There is no end in sight to the Territory’s continuing crime crisis, with commercial break-ins up by 53%, house break-ins are up by 38% and motor vehicle theft up by 32% Territory wide. In Darwin alone commercial break-ins are up by 87%, in Katherine up by 75%, Alice Springs by 65% and in Palmerston by 68%.
Leader of the Opposition, Lia Finocchiaro, said: “Since becoming Chief Minister, the closest thing Natasha Fyles has had to a new crime policy is reshuffling the deck chairs and re-badging initiatives that have been operating unsuccessfully under Labor for years.
“In the last few years, more than $100 million has been spent by the Labor Government on crime, yet crime continues to rise. What they are doing is not working and Natasha Fyles is proving she has no new ideas.
“Replacing police with private security and making meaningless bureaucratic changes certainly isn’t going to solve the Territory’s increasing crime rates.
“In the past year, there were 8,870 victims of violent crime (assault), yet in Estimates it was revealed that victims of crime are waiting 3 to 5 years for compensation, with 452 applications outstanding from before 2018.
“Natasha Fyles needs to take its lead from the CLP and back in our police with the resourcing to do their jobs, get youth off the streets and into programs that will change behaviour and put the focus back on victims,” said Mrs Finocchiaro.
ENDS