The latest crime statistics prove Labor’s Crime Crisis is not going anywhere, according to Shadow Minister for Public Employment Bill Yan.
Mr Yan said Labor was finally dragged into action in November last year, putting an extra 40 police into Alice Springs with Operation Drina.
“But crime statistics released today show a 34% increase in crimes against the person in the month after Operation Drina started, compared with the month before the operation was announced (December 2022 compared with October 2022),” he said.
“Crimes against the person, predominantly acts intended to cause injury, are the key statistics to watch because these are the offences that have people living in fear.”
The statistics showed a decline in property crime, such as break-ins and motor vehicle theft.
“That’s to be expected when you have more cops on the beat and greater visibility,” Mr Yan said.
“While property crime is bad and house break-ins are frightening, they are a different level to crimes intended to cause injury.”
Mr Yan said residents in Alice Springs were worried about what will happen when the extra police are withdrawn at the end of Operation Drina.
“More officers are needed not just because of the high crime rate but because police are also acting as liquor inspectors on bottleshops, acting as the ambulance, and acting as a social worker,” he said.
“Locals are worried the cops will leave and the Labor government will walk away, thinking their Crime Crisis was fixed by the return of Stronger Futures-style alcohol bans.
“Alcohol is one part of the problem and the Labor government has failed to develop the comprehensive strategy that is required,” he said.
“Labor is staging a free-for-all on the $250 million funding from the Federal Government so it looks like the Territory will get more taxpayer dollars thrown at existing services that we know haven’t worked.”
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