Alice Springs businesses including a childcare centre went into a snap lockdown Friday after violent fighting erupted on the streets with weapons, which led to one man reportedly hit in the head with an axe and police Tasering another man, in a scenario NT Police described only as a “large disturbance” suspected to have been caused by payback over an alleged killing last year.
The Action for Alice Facebook page reported about 11am that between 30 and 40 people had been fighting in front of the court house, with later posts stating that LJ Hooker had gone into lockdown with staff members’ cars damaged, and Stumps restaurant also closing down.
As a few of us have been trying to say to governments over the last 20 to 30 years it is (and was then) imperative that the economic and educational disadvantages of Aboriginal people in the NT be addressed, to prevent social breakdown. A key proposal put forward by Bob Beadman and myself was to involve Aboriginal people in business and economic activities. A key means of doing this was by utilising the substantial land ownership of many Aboriginal groups. Government policy from both sides of the main parties has been close to non-existent. As a result, we can expect the social breakdown occurring in the Territory to escalate. Economic and educational outcomes are fundamental to healthy, functioning societies. This is recognised whether You are a proponent of Karl Marx or Adam Smith!