In the streets, at the shops, at work, and even at home – Labor’s crime crisis now has Territorians fearing for their own safety in every aspect of their lives, according to Deputy Leader of the Opposition Gerard Maley.
Mr Maley said the United Workers Union survey showing 95% of Alice Springs corrections officers didn’t feel safe at work was a Territory-wide sentiment.
“Overflowing prisons are the inevitable result of Labor’s crime crisis and when corrections facilities are chronically understaffed, it becomes a real safety risk,” he said.
“In the last few weeks alone we have seen retail workers, police, ambo’s, and bus drivers all speak out on the fact they are not safe at work.
“They’re all calling for more support and tougher measures but it seems to be falling on the deaf ears of a Labor government with their head in the sand.
“Just yesterday we saw another incident of a police officer being spat on, an offence for which Labor refused to support mandatory sentencing. Our police are suffering the consequences of indifference.”
Mr Maley said Labor’s crime crisis was like a cancer spreading throughout the community, where even retailers were trying to keep staff safe by locking up their premises during trading hours.
“Territorians deserve to feel safe when they go to work, when they go shopping, and when they are at home. But they don’t.
“The Labor government is out of ideas and not listening. Only the CLP has a plan to protect workers, not criminals, by introducing mandatory sentencing for offences like spitting on police, as well as stopping the revolving door of bail and introducing Sentence to a Skill.”
ENDS