Everyone except the offenders are wearing the cost of Labor’s culture of crime, according to Deputy Leader of the Opposition Gerard Maley.
Mr Maley said this week’s scrapping of more than 100 bus services would leave thousands of Territorians paying the price for crimes committed by criminals who go unpunished.
“The Fyles government is focused on victim-side measures, instead of addressing the actual problem – assaults and anti-social behaviour,” he said.
“Installing tougher screens to protect drivers is accepting the violence and anti-social behaviour will continue and it does nothing to protect innocent passengers on the bus service.”
Mr Maley said scrapping public transport services meant thousands of low-income Territorians were left paying cab fares they couldn’t afford, just to go about their daily life.
“Public transport is a basic function of government and what we’ve seen from the Fyles government is an inability to perform those basic functions of government,” he said.
“Labor’s shortfall on basic government services has been made even worse because of the Crime Crisis they have fostered for six years.
“It is hard enough to find workers around the country but that difficulty reaches another level in the Territory where people don’t feel safe at work.
“That’s why the CLP Opposition tried to introduce mandatory sentencing for offenders who assault people going about their daily work.
“The fact that Labor voted it down is another sign the Fyles government is putting the interests of offenders before the interests of victims.”
ENDS