100 kids in street: How will Gunner keep us safe?

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR

I have written to the Chief Minister demanding to know how his government plans on addressing crime in Alice Springs over the summer period, and what strategies are being put in place to reduce the number of youths on the streets after dark.

The police reportedly stated that there were up to 100 youths on the streets of Alice Springs last night.

It would seem we are heading for another crime crisis in Alice Springs this summer.

Kids need a safe place to stay at night and at the moment there does not seem to be any options available.

In the past the government has trialled various programs to reduce the number of youths out at night, including the failed Youth Drop-in Hub which cost over $300,000 and only managed to increase the number of youths in the CBD.

Robyn LAMBLEY, MLA Member for ARALUEN.

PHOTO: An Alice supermarket (not Coles).

  

5 COMMENTS

  1. Whist it is a foregone conclusion that kids need a safe place, so do the residents of Alice Springs. Most are taxpayers and our money is being wasted by weak pollies. People are obviously not safe in their homes and this is evidenced by the police media emails.
    The drop in centre was always going to be an expensive failure, so perhaps it’s time to take some real action against crime.

  2. The kids may “need” a safe place at night time from a care perspective but they don’t want one.
    Almost all have homes they could be in but they are out at night to have fun.
    They are with their mates running wild and they loving it.
    Many parents support them being out on the streets which is exactly what they were doing when young.
    The kids own the streets, feel empowered and are enjoying themselves.
    No government program can reduce their numbers on the streets.
    But youth workers can get to know the kids out on the streets and mentor them.
    Get the skatepark up and running at night time, under lights with youth workers.
    That will take half the kids off the streets.

  3. @ Ralph: A skatepark under lights at night? They’ll never do it – far too sensible!
    And as for the inevitable taxpayer whinge as to what all this will cost: As I flew into Alice Springs on the RFDS, the brightest lit compound one could see was the Alice Springs prison complex.
    The cost of lighting and manning the skatepark is peanuts compared to the cost of the prison system into which many of these kids will inevitably be ensnared.

  4. @ Ralph: Here’s a novel idea, perhaps Alice Springs Town Council could re-purpose the solar lights from Hartley Street. No capital outlay and no running costs.

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