Latest / 360 with Katie Woolf / Mayor Kon Vatskalis offers Police shop space to enable greater police presence in the CBD.

Transcript

Mayor Kon Vatskalis offers Police shop space to enable greater police presence in the CBD. · 360 with Katie Woolf

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  Speaker 1: You are listening to Mix one O four nine. It
• 0:02
  Speaker 1: is just sixteen minutes away from ten o'clock. Now you
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  Speaker 1: may have seen or heard that the City of Darwin
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  Speaker 1: is moving to beef up CBD safety on the back
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  Speaker 1: of daily complaints about anti social behavior. So apparently there
• 0:15
  Speaker 1: was a meeting held with council determining whether there could
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  Speaker 1: be a police space in the city. I think the
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  Speaker 1: council is even prepared to offer up some free space
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  Speaker 1: for the police. Joining me in the studio right now
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  Speaker 1: is the Lord Mayor of Darwin convat scarlets. Good morning conn.
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  Speaker 2: Good morning Katie, and yes you're absolutely right, I wan
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  Speaker 2: say the council is offering a free office pace to
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  Speaker 2: the police in the Westland Arcade to establish a police bit.
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  Speaker 2: Now people will say, is it the first time, No,
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  Speaker 2: it's not. We had one in kazurin our shopping square
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  Speaker 2: many years ago that was proven to be very very
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  Speaker 2: successful and that was actually taken out because the new
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  Speaker 2: Kazuna police station were built. So now we've got people
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  Speaker 2: asking for more police presence on the streets. The funny
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  Speaker 2: thing is Kerns have the same problem that we have.
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  Speaker 2: Kirns Town Council offered the police an office in Central
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  Speaker 2: Kirns and the Queensland Police accepted it. So we said,
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  Speaker 2: we're going to do exactly the same. We're offering us
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  Speaker 2: free space, no rent, totally free to the police office
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  Speaker 2: space in West Lenardcade.
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  Speaker 1: So just let me get this straight. So the council
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  Speaker 1: meeting has already happened and the councilors agreed.
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  Speaker 2: To it unanimously agree to offer a police space to the police.
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  Speaker 1: And have you had any discussions with the Northern Territory
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  Speaker 1: Police at this point.
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  Speaker 2: We'll be sending a letter officially offering them to the
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  Speaker 2: accommodation for rent free and ask them to establish a
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  Speaker 2: presence in them all.
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  Speaker 1: And why do you reckon this would help? Because I
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  Speaker 1: guess you and I have spoken on so many occasions
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  Speaker 1: about the anti social behavior issues. We don't need to
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  Speaker 1: relive them. But why do you reckon having a police
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  Speaker 1: presence in the CBD when they've already got one at
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  Speaker 1: Mitchell Center.
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  Speaker 2: The police does a tremendous job, especially the people of
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  Speaker 2: the ground. The only problem is people on the ground
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  Speaker 2: are not too many. When you've got one police card
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  Speaker 2: between Casarina and Dao and one in parmers on obvious
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  Speaker 2: this problem. I understand they've got problems with leave and
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  Speaker 2: sickness and things, but at the same time there are
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  Speaker 2: problems out in the city. We spoke at nauseum about it.
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  Speaker 2: People stop ministry and says can we do something about it?
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  Speaker 2: What I said the police here we are. I know
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  Speaker 2: you're a police stationed in Nake Street yep, but there
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  Speaker 2: aren't many police coming out or there. So how about
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  Speaker 2: you establish a presence in the mall. Very easy to
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  Speaker 2: come out if there's a call, you just walk out
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  Speaker 2: and there's a there's an issue. You told us you're
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  Speaker 2: going to have the sad ways. I've seen them a
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  Speaker 2: couple of times, and I'll find out from purpises the
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  Speaker 2: cy them ones they don't see them for many, many days.
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  Speaker 2: So here you are, I'll give you a police presence,
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  Speaker 2: a possibility of a presence in the mall. You don't
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  Speaker 2: have to have twenty policemen. You can only have two
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  Speaker 2: or three every shift, and then you get police presence
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  Speaker 2: throughout the.
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  Speaker 1: CBD Connor, I guess the issue here is going to
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  Speaker 1: be and we heard it from the Police Association survey this.
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  Speaker 1: You know the police don't feel as so there's enough
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  Speaker 1: of them to be out to do their job. So
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  Speaker 1: where are we going to get the officers.
