Today we announce that an elected Dutton Coalition Government will support the Northern Territory Government to implement practical initiatives to address crime and disorder in Alice Springs and the Northern Territory, as well as to improve life for all Territorians.
Anti-social behaviour in Alice Springs, and the NT generally, has been a national story for the past two years, particularly since the chaos after the lifting of alcohol restrictions that have since been reinstated. The consequences of this irresponsible action remains.
Enough is enough – and today, we take action.
The Northern Territory Government wrote to the Commonwealth Government and the Leader of the Opposition with a request for the Commonwealth Government to consider seven practical policy initiatives to improve community safety and law and order in the Territory. These seven requests came from extensive consultation with the community and have strong endorsement from community leaders and Traditional Owners.
The seven requests from the Northern Territory Government were:
- Centrelink payments to be made on takeaway alcohol-free days.
- Reintroduce compulsory work or training programs with fortnightly reporting obligations for Centrelink recipients.
- Conduct a performance audit of federally funded programs.
- Ensure royalty distributions occur in communities and not in Alice Springs.
- Extend Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) exemption for Alice Springs Police Drone Pilots to improve drone capability.
- Implement additional income management for parents of youth offenders who receive Centrelink income support.
- Accept the Northern Territory government referral to the Federal Government for parents who neglect their children to additional income management.
The Coalition has agreed in-principle to all seven requests, noting that implementation details would be determined in government. Costs of these policy initiatives announced today would be absorbed within existing departmental resources.
We have committed to increase income management to 80% of a working-age welfare recipient’s payments, where they are the parent of a youth offender or have neglected their child/children.
The Coalition has committed in-principle to review the distribution of royalties as part of its previously announced audit of expenditure in Indigenous affairs and inquiry into Land Councils and Indigenous statutory authorities, with the aim of increasing economic and social development for Traditional Owners by Traditional Owners.
We know the Government will run a scare campaign on these initiatives, but the Coalition is demonstrating that we are focused on working with the Northern Territory Government on practical actions to improve the lives of Indigenous Australians and improve the community safety crisis that many communities are currently experiencing.
These are important policy announcements that will improve the lives of Territorians and keep the community safe.
We call on the Albanese Government to adopt them, in a spirit of bipartisanship.
Where the Prime Minister has ignored the needs of Alice Springs and the Northern Territory, the Coalition will stand up for Alice Springs and the Northern Territory.
The Finocchiaro Government has taken a leading role in addressing the crime and community safety crisis in Alice Springs after years of Labor neglect.
These measures enhance that response and show that an elected Coalition Government will work closely with states and territories to get the best outcomes for local communities.
The policies we commit to today are about getting the Territory back on track, and we look forward to working with the Finocchiaro Government to ensure these practical proposals are implemented to improve lives and livelihoods in the Northern Territory.
29 January 2025
ALICE SPRINGS