Leader of the Opposition, Lia Finocchiaro, says the Gunner Government’s decision to spend close to $1 million on additional security patrols in Darwin CBD is a grim admission Labor has lost control on crime and anti-social behaviour, and taxpayers are footing the bill for those failures.
“The $890,000 tender awarded to Territory Protective Services is like putting a Band-Aid on a broken leg.
“Our police are stretched to the absolute limit and to plug the gaping hole left by Labor’s erratic and insufficient police recruitment program, Government’s answer is fork out close to $1 million dollars on security guards, who have no powers of arrest.
“What is the Gunner Government using to measure the success of the 12-month City Safe Pilot Program? Crime and anti-social behaviour in Darwin CBD has sky-rocketed.
Shadow Minister for Alcohol Policy, Gerard Maley, says Labor has also kicked an own goal when it comes to cracking down on alcohol-fuelled harm.
“Because of Labor’s failure to address escalating alcohol-related crime and violence, police were forced to launch a resource-intensive three-day blitz, which includes police standing at bottle shops.
“Police don’t have enough officers to staff the Darwin Watch House, yet they’re expected to mop up the mess when it comes to Labor’s alcohol policy failures.
“The Gunner Government’s weak bail laws and a grossly understaffed and under resourced police force, which is haemorrhaging officers through mass resignations, is a dangerous combination,” said Mr Maley.