Street cleanse a smoke screen
‘Offensive’ tactic on locals
POLICE and council rangers scoop up drunks and wayward kids off the streets of Alice Springs before the arrival of important dignitaries like the Prime Minister or police commissioner, in a move labelled highly offensive to locals who have to live with the carnage every day.
The practice of temporarily “sanitising” the streets of the town – which has been crippled by alcohol abuse, public violence and youth crime – has been witnessed by locals, business owners and News Corp’s own journalists.
Independent Araluen MP Robyn Lambley said she saw it happen before Anthony Albanese arrived to announce snap alcohol restrictions on January 24, and expected it would happen ahead of a recent anticipated visit by NT police commissioner Jamie Chalker.
“As always, these visits are highly rehearsed and choreographed … the streets are cleaned out routinely, all the kids were taken away … and it looked much better than what it normally did,” Ms Lambley said.
“The police commissioner has arrived in town so the streets will once again be cleaned up for him. This business of sanitising the place for the benefit of a few dignitaries is really offensive. People hate it, local people see it, they know it’s going on.
“They are deeply offended that it can happen, for a short period of time, like a day or a few hours, but on an average day that’s not the way life is in Alice Springs.” On the night Mr Chalker was expected in town, News Corp witnessed a van from Tangentyere Council rounding up people from the streets to take them away.
Two men dressed in council shirts walked the streets ushering people into buses. The men were not on the streets ushering children away on any other night.
Police were also out in full force and engaging with the kids in a bid to take them home, unlike on any ordinary night.
We saw police load a young girl into their cage truck and drop her to her home at a town camp. When they reached the property, two officers flashed their lights and called out before eventually one adult and about eight children came out of the small and completely dark house.
Security staff said they were in for a quiet night, having seen the children being taken away.
On the other nights News Corp was in town, there were no visible attempts made by police or the council to take children home, leaving hundreds walking around town.
NT Police Assistant Commissioner Martin Dole said since November last year 500 youths had been escorted home or to a safe space.
An NT government spokeswoman maintained “these rumours are not true”.
“Territory Families, Housing and Communities run patrols every day until 3am to find young people safe places to sleep. The government has partnered with Salt Bush to also provide a safe sleeping option for young people too,” they said.