Shadow Minister for Territory Families, Joshua Burgoyne, says the Minister for Territory
Families needs to take urgent action to address spiralling crime rates on Railway Terrace, in
the Alice Springs CBD, which have doubled since the Gunner Government’s Youth Hub was
opened there last November.
“Opposition questions, submitted in July through a formal Parliamentary process, have
revealed crime including assaults, break ins, and property damage has skyrocketed from 86
incidents in the nine months from 1 November 2019 – 18 July 2020, to 163 in the same period
for 2020-21.
“I am regularly contacted by residents along Railway Terrace who are impacted by crime, and
these figures reinforce their concerns – they are being victimised at a greater rate since the
Youth Hub was opened on their street.
“This escalation in crime highlights the fact the Hub is in the wrong location and supports
findings from the government’s own report that the facility is encouraging youths to remain
in the CBD, rather than its aim which was to ‘move young people away from the CBD’.
“The Hub needs to be closed and necessary resources redirected to existing youth programs
while the CBD Hub is transitioned towards a town camp community centre model.
“The Minister responsible has already earmarked $500,000 for the establishment of youth
drop in centres in three Alice Springs town camps – what’s the hold up? The fact the same
department could find $35 million to pay teenage criminals, but can’t redirect funding from a
facility and program that, by government’s own admission, isn’t working is absolutely
disgraceful,” said Mr Burgoyne.
ENDS