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  Speaker 2: From the sixteen hundreds of them? Kid, we had eight
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  Speaker 2: hundred sixteen two thousand and one, and they had police
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  Speaker 2: patrols and bike patrols throughout the city. Now sixteen hundred
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  Speaker 2: and twice as many. Now, obviously it's something there is
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  Speaker 2: not right. I don't know our locational resources rostering and
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  Speaker 2: things like that, something that probably the police is to
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  Speaker 2: look at it. I said to you before, I'm not
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  Speaker 2: a campaigning against the police. I want to help the police,
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  Speaker 2: and I want to help the police to do their job.
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  Speaker 2: Probably that's why we offer them this office in.
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  Speaker 1: The model con how much would it cost the council
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  Speaker 1: to offer this up for free, because presumably it's a
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  Speaker 1: space that you could rent out at a commercial rent rate,
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  Speaker 1: so presumably it's going to cost the council.
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  Speaker 2: Councils prepared to for go twenty thousand dollars a year
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  Speaker 2: that would probably get as a rent or a bit
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  Speaker 2: a bit. More important thing for us is the safety
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  Speaker 2: of our citizens and police.
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  Speaker 1: Presence of the street, and do you reckon that this
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  Speaker 1: would really make a difference to that anti social behavior
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  Speaker 1: that we're saying at the moment.
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  Speaker 2: Well, if it makes a difference in Kern, if it
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  Speaker 2: made a difference in Casrio shop Is Square at the
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  Speaker 2: time when they were there, I will not make a
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  Speaker 2: difference in down. What's different?
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  Speaker 1: What about somewhere like Casuarina that's obviously experiencing really bad
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  Speaker 1: anti social behavior also at the moment, you know why
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  Speaker 1: the city are not there.
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  Speaker 2: Well, I spoke to the new orance of Casino Shobe
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  Speaker 2: Square and I mentioned to them there was a bit there.
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  Speaker 2: They like the idea. Now, if they want to actually
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  Speaker 2: approach to police or not for a free space in Caserina,
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  Speaker 2: it's up to them to do so. I'm offering free
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  Speaker 2: space here. I know there are calls to establish a
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  Speaker 2: police bit in the Karama shopping center. People in Karama
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  Speaker 2: are furious with what's happening in their suburb. I sympathize
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  Speaker 2: with them. I said to you before that some people says, oh,
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  Speaker 2: your rangers do it. Well, the rangers are rangers. They're
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  Speaker 2: not policemen.
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  Speaker 1: They have no.
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  Speaker 2: Power to arrest, to move to tip water out. They
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  Speaker 2: had the power to get your dog if the dog
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  Speaker 2: attack somebody, but certainly when it comes down to undisort
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  Speaker 2: of behavior, issuing arresting people, that's the area of the police,
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  Speaker 2: not the rangers.
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  Speaker 1: I mean, if the pla these aren't prepared to come
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  Speaker 1: to the party and don't want to take up the space,
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  Speaker 1: could you potentially still have some ranges that are there
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  Speaker 1: that there's a council presence right there in the city
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  Speaker 1: or even Larokie Nation.
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  Speaker 2: Our rangers are there every morning from six thirt in
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  Speaker 2: the morning, the outre Its group. It talks to all
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  Speaker 2: the people that slip rough our ranges and the mall.
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  Speaker 2: I've sent them myself talking to people just talking because
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  Speaker 2: they were not doing anything they're sitting around. Was really good,
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  Speaker 2: and our ranges communicated with the police if there's a
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  Speaker 2: situation getting out of hand. Let's again say that Larokia
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  Speaker 2: Nation is not police Larkie Leasons they are not, and
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  Speaker 2: none the indigenous police officers there are people are helping
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  Speaker 2: the police to actually move people that are drunk or
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  Speaker 2: causing problems. They can't arrest, they can't imprison people, they
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  Speaker 2: can't serve people in their events. They can only get
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  Speaker 2: people that prepare to be assisted.
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  Speaker 1: So CONN in addition to this, you still want to
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  Speaker 1: see that two kilometer radius law reenacted as well when
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  Speaker 1: it comes to takeaway alcohol.
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  Speaker 2: Absolutely, and the Chief the Chievemneys tell me that actually
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  Speaker 2: the law still exists. I would like to see that one.
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  Speaker 2: But also I would like to see make an offense
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  Speaker 2: bridging bail again because currently it's been not there and
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  Speaker 2: that's why you see all these young kids with bracelets
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  Speaker 2: in their anklets in their uncles running around doing stupid things.
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  Speaker 1: Son. Look, there'll be some people listening this morning thinking
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  Speaker 1: you're the Lord Mayor, you're not the Commissioner of Police.
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  Speaker 1: You know, why are you going down this path? And
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  Speaker 1: you know why are you? Are you sort of offering
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  Speaker 1: up this space? Why are you talking about breach of
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  Speaker 1: bail law? Even I know I'm the one who asked
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  Speaker 1: the question about the two kilometer law.
