The Social Order Response Plan and our questions

By ERWIN CHLANDA

This is the text published by the government relating to the initiatives listed in Chapter 7 of the Social Order Response Plan. It is a supplement to our main report on the plan. For easy reference we added the numbers – [1] to [39] – for each initiative.

For each of the proposals we asked the cost to the NT, cost approved by the Federal Government and cost approved by other sources. We got no answers from Ministers Kate Worden and Chansey Paech.

I’m also asking further questions about many of the points. No answers.

[1] Improve safety through environmental design, including construction of safety zones, and improved lighting and wayfinding. 

ACTION: Review of 2018 CPTED audit and lighting audit. Implementation plan for priority safety zones, lighting & wayfinding. Mar 2023.

QUESTIONS: Why has the 4-year-old Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) not been implemented or developed before? What will be the cost of the construction works and other improvements envisaged?

[2] Support businesses to implement beautification projects, repairs and graffiti removal. 

ACTION: Identify grant funding sources and street art programs. Enforce statutory and compliance resources to manage unsightly and unsafe sites. Mar 2023.

[3] Enhance community amenity through promoting the Neat Street App and enforcement of Council By-laws. 

ACTION: Deliver an awareness and uptake program for Neat Streets 

Collect and enforce by-laws for shopping trolley management (or other effective measures). Mar 23

QUESTIONS: The Town Council was notified by NeatStreet of rubbish west of the Transport Hall of Fame on June 30, 2021. The rubbish is still there. Why?

[4] Support the development of WiFi hubs in public places, public housing and Town Camps to improve access to online services. Use this platform to push education and awareness messaging to the community. 

ACTION: Implementation plan for roll out of WiFi hubs in Town Camps and public housing of WiFi Hubs at Town Camps & Public Housing, of WiFi hotspots in public places, Comms plan developed, of video message developed. Mar 2023.

QUESTIONS: What is the estimated uptake of these facilities by people whose neglect of their children is a major cause of juvenile delinquency?

What will be done to limit the use by young people of social media to coordinate criminal activities or boast about them?

[5] Coordinate collective responsibility for improved public amenity, rubbish disposal and public area maintenance in Town Camps. Corrections (prison authority) work crews to assist residents to improve amenities. DIPL to work with Corrections and ASTC to respond to public dