we've got right now,
• 10:51
  Speaker 2: is that you've got people that are breaking the law
• 10:53
  Speaker 2: that do not feel afraid in any way, shape or
• 10:56
  Speaker 2: form of the consequence to their action.
• 10:58
  Speaker 4: If someone breaks the law, that is a criminal offense,
• 11:01
  Speaker 4: and they will be dealt with, they will be charged,
• 11:04
  Speaker 4: and they will face the penalties from their actions.
• 11:07
  Speaker 2: But then, you know, as we say that, we're also
• 11:10
  Speaker 2: talking about the fact that you can be on bail
• 11:12
  Speaker 2: for an alleged weapons offense. O, Katie.
• 11:15
  Speaker 4: That's the work that is being undertaken, and as I understand,
• 11:18
  Speaker 4: I've been working through the weekend on this issue, Katie.
• 11:21
  Speaker 4: Our laws are the same as other jurisdictions. I'm not
• 11:25
  Speaker 4: saying they don't need to change.
• 11:26
  Speaker 2: Maybe they need to be different to other jurisdictions. So
• 11:28
  Speaker 2: if we've got a situation here in the Northern Territory
• 11:31
  Speaker 2: where things are, you know, the ABC's Matt Garrett today
• 11:34
  Speaker 2: reporting that territory wide, the yearly statistics show that assaults
• 11:39
  Speaker 2: over the past twelve months are up by eighty eight
• 11:42
  Speaker 2: percent from two thousand and nine, up by nearly fifty
• 11:46
  Speaker 2: five percent in Darwin and a whopping one hundred and
• 11:50
  Speaker 2: forty eight percent in Alice Springs. Like those stats over
• 11:54
  Speaker 2: that period of time, you know that I think that
• 11:57
  Speaker 2: that is just part of some of the evidents that
• 12:00
  Speaker 2: is demonstrating that things are really bad.
• 12:03
  Speaker 4: And Katie, there's acknowledgment of that. And I'm not saying
• 12:07
  Speaker 4: things won't change, but I'm outlining to the community what
• 12:10
  Speaker 4: we're doing. There is immediate actions, there is actions that
• 12:14
  Speaker 4: will take a little time, and there's longer term actions.
• 12:16
  Speaker 4: And it's a combination. It's not one individual measure that
• 12:20
  Speaker 4: will make all of this go away.
• 12:22
  Speaker 2: Do we know if the alleged offender in the situation
• 12:27
  Speaker 2: where and I know that you'll say to me, I
• 12:29
  Speaker 2: can't go into that detail, But do we know if
• 12:31
  Speaker 2: he was under electronic monitoring?
• 12:34
  Speaker 4: So, Katie declin needs justice, And if I was to
• 12:37
  Speaker 4: provide commentary on that case, I would be jeopardizing that.
• 12:39
  Speaker 4: So as much as people want answers, I can't talk
• 12:43
  Speaker 4: to that matter.
• 12:44
  Speaker 3: Otherwise we could potentially see a casey I guess.
• 12:46
  Speaker 2: So I guess fundamentally, what people are wanting to know
• 12:50
  Speaker 2: is if you are on bail, is your electronic monitoring
• 12:54
  Speaker 2: being monitored?
• 12:56
  Speaker 4: So, Katie, that's separate, stepping away from the case that
• 13:00
  Speaker 4: just spoke to. Electronic monitoring identifies if you go into
• 13:05
  Speaker 4: an area where you shouldn't be, so when you are
• 13:07
  Speaker 4: given bail or you could be on a suspended sentence,
• 13:12
  Speaker 4: or you could be stepping down leaving prison and being
• 13:15
  Speaker 4: able to reintegrate to the community. You may have no
• 13:18
  Speaker 4: go areas and your em your electronic monitoring should ping
• 13:21
  Speaker 4: if you go into one of those areas. So a
• 13:24
  Speaker 4: common one, Katie is you can't go near an area
• 13:26
  Speaker 4: that has alcohol, for example.
• 13:28
  Speaker 1: And so.
• 13:30
  Speaker 2: Yeah, look, I guess you know people I'm monitoring that
• 13:33
  Speaker 2: and thinking what's going on.
• 13:35
  Speaker 4: So Katie, we're talking in generalizations here, but if someone
• 13:38
  Speaker 4: is being monitored electronically, it could be that they're not
• 13:41
  Speaker 4: allowed to go near the home of a victim or
• 13:44
  Speaker 4: a witness, for example, and they're electronic monitoring will identify
• 13:47
  Speaker 4: if they break the conditions of whether it's a suspended sentence,
• 13:51
  Speaker 4: whether it's you know, community release, whatever it may be.
