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.

The calls follow violent riots in Alice Springs that began Tuesday afternoon and went into the night, that saw a pub smashed up and more than 100 people walking the streets with weapons, sparking Alice Springs Mayor Matt Paterson to call for the federal government to take over responsibility for the town and for the Australian Federal Police, police from other jurisdictions, or the Australian Defence Force to be brought in to ensure order in the town.

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