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  Speaker 2: Why are you I'm the Lord Mayor. I listen to
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  Speaker 2: what people have to say, But at the same time,
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  Speaker 2: I'm not there winsing all the time. I'm offering solutions
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  Speaker 2: the same way I talk about the ti kilometer low,
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  Speaker 2: the same way I said to the Chief Minister, bring
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  Speaker 2: back offense if you breach bail, that's a solution I offer.
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  Speaker 2: I even spoke to you about rijik the bad drinkers
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  Speaker 2: register to find out who is doing And secondly, supply
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  Speaker 2: you can do that one. Now I know that the
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  Speaker 2: gun is so obviously they're taking notes or something of
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  Speaker 2: the things we're talking here. They listen to it, and
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  Speaker 2: some people have in the fifth floor decided, well that
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  Speaker 2: might be a good idea. Let's explore it. And I
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  Speaker 2: asked for the Chief minutes we have a meeting with
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  Speaker 2: all the presidents and mayors of the Northern Territory. And
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  Speaker 2: it happened, and she We'll meet again and again and again.
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  Speaker 2: So people take notice when we make a lot of noise,
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  Speaker 2: and I will continue to make a lot of note well.
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  Speaker 1: And I think the point is that you know, the
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  Speaker 1: public are making a lot of noise as well. People
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  Speaker 1: are well and truly over it. They don't want the
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  Speaker 1: kind of behavior that we've seen on the top end
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  Speaker 1: streets right around the place. Nobody wants to see that
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  Speaker 1: kind of behavior. It hasn't impact in so many different ways,
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  Speaker 1: particularly when you're talking about, you know, getting people to
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  Speaker 1: move to the Northern Territory, when you're talking about tourism
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  Speaker 1: like we were just a few moments.
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  Speaker 2: Ago, one of spending millions to attract tourists. When you
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  Speaker 2: get the situation in the street that you'd be embarrassed
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  Speaker 2: to say that you're in.
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  Speaker 1: Dara con can I ask you just on that very briefly,
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  Speaker 1: what are the next steps now? So you're going to
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  Speaker 1: be writing to the Northern Territory Police offering up this space, I'm.
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  Speaker 2: Pretty sure that the listening to it, they're expecting a
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  Speaker 2: letter from us.
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  Speaker 1: Well, let us know how things go. Hey, am I
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  Speaker 1: able to get a bit of an update? Can you
• 8:06
  Speaker 1: let me know where things are ound at the moment.
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  Speaker 1: When it comes to the Casualina swimming pool, well, ten.
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  Speaker 2: Thirty tonight I'm going to announce the winning tender. Who
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  Speaker 2: is going to construct it?
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  Speaker 1: Ten thirty tonight today?
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm sorry, not tonight. Sorry, don't line up in
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  Speaker 2: Casorina ten thirty to night. It wouldn't be nobody there.
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  Speaker 2: But the thing it took so long is because under
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  Speaker 2: the legislation we have to follow a certain process ministers,
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  Speaker 2: we have to sign certain things. We have to go
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  Speaker 2: out and borrow the money, I think very much. Also
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  Speaker 2: look costly because he made a pre election commitment for
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  Speaker 2: seven and a half million to it and certainly looks
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  Speaker 2: invited to be there today. So everything is happening and
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  Speaker 2: today will be the beginning of a year work for
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  Speaker 2: twenty five million dollars Casuarina facility like not what you've
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  Speaker 2: seen now, like a modern facility with a fifty meter pool,
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  Speaker 2: twenty five minute pool, a resolve style pool, half court, basketball,
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  Speaker 2: open spaces, buildings that they can be used by the
• 9:05
  Speaker 2: private business to establish a gym or allied health, phisio
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  Speaker 2: therapy and other things. So it's going to be a big,
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  Speaker 2: massive project in the northern suburb.
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  Speaker 1: Ten thirty you're announcing that, why not just tell us now?
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  Speaker 2: Well I can, but I said ten thirty and friend
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  Speaker 2: will keep Okay, Calicos Construction is going to actually do
• 9:23
  Speaker 2: the construction. And we had four tenders, one Withdrew. We
• 9:29
  Speaker 2: look carefully to all three of them. We decided we're
• 9:32
  Speaker 2: not going to spend any more money. Two the five
• 9:33
  Speaker 2: million dollars. It's the cut off point, and we will
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  Speaker 2: deliver the five million dollar project.
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  Speaker 1: And so that I've come in based when it comes
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  Speaker 1: to that tender process. So I'm told because we don't
• 9:44
  Speaker 1: elected members don't take part in the allocation of tenders,
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  Speaker 1: have to be done all by officers.
