The Territory Labor Government is adding to its efforts to address crime and anti-social behaviour in Alice Springs.
Chief Minister, Natasha Fyles, is in Alice Springs this week speaking with businesses, organisations, and the community, as well as conducting a Police ride along, to hear their concerns and announce improved measures to address crime and anti-social behaviour.
More Coordination
NT Police are leading an Interagency Tasking Coordination Group to respond and surge frontline services when needed. This Group includes relevant agencies such as Territory Families, Housing and Communities, and service providers to ensure targeted responses to reduce the contributing factors of anti-social behaviour and enhance community safety service delivery through a collaborative partnership approach.
To further improve communications and collaborations, Police and Territory Families, Housing and Communities teams will soon be co-located. This will see Police and Youth Engagement Officers in Alice Springs come together more frequently to address pockets of crime, antisocial behaviour and youth offending.
Public Order Response Unit
The Territory Government is also investing $2 million as part of our Safer Territory Places program, including a Public Order Response Unit in Alice Springs to address antisocial behaviour issues and improve safety.
Additional capacity is being added to private security patrols in the Alice Springs CBD.
Funded through the Department of the Chief Minister and Cabinet, the patrols operate seven nights a week. The expanded night patrol service operates between 6:45pm and 5am, during peak times.
The team connects with Police nightly for advice on potential hot spots so they can focus their patrols appropriately.
Local monitoring of CCTV in Alice Springs has been trialled and will also be further extended in coming weeks, with Police also utilising Police dogs to deter anti-social behaviour.
Alice Springs Police will also be receiving an extra drone which they will use to monitor hotspots, doubling the Centres pilot capability over the next few weeks.
More than $900,000 worth of security lighting upgrades and other activities to reduce anti-social behaviour will be rolled out in Alice Springs in coming months, these programs will be delivered in partnership with the Alice Springs Town Council and Tangentyere Council Aboriginal Corporation.
The additional lighting will be spread out from around the Town Council lawns - including lighting the taxi ranks on the corner of Todd Street and Gregory Terrace - and along Parsons Street through to the Todd Mall.
Refocus on Alcohol Policy
The Department of the Chief Minister and Cabinet will drive a renewed focus based on previous successes from the Riley Review and adapt to learnings that have occurred throughout COVID.
Work is also underway to establish a Secondary Supply Reference Group which will have cross agency representation from Police, Territory Families, Housing and Communities and NT Health - who will work with local governments and peak bodies to develop strategies around alcohol harm minimisation.
Youth Engagement
The Territory Labor Government is also strengthening efforts to engage young people in Alice Springs in schools with three new flexible learning programs having commenced from the start of Term.
The newly commenced Sunset School Yipirinya College will be extended upon over the next 12 months, with the Territory Government contributing $275,000 to the program; so far the school has been operating over the past school term, operating outside school hours, three afternoons a week and on weekends.
A new Learning and Teaching Culture program is about to commence at the Alice Springs Language Centre (ASLC), with the Territory Government contributing $70,000 in funding. It will offer students language learning and cultural learning. The Territory Government has also funded a new senior teacher position will provide expertise to Tangentyere Council Aboriginal Corporation Youth Program staff, supporting them to incorporate learning activities in their programs.
The three new programs are on top of a range of engagement initiatives already in place in Central Australia, including the Brown Street and Gap youth.
Quotes from Chief Minister, Natasha Fyles:
"We know Centralians are not feeling safe, and that is not good enough. This Government is working towards making sure we are tackling the social issues in Central Australia and the Territory, while also making sure we are keeping the community safe.
"This is just the beginning. We won't solve this overnight, or on our own. Which is why I'm here listening to the community. We are adapting our approach to crime. We are going to light up more of the Alice Springs Todd Street Mall and surrounding streets, along with security patrols.
"The Territory Labor Government is also investing in new education initiatives such as the Yipirinya Sunset School. Engaging with our young people is important. We need to make sure we are listening to them and providing an alternative path."
Northern Territory Government