• 13:55
  Speaker 1: So are all of.
• 13:56
  Speaker 2: These things going to be looked at while you're reviewing
• 13:58
  Speaker 2: the bail?
• 13:59
  Speaker 1: You know this these bail changes.
• 14:01
  Speaker 4: So Katie, we're looking specifically at the bail for edged
• 14:05
  Speaker 4: weapons and violent offenses, both the bail and also the
• 14:12
  Speaker 4: penalties to make sure that they meet communities expectation, because
• 14:15
  Speaker 4: that could be another point, Katie, that people commit an
• 14:18
  Speaker 4: offense and then they do go through the justice system.
• 14:22
  Speaker 4: Is the penalty up to what the community's standard is.
• 14:26
  Speaker 1: Well, that's exactly right.
• 14:27
  Speaker 2: But I think the other thing that people are really
• 14:29
  Speaker 2: frustrated and concerned by is that you've got recidivus defenders.
• 14:33
  Speaker 2: You know, you've got people that are doing the wrong thing,
• 14:36
  Speaker 2: and then they're continually doing the wrong thing.
• 14:38
  Speaker 1: It feels as though.
• 14:39
  Speaker 2: They are getting off scot free or they're not actually
• 14:43
  Speaker 2: having to, you know, to offer any kind of contribution
• 14:47
  Speaker 2: to society after they have committed offenses.
• 14:51
  Speaker 4: And that I think comes to that penalties piece. That
• 14:54
  Speaker 4: they go through the system and the rules and the
• 14:57
  Speaker 4: laws are followed, but is the penalty what the community expects?
• 15:01
  Speaker 4: And that is being looked at. And Katie, it's really
• 15:03
  Speaker 4: important for your listeners. If we find something, you know,
• 15:05
  Speaker 4: in the next couple of weeks, absolutely we'll act immediately,
• 15:08
  Speaker 4: but then we'll also continue the work, you know, to
• 15:12
  Speaker 4: around every aspect of this. So there is a sense
• 15:14
  Speaker 4: of urgency with it.
• 15:15
  Speaker 2: Okay, are you going to change anything when it comes
• 15:17
  Speaker 2: to alcohol?
• 15:19
  Speaker 4: So, Katie, this is one that is difficult. It's a
• 15:21
  Speaker 4: legal product, but we absolutely acknowledge the harm we have
• 15:25
  Speaker 4: put in place and we've spoken at nauseum about the
• 15:28
  Speaker 4: measures that we've put in place, but we'll continue to
• 15:30
  Speaker 4: look in.
• 15:31
  Speaker 3: The space of alcohol around what we can do.
• 15:33
  Speaker 4: And this is you know, listening to the community, but
• 15:36
  Speaker 4: also working with industry because they're the ones that serve
• 15:38
  Speaker 4: that product. They've often got the ideas and the solutions.
• 15:40
  Speaker 2: All right, So we're looking at reducing ours permanently at
• 15:43
  Speaker 2: bottle shops or anything like that.
• 15:45
  Speaker 4: So, Katie, the reduction in trading hours is around providing
• 15:48
  Speaker 4: that safety and ensuring that there's a number of resources available,
• 15:52
  Speaker 4: so that potentially could be something that could be looked at.
• 15:55
  Speaker 2: What about buybacks, licensed buybacks or anything along those lines
• 16:00
  Speaker 2: it out, Katie, So you haven't ruled out buying back licenses,
• 16:03
  Speaker 2: but is that for corner stores or what kind of
• 16:05
  Speaker 2: licenses are you looking at?
• 16:06
  Speaker 4: So Katie, we've got riskpace licensing in the territory which
• 16:09
  Speaker 4: looks at the risk of a licensee and it has
• 16:11
  Speaker 4: their behaviors. It brings into factor, you know, things that
• 16:15
  Speaker 4: happen around that venue and we can't always pin it
• 16:17
  Speaker 4: back to that venue, but it does give you an indication.
• 16:19
  Speaker 4: I always have been doing work and we have shifted
• 16:22
  Speaker 4: the looking at the risk BACE licensing.
• 16:24
  Speaker 3: It was a yearly thing. We've shifted that into.
• 16:26
  Speaker 4: Quarters, so I changed that in December and I'll be
• 16:28
  Speaker 4: able to see January, February March the compliance with ristpace licensing.
• 16:32
  Speaker 4: All Right.
