Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro has taken the Police Commissioner to Alice Springs to announce the government’s response to the “serious, heinous and escalating violence” that saw a baby and her mother attacked by teen home invaders in the middle of the afternoon, with the baby flown interstate after suffering a fractured skull.
It follows other violent crimes in recent days in Alice, including a woman being raped while she slept in her bed by other home invaders.
Police Commissioner Michael Murphy had claimed earlier in the week that he was too busy to go to Alice Springs.
Ms Finocchiaro made no immediate announcement of what will be done, but repeatedly said at a press conference this morning that she and her government were “standing with the people of Alice Springs”.
She said Mr Murphy would be introducing an “action plan” for the town.
Mr Murphy said the recent crime surge involved abductions, sex assaults, home invasions and other burglaries outside of the CBD, with crime moving into the suburbs, that he labelled “totally unacceptable”.
“People need to feel safe in their homes,” he said at the press conference.
Mr Murphy said the NT Police would be “repurposing” current resources in the community as part of Operation Ludlow, including “concentrating on specific areas and engagement with people in those areas to make sure that the people at their homes are safe.”
He added repeat offenders and those on bail would be targeted with an “immediate increase in visibility” and a new “taskforce” would be established with Operation Ludlow police.
The mother of the child was at home on Wednesday afternoon with her four children when the two teenage boys entered her home, with one of them hitting both the mother and the infant with a blunt weapon while she held the eight-week-old baby. They then stole her purse and car keys before fleeing on foot.
The baby was flown to Adelaide for medical care with a fractured skull, where she has been listed in a stable condition.
A 16-and 17-year-old were later arrested and charged on Thursday morning with aggravated assault and unlawfully causing serious harm, among other robbery charges.
It was confirmed at least one of the teen offenders was out on bail.
Ms Finocchiaro said the alleged teen offenders have “been known to the system for a very long time and there has been a failure across the board”.
Alice Springs Mayor Matt Paterson renewed his calls for the Federal Government to bring the AFP into town and called for the “woke brigade” who say “jailing is failing” to get out of the way while the town deals with its latest crime crisis.
Federal Member for Lingiari Marion Scrymgour also said she wanted the Police Commissioner to call for federal assistance.
But Mr Murphy ruled that out, stating the police had enough resources to quell the crime surge. While suggesting at the press conference that he would deploy extra police from Darwin and other places, a later statement made no mention of deploying police from other areas.
Ms Finocchiaro said her government may call on the Federal Government for some form of assistance, after meeting with Aboriginal leaders and community service groups “over the next couple of days”.
“We want to really shape our ask to the Federal Government to make sure it’s fit for purpose,” she said. “What we don’t want is something like the $250 million they got flushed into this town over a year ago and people aren’t sure where that money went. It’s very important we get that [request for assistance] right.”
‘What have you done? Nothing’: Residents angry over lack of action on crime
Ms Finocchiaro was greeted in Alice Springs by Action for Alice administrator Darren Clark, who yelled questions to her after landing. He had taken video of the plane coming in, with the caption: “The eagle has landed – Palmerston Princess is here”.
“Why has it taken you so long Lia?” he asked as Ms Finocchiaro got into a car. “Don’t say you’ve got more police because…you haven’t got the police and you know it. Don’t come out with that fluff today.
“You’re a disgrace Lia. You promised this community, it was your election number one mandate. What have you done? Nothing. It’s time to step up or get out. This town deserves better.”
Mr Clark intended to stream the Chief Minister’s emergency press conference, but it was moved inside the police station.
“She won’t front the public, WEAK,” Mr Clark posted.
He had been calling for action from the government and NT Police ahead of the summer crime season.
“So it takes a [woman] being raped in a home invasion. A mother and child hit with an iron bar in a home invasion,” he wrote. “Multiple aggressive home invasion for you both to come down.
“You say you stand with the people of Alice Springs. No you don’t. No you haven’t.”
Ms Finocchiaro said at the press conference later that she understands that people in Alice Springs are angry, “frustrated, scared and hurt by what has taken place over recent weeks”.
“They deserve to be angry, this is totally unacceptable and it is far from normal.”
She said in a later statement that the government “will announce further measures to reduce crime in Alice Springs”, but provided no timeframe.
Labor Opposition Leader Selena Uibo said the CLP’s rushed changes to bail laws was having no impact while “Alice Springs is spiralling further out of control”.
“If these so-called solutions are effective, why is Lia waiting until next year for them to start,” she said.
“It’s time for the Chief Minister to stop hiding behind press releases and photo-ops. She must take immediate action to protect Territorians [like] calling a curfew.”
2.5 more police per person than NSW yet we don’t see them and the crime is escalating.
Murphy and Co. need to be replaced by competent and capable experts.
Spent 72 hours in Alice last week and did not see 1 police vehicle or officer on patrol.
NT Givernent has no idea – Another Federal Intervention is past due.
Albo – Time to lead ole mate!
From what l saw last week on the Action For Alice page police where more interested in catching people for speeding than anything else. Sacking Murphy and getting someone who knows what they are doing would be a good place to start.
If only Indigenous people had a Voice.
Alice Springs residents must be overjoyed that this absolutely pathetic Chief Minister sourced a photographer for her staff as a priority over the heartache crime has caused their township.
Blind Freddy was a fool to think that the CLP would lact swiftly if elected.
The NT public have been duped with Lia and Maley and the LIBS need to wake up quickly because federal election is coming!
We all know that when Greens are elected it means the choice is poor!
Just another Burke Government with a Lia photograph and smile!
At least Princess has her Gucci handbag carefully held in the crutch of her arm – Wouldn’t want the thieves snatching that one.
Oh – Chief Copper beside her will prevent that from happening 😀
Remind us all – What is Lia’s work history?
She was allegedly a Lawyer at a very disappointed local law firm!
Throwing insults at people who are trying their best to curb the escalating crime in Alice Springs.
Believe the 2 grubs that did this had been bailed over 35 times. we need to give a few of the woke judges the boot to.
300 charges and bailed 35 times. The judges have repeatedly failed us law abiding citizens and they have blood on their hands.
Name and shame the judges. Let the community tell those judges what we think of them, then lock them up in the same prison with the same violent criminals they repeatedly let loose on the community.
These violent thugs need to be locked away for ever. Not 20 or 30 years, for ever, never to be released. Stack them 20 to a room if needs be. Just get them off our streets!
The Government has only been in place a few months and needs to be on top of a lot of things, but one thing is abundantly clear: What has been put in place is not a strong enough deterrent at this stage.
Putting penalties that fit the crime are not enough any more given the rampant lawlessness across the country. They need to be penalties that absolutely deter the offender from even thinking about it. Minimum 10 years for attacking a Police officer, Ambo, or any other front line worker, Same for domestic violence, robbery, and domestic invasion.
15 years first offence for dealing in illicit drugs, or better still legalise it all, tax it appropriately and use the money to build more jails instead of buying multi million dollar houses and Ferraris for the dealers.
Lia is saying they need more time to get more facilities available and more ankle bracelets for offenders. Throw a mattress on the floor or put in bunks in the existing facilities and lock them up 10 to a cell. I personally could not care less if they are upset or uncomfortable. It needs to be about the victim not the perpetrator.
I am sure the Law society will be up in arms over it because these little criminals are their ticket to wealth. The more crime allowed to happen, the more money they make defending them and getting them off so they can go around again and get another slice of the cake
If this cycle is not stopped and both sides of Government are proven failures in reducing this crime wave you will not be able to blame the public for taking on the role for themselves. Then there will be a massive problem not just something that is still fixable at this time.
Enough really is enough