Dave Tollner (Solomon, Country Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

In these areas at 3.30 in the morning there are children as young as seven, eight and nine years old roaming the streets, drinking alcohol, creating a mess, vandalising, destroying people’s property, breaking into shops and smashing up cars—not the sorts of Territorians we are proud of.

Only two weeks ago a juvenile was apprehended in relation to property offences dating back to 3 September last year, when it is alleged he unlawfully entered the Karama Primary School. On 3 March this year it is alleged the youth and co-offenders broke into the Karama Tavern, stealing a considerable amount of alcohol. Over a month later, on 26 April, the youth is alleged to have been involved in the unlawful entry of a unit in Leanyer and a home in Palmerston. Several items were stolen from the Palmerston residence while a Holden Commodore station wagon was taken from the unit in Leanyer. The car was later located dumped and burnt out. And this is typical of the situation in Malak and Karama—not the sorts of Territorians I am proud of.

The lack of police on the beat was a major concern of the residents at the meeting, and something has to be done. Despite the NT government saying that there will be an extra 200 police on the beat by the end of the year, that is simply not the case. The fact is that, if the NT government were doing its job properly, residents would not be up in arms, crime would not be of such concern and I would not have residents ringing me up and telling me how they continue to suffer as victims of crime.

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