• 16:32
  Speaker 2: The Police Commissioners said on Friday that the alleged defenders
• 16:35
  Speaker 2: from last week's incidents on Thursday night in Palmerston at
• 16:39
  Speaker 2: those bottle shops were allegedly residents from communities who were
• 16:42
  Speaker 2: here due to flood evacuations. Will there be a difference
• 16:47
  Speaker 2: when people start to go home, Katie?
• 16:51
  Speaker 4: The Police Commissioners made those comments, and I'm not going
• 16:53
  Speaker 4: to comment, but what I can say is we've started
• 16:55
  Speaker 4: to shift those evacuees home. It is frustrating when we
• 16:58
  Speaker 4: have a natural disaster. People genuine need our support. Their
• 17:01
  Speaker 4: homes were washed away. But then people, and this is
• 17:03
  Speaker 4: human behavior, they come in and they abuse that privilege
• 17:06
  Speaker 4: that they've been given. But we've started to move people
• 17:08
  Speaker 4: back to community. That commenced yesterday and we'll continue rolling
• 17:11
  Speaker 4: over the next few days.
• 17:12
  Speaker 2: All Right, we are very fast running out of time.
• 17:14
  Speaker 2: I want to ask you, are you still going to
• 17:16
  Speaker 2: be raising the age of criminal responsibility?
• 17:19
  Speaker 4: So Katie, we were very clear that that was around
• 17:22
  Speaker 4: ensuring that the justice system works and is effective. But
• 17:25
  Speaker 4: the programs have to be in place, so they need
• 17:27
  Speaker 4: to be in place before you'll.
• 17:28
  Speaker 3: See that change in active.
• 17:29
  Speaker 1: Are they in place?
• 17:30
  Speaker 4: That work is well underway and we've been provided with briefing.
• 17:34
  Speaker 4: So this is around ensuring that we don't see police
• 17:37
  Speaker 4: do all this work and then things get thrown out
• 17:39
  Speaker 4: of court for Dolly Incapac.
• 17:41
  Speaker 2: Chief Minister, you told me just a couple of weeks
• 17:44
  Speaker 2: ago that you felt that you had the settings right
• 17:46
  Speaker 2: when it comes to crime. Since then, we have seen
• 17:49
  Speaker 2: what can only be described as carnage. Many are questioning
• 17:53
  Speaker 2: why you didn't listen and didn't make some changes sooner.
• 17:56
  Speaker 3: So Katie, I just want to reassure the community.
• 17:58
  Speaker 4: I absolutely listen each and every day, every comment, every
• 18:03
  Speaker 4: idea is considered.
• 18:05
  Speaker 1: We do.
• 18:05
  Speaker 4: When you look at that long list of investment, and
• 18:07
  Speaker 4: I won't harp on it. We're running over time. You know.
• 18:09
  Speaker 4: I did think that we have the settings right, but
• 18:11
  Speaker 4: clearly there's more work to be done and that is
• 18:13
  Speaker 4: being done and that will continue.
• 18:15
  Speaker 1: Chief Finister.
• 18:16
  Speaker 2: Many people are also questioning if you're up to the job.
• 18:21
  Speaker 3: Katie.
• 18:21
  Speaker 4: I believe so I've got the support of my colleagues.
• 18:24
  Speaker 4: These are tough issues that we're facing and we have
• 18:27
  Speaker 4: to tackle them head on. We need to listen to
• 18:30
  Speaker 4: the community. We need to work across our community. It's
• 18:32
  Speaker 4: really important that we have leadership, whether it's local council,
• 18:35
  Speaker 4: whether it's Indigenous representation, whether it's business, whether it's industry,
• 18:39
  Speaker 4: and so that's what I'm doing.
• 18:41
  Speaker 2: The Independent Member for Arra lu And Robin Lambley has
• 18:44
  Speaker 2: called for both you and the Attorney General to stand down.
• 18:49
  Speaker 2: Why shouldn't you resign at this.
• 18:50
  Speaker 4: Point, I'm not going to listen to a member that
• 18:54
  Speaker 4: was a minister in the cop government that oversaw. I believe, Katie,
• 18:58
  Speaker 4: for the reasons that I've just outlined to you. You
• 19:00
  Speaker 4: that the community needs to come together, we need to
• 19:03
  Speaker 4: listen to ideas. We need to support our community in
• 19:07
  Speaker 4: a wide ranging, intense effort so that we can be
• 19:11
  Speaker 4: the territory we'll want.
• 19:12
  Speaker 1: To be, Chief Minister. She's not the only one saying it.
