The Fyles Labor government must take emergency action before sundown to ensure Alice Springs is not plunged into another night of crime and chaos, according to Shadow Minister for Youth Justice Joshua Burgoyne.
Alice Springs residents were warned last night not to enter their CBD, after a stolen vehicle was observed driving in a dangerous manner and targeting marked police vehicles.
Mr Burgoyne said police, who spoke to ABC Radio Alice Springs this morning, who had their own vehicle stolen after their ABC radio station on Gap Road was broken into overnight.
“They informed the community that out of five culprits caught overnight, three were taken home,” he said.
“To think that currently the laws permit for someone who has just stolen a motor vehicle and driven it in a dangerous manner to simply be taken home without any consequences beggars’ belief.
“The Minister needs to back in her Police, not young criminals who break the law with impunity.”
Mr Burgoyne said this was surely the tipping point for the Fyles Labor government, which refuses to acknowledge there is a crime crisis and has abandoned Alice Springs.
“The Police Minister and Territory Families Minister has sat silent on this issue all week,” he said.
“This car belonged to hard working journalists who have dedicated their careers to reporting the news in our town and work hard to ensure Alice Springs is heard – I just wish our own government would listen.”
Mr Burgoyne said members of the town were starting to feel like a broken record, many making plans to leave.
“The Police and Territory Families minister needs to make a choice – strengthen laws to support Police and ensure young offenders are not continually bailed, or continue to do nothing as the Minister and watch as Alice Springs continues to fall apart,” he said.
ENDS