Mal Brough (Longman, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

There are four police operating in the town of Wadeye. Up to 300 people have been rioting in the streets, with some $300,000-plus damage done to housing there as out-of-control youths rampaged through the streets.

This week I called for a summit of state and national leaders in order to have an action agenda that will address this fundamental issue. I have asked in goodwill that the territory and the state leaders send people to a summit with the federal government because, whilst law and order always has been and is today a state and territory responsibility, the disgusting things that are happening to the children of this nation are also a national responsibility. This government is prepared to stand up and work with state and territory governments to overcome it.

We are prepared to put resources into this issue. Last week I announced in Alice Springs a further sniffer dog team. Why? Because across the Northern Territory, South Australian and Western Australian borders there is not only drug trafficking and petrol trafficking but also abuse occurring that only further police resources will fix. People must have confidence: they must have confidence to report crime and they must have confidence to stand in a court of law and give evidence. Today they do not have that confidence.

I welcome the contribution by the National President of the Australian Labor Party, Warren Mundine, who has put partisan political views aside and has recognised that now is the time to act as a nation. I ask again all state and territory leaders to join with me to ensure that we together allow every Australian to have the right to live in their home safely, to have faith in the criminal justice system and to know that police will be there when they need them. It is not too much to ask. This is something on which we must put party political views aside and address. It is a national disgrace. It requires a national answer. I ask all those leaders to participate in the goodwill that is intended.

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