Leader of the Opposition – Lia Finocchiaro
Shadow Minister for Territory Families – Joshua Burgoyne
Despite repeated warnings from locals and store owners regarding the risks associated with removing Police Auxiliary Liquor Inspectors (PALIs) from bottle shops, Labor have again ignored Alice Springs as lawlessness continues to take over.
The NT Police Association (NTPA) has reported 20 additional officers have be ripped out of Darwin and sent to Alice Springs to help quell the violence, plugging the gap left by PALIs.
NTPA President Nathan Finn said on radio this morning that the weekend chaos in Alice Springs had “absolutely everything to do with no coverage on all those bottle shops.”
“They got it so wrong by not planning about what the actual consequences of removing PALIs, we warned them months before this and making this decision about the dangerous situation of removing PALIs.”
Opposition Leader, Lia Finocchiaro, said it was clear Labor had no plan to cover for PALIs doing the constable course and Alice Springs was paying for Labor’s failures with more crime and anti-social behaviour.
“Just weeks ago Brent Potter, the disgraced Police Minister said, ‘We will have coverage on all our bottle shops’ and we know that is a lie. And now this incompetent Labor government has been forced to send police from Darwin to Alice Springs, which will also mean fewer cops on the beat to deal with crime in Darwin,” Mrs Finocchiaro said.
“Several bottle shop owners have spoken out about the chaos that Labor has caused by not having enough PALIs, with the stores without PALIs being swamped and dealing with anti-social behaviour, theft and staff assaults causing them to have to close their doors to ensure staff safety.”
Shadow Minister for Territory Families, Josh Burgoyne, said Labor had also ignored warnings from Central Australian Aboriginal Congress and its own party, with Labor’s Member for Lingiari, who said on radio today, ‘there’s an attitude of lawlessness’ in Alice Springs, meeting with the Deputy Police Commissioner to push for the full return of PALIs. Clearly, she is getting nowhere with the Police Minister.
“Labor is refusing to listen to the community, to store owners, to Congress, to the police, and to its own members. What will it take for Labor to listen?
“Last week in Parliament the CLP asked Brent Potter 4 times when the next PALI course would be and he refused to answer. Clearly, Labor has scrapped PALIs going forward and has no plans to recruit more.”
“These failures highlight how out of touch NT Labor are with the challenges we face in Alice Springs and show a complete lack of understanding when it comes to alcohol policy in central Australia. Labor never learns, and Alice Springs has had enough.”
Unlike Labor who focus only on supply, the CLP’s plan focuses on supporting our police with additional powers and resourcing, driving down demand for alcohol with direct investments in community drug and alcohol services, including compulsory alcohol treatment for those who continue to cause alcohol-related harm.
The CLP is dedicated to breaking the cycle of addiction and creating a safe, strong Territory.
Our commitment to tackling demand, not just supply, sets us apart, ensuring a brighter future for all Territorians.
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