Territory workers deserve a government that will support and protect them from abuse and violence in their workplace – and the CLP implores Labor to back the Sentencing Amendment Bill 2022 which introduces minimum mandatory sentences for cowardly first-time offenders who attack workers including: police, paramedics, nurses, doctors, teachers, corrections officers, retail and hospitality workers, bus and taxi drivers, and any other worker.
“Territorians want Labor to address the crime crisis and they want urgent action. Territorians should be safe at work.
“If Natasha Fyles truly wants to set herself apart, Labor must accept the CLP’s genuine offer of bipartisan support to protect Territory workers.
“Territory workers need these legislative protections now. Not in six or twelve months’ time when a bureaucratic ‘working group’ reviews penalties for assaults on police and comes to the same conclusion: penalties for first-time offenders who attack police, aren’t strong enough.
“This is a simple change that meets community expectations, acts as a deterrence and sends a clear message: we support Territory workers and they deserve to be protected.
“Spitting on, punching, kicking or biting police and Territory workers should be met with a term of actual imprisonment, not a get out of jail free card.
“This legislation is supported by the Northern Territory Police Association (NTPA), which represents the views of close to 99% of the NT’s police force.
NTPA President, Paul McCue, has publicly said: “The NT Police Association is calling on new Chief Minister Natasha Fyles to back frontline police by supporting the CLP’s proposed sentencing amendments …” and that “.. the protection of NT Police members by implementing tougher mandatory sentencing for all assaults on police should be supported by politicians of all persuasions.” “The CLP wants to work with Labor to end the escalating and unsustainable levels of violence and abuse against Territory workers and we urge the government to vote for reform to put the rights of workers above the rights of offenders,” said Mrs Finocchiaro.
ENDS