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  Speaker 2: We will do that one. And they've done that job
• 9:51
  Speaker 2: and they offered came to counsel the putting before counciled
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  Speaker 2: elected members decide.
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  Speaker 1: How quickly is that we're going to get under why?
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  Speaker 2: I think they're probably already working on it because we
• 10:01
  Speaker 2: had we had to talk to them before. I think
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  Speaker 2: very very soon they will start constry.
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  Speaker 1: Well yeah, and I know that the pool out there
• 10:08
  Speaker 1: in Palmerston as well. They've started construction out there, So
• 10:11
  Speaker 1: it's going to be interesting to see thirty.
• 10:12
  Speaker 2: Of September the summing pool in Casuna will close.
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  Speaker 1: Okay, so the thirtieth of September it's going to close.
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  Speaker 1: And have there been sort of arrangements made with those
• 10:20
  Speaker 1: regular pool users to be able to use.
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  Speaker 2: And Snightcliff can accommodate these people that we met a
• 10:26
  Speaker 2: regional with the YMCA and people make bookings. So look,
• 10:31
  Speaker 2: the reality is you can't do something if you don't
• 10:34
  Speaker 2: close it. There's no way you can close it on sections.
• 10:36
  Speaker 2: He here's to close completely and in order to reconstruct it.
• 10:40
  Speaker 2: And I know it's going to be inconvenient for a year,
• 10:43
  Speaker 2: But wait till you see what would deliver.
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  Speaker 1: Conn I'll tell you what you've said. The text line
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  Speaker 1: a light with the discussion about having a police be
• 10:50
  Speaker 1: in the mall. Some people very supportive of it, saying
• 10:53
  Speaker 1: that you know, it's a joke. At the moment there's
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  Speaker 1: people smoking, drinking, doing all sorts of things, so they're saying, yes,
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  Speaker 1: it is a good thing. Others saying, you know, where
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  Speaker 1: are they actually going to go? Rod had called through
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  Speaker 1: and said where do you want people to go after
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  Speaker 1: they are arrested? He said, you know, the jail is
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  Speaker 1: already basically full, so where are they going to go
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  Speaker 1: once they're arrest Excuse me.
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  Speaker 2: If the people go to prison if they commit a crime,
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  Speaker 2: but if they are the social behavior the police is there,
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  Speaker 2: the same people will not do the stupid things they
• 11:24
  Speaker 2: do when the police is not there. And if we're
• 11:27
  Speaker 2: noticed in the past, police presence discourages people doing stupid things.
• 11:31
  Speaker 2: Nobody talks about sending people to prison. Only people go
• 11:34
  Speaker 2: to prison of the committed serious crime. People are actually
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  Speaker 2: doing stupid things like running a muck or running naked
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  Speaker 2: in the street. If police briser is there, they don't
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  Speaker 2: do that.
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  Speaker 1: Well. Russell's message through he said, good morning, good on
• 11:45
  Speaker 1: you con at least you're trying something. I really hope
• 11:48
  Speaker 1: they take it up. So lots of messages coming through
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  Speaker 1: we will keep talking about that tells.
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  Speaker 2: You that people there had enough simple as that. I
• 11:56
  Speaker 2: know some people who says, oh where are they going
• 11:58
  Speaker 2: to go? First of all, if you go to if
• 12:01
  Speaker 2: I go to a community like Naala boy and I
• 12:03
  Speaker 2: don't behave, I've been told off and they have the
• 12:06
  Speaker 2: power to tell not to come back again. Now I
• 12:08
  Speaker 2: expect people when they come here to behave. I don't
• 12:11
  Speaker 2: want people naked in the streets. I don't want people
• 12:13
  Speaker 2: to smash windows because they had too much a drink.
• 12:16
  Speaker 2: I don't want people abusing their wives the middle of
• 12:18
  Speaker 2: the street because they're drunk. I don't want people to
• 12:20
  Speaker 2: actually drag their kids around because they just felt like
• 12:24
  Speaker 2: it's part of time to go to Darwin. And I
• 12:26
  Speaker 2: don't want people from Victoria or New South Wales come
• 12:29
  Speaker 2: down to Mitchell Street behave like idiots because they have
• 12:31
  Speaker 2: too much drink. If police is there, it's not good
• 12:34
  Speaker 2: to happen.
• 12:34
  Speaker 1: Well Convat Scarlus, the Lord Mayor of Darwin, it's always
• 12:38
  Speaker 1: good to catch up with you. Thank you so much.
• 12:39
  Speaker 1: For your time this morning. It is just a few
• 12:41
  Speaker 1: minutes away from ten o'clock.