Official documents have revealed the Lawler Government made an error concerning which ministry was supposed to declare the Alice Springs “emergency situation”, raising further questions about the legality of the youth curfew and whether police have been exposed to legal risk in carrying out the orders.
Police Commissioner Michael Murphy has had to ask South Australia to send police to Alice Springs because some kids from the APY lands who were “not aware of the curfew” were in town, the Police Minister has claimed amid differing reasons for the reinforcements, but said it had nothing to do with the riots in the streets last week which led to an “emergency situation” declared and youth curfew.
Attorney General Chansey Paech has backflipped on his previous position that a youth curfew is “madness”, “punitive” and treats kids like “dogs,” as he publicly supported the Chief Minister’s unilateral decision to implement the Alice Springs curfew, which she has now indicated could be used in Katherine and Tennant Creek.
Alice Springs’ top cop James Gray-Spence went on sudden leave less than 48 hours after the town’s “emergency situation” was declared last week, and shortly after Police Commissioner Michael Murphy said his southern commander was “getting on with his job” while embroiled in the joint NT Police – ICAC investigation into racism.
The Chief Minister and Police Commissioner appeared to change their stories over why the “emergency situation” was declared for Alice Springs last week, including the youth curfew, following accusations by the union representing police that the emergency order is unlawful.
A motorcyclist was charged for driving 180km/h through Adelaide River and an alleged uninsured drug-head was picked up on Easter Sunday, after swerving at cars in a Nightcliff roundabout while allegedly high and with “illicit substances” in his possession, police said, as part of the NT Police’s high-visibility long weekend traffic blitz from Darwin through Alice Springs.
UPDATED: Chief Minister Eva Lawler has declared a youth curfew as part of an “emergency situation” for Alice Springs after a day of rioting in the troubled town, pledging to send more police officers to restore order over the next 14 days.
Federal politicians on all sides have called for action to help under siege Alice Springs on Wednesday, with Labor Member for Lingiari Marion Scrymgour pledging to get the federal Attorney-General to speak with the NT Police Commissioner about possible AFP assistance, while federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton asked the Prime Minister when he would go back to Alice Springs to help restore order.
Alice Springs Mayor Matt Paterson has called for the Lawler Government to hand responsibility for Alice Springs over to the federal government if it cannot keep residents safe, and once again called for Australian Federal Police or the Australian Army to be brought in, after what he said was the scariest thing he had ever witnessed on the streets on Tuesday.
A 32-year-old man has been arrested over a fatal alleged hit-and-run in Alice Springs, which is being treated as a death in custody, NT Police said.
Low-cost carrier Airnorth is the third airline to expand its network in the NT by launching a new Alice Springs to Perth route under the NT Government’s Aviation Attraction Scheme, which aims to attract new players into the local aviation market.
Alice Springs mayor Matt Paterson wants an audit of all youth social service providers in Alice Springs to find out if these organisations’ work helps reduce crime in the town.