• 19:15
  Speaker 2: There are a lot of people in the community who
• 19:17
  Speaker 2: are really questioning, you know, whether you are going to
• 19:21
  Speaker 2: be able to make the changes that are need and
• 19:24
  Speaker 2: whether you're going to be able to bring the community
• 19:27
  Speaker 2: back together and keep territory in safe.
• 19:30
  Speaker 4: That's my aim, Katie, That's what I'm working each and
• 19:33
  Speaker 4: every day to achieve, and I'll be judged in August
• 19:36
  Speaker 4: next year.
• 19:37
  Speaker 1: I do want to ask you.
• 19:38
  Speaker 2: Over the weekend, photos have emerged of the Attorney General
• 19:42
  Speaker 2: Chancey Paik in Sydney campaigning in the New South Wales election,
• 19:46
  Speaker 2: while while the people of Alice Springs continue to suffer
• 19:50
  Speaker 2: through very serious crime issues.
• 19:52
  Speaker 1: Do you think that's appropriate?
• 19:54
  Speaker 4: I was in touch with Chancy over the weekend, as
• 19:57
  Speaker 4: I have been with a number of my colleagues regularly.
• 20:00
  Speaker 4: We normally are, but that has certainly continued at a
• 20:02
  Speaker 4: heightened level. They would be questions for him.
• 20:04
  Speaker 1: Do you think they're appropriate? Though? Oh?
• 20:07
  Speaker 2: Do you think it's in touch with the way the
• 20:09
  Speaker 2: community is feeling right now? Given the fact that you've
• 20:11
  Speaker 2: literally got thousands of people on the steps of Parliament
• 20:14
  Speaker 2: House screaming for help and then he's posing, you know,
• 20:19
  Speaker 2: for photos at the New South Wales.
• 20:21
  Speaker 4: Election, Katie, those calls are absolutely being heard. The work
• 20:25
  Speaker 4: is being done. We are doing this day in day out.
• 20:30
  Speaker 4: He was in Sydney for a couple of days, but
• 20:32
  Speaker 4: as I just outlined, I certainly spoke to him, he
• 20:34
  Speaker 4: was providing feedback.
• 20:36
  Speaker 1: Chief Minister.
• 20:37
  Speaker 2: I think it's safe to say at the moment that
• 20:39
  Speaker 2: the community is feeling really very broken, their heart broken.
• 20:43
  Speaker 2: They're feeling quite disillusioned with the government and with the
• 20:47
  Speaker 2: fact that nothing seems to be getting better, and that
• 20:49
  Speaker 2: they don't feel safe, That they don't feel safe in
• 20:52
  Speaker 2: their own homes, they don't feel safe when they get
• 20:54
  Speaker 2: on the bus, they don't feel safe when they go
• 20:56
  Speaker 2: to do.
• 20:56
  Speaker 1: Their grocery shopping.
• 20:58
  Speaker 2: What can you say to Territorians right now to give
• 21:02
  Speaker 2: them some kind of hope that things are going to
• 21:05
  Speaker 2: change and that they're going to change quickly.
• 21:08
  Speaker 4: Katie, we are at one with our community. We're heartbroken
• 21:11
  Speaker 4: over the incident and the loss of Declan's life, but
• 21:14
  Speaker 4: you can see through our actions that we are putting
• 21:17
  Speaker 4: in place measures that we hope will overcome these issues
• 21:20
  Speaker 4: and give us that safe territory we want. And if
• 21:23
  Speaker 4: they don't, we will never stop trying. If they don't, though,
• 21:27
  Speaker 4: is what is going to happen. What can the community expect? So, Katie,
• 21:31
  Speaker 4: that's where it comes back to. It's not one individual
• 21:34
  Speaker 4: solution or action that will change all of this as
• 21:37
  Speaker 4: much as we wish that. It's a multitude of things
• 21:39
  Speaker 4: and we've got to keep putting those measures out there
• 21:42
  Speaker 4: so that we can get that change.
• 21:44
  Speaker 2: And if they don't change, will you be staying on
• 21:46
  Speaker 2: as the Chief Minister Katie.
• 21:48
  Speaker 4: I'm confident if we come together, if we acknowledge the issues,
• 21:51
  Speaker 4: which they've absolutely been acknowledged, if we continue to listen
• 21:55
  Speaker 4: and we continue to provide that response, we will change things.
• 21:58
  Speaker 2: Chief Minister Natasha Files will have to leave it there.
• 22:00
  Speaker 1: Thank you as always, fear time, take care,