Today, the Northern Territory Police Association released interim survey results that sets out what many Territorians already know: our police force is in crisis.
I call on Natasha Fyles to immediately:
- Remove Kate Worden as Police Minister for gross negligence
- Take the responsibility as Police Minister
- Appoint a retired judge to commence an Inquiry into the police command structure to commence Monday morning and report within 30 days with recommendations to the Chief Minster on steps that can be taken to address concerns on urgency
- Initiate a comprehensive review of police resourcing as it has been 10 years since the second O’Sullivan Review was completed in 2013
For two years Labor has ignored the very clear signals that have been sent by our police.
Attrition has hit 11 per cent, police morale is at an all-time low, police resourcing is inadequate, crime is escalating exponentially, the former and current Chief Minister has failed to hold the police portfolio, mental health concerns and tragedy have been covered up. This is all while division between the rank and file and police executive widens.
All of this has been allowed to get worse under the watchful eye of two chief ministers and two police ministers.
In both 2021 and 2022 the CLP tried to force the Government to see the catastrophe that is unfolding, by trying to hold parliamentary inquiries into police attrition and other concerns. Both were unceremoniously shut down by Labor, without any alternative.
In Estimates this year the very first questions I asked the new police minister Kate Worden were around her plan to reunite a divided and demoralised police force. Her lack of vision, action, or appreciation of the issues within the force was laid out.
Today, in response to the survey, our police have been met with hollow platitudes from Natasha Fyles who could at best provide a one line statement to the newspaper, and Kate Worden who made a vague statement on morning radio. Neither have addressed the concerns expressed by our police, neither have provided a plan on what they are going to do to address it and both have completely failed in their test of leadership. The Northern Territory Police is our oldest and proudest institution and has been abandoned by Labor in its darkest hour. There is no more time for excuses.
ENDS