Labor has resorted to bullying tactics to silence businesses wanting to talk about the crime crisis, according to Shadow Minister for Small Business Marie-Clare Boothby.
“Several businesses across the Territory had approached me and said they wanted to attend the meetings, but were worried the Fyles Labor Government would ensure there were consequences for attending,” she said.
“And who can blame them after seeing the way disgraced Labor MLA Mark Turner attacked one of the organisers on social media, fuelling racism claims to divert the media’s attention from the real issue.
“It provided a convenient, but very lame, excuse for Labor ministers to dodge the crime meetings and sweep the crime crisis under the carpet.”
Ms Boothby said the Palmerston meeting was the fifth crime meeting in the Top End organised by locals but not attended by Labor.
“Labor used all sorts of excuses to not attend those ones either, now they are resorting to racism as a new excuse,” she said.
“The only one who has attended any crime meeting was Ngaree Ah Kit in Karama. If only all Labor members fought for their communities like she has, we might be getting somewhere.”
Ms Boothby said no crime meeting was held in Tennant Creek because local business owners feared retribution and were scared they would be financially penalised by the Fyles Labor government.
“This is a shocking state of affairs when people are scared of their own government and this must be addressed immediately by Natasha Fyles,” she said.
“Mark Turner is nothing more than a disgraced MLA and now a keyboard warrior who was turned away from a private business because he was not in the caucus and has no say in the function of government,” she said.
“After being turned away, he then implemented a series of online attacks on a hard-working business owner which left her worried for her safety.
“Mr Turner also needs to come clean on whether his electorate office is now paying for legal fees to defend him being a Facebook warrior.
“The taxpayer should not have to foot the bill for his poor form.”
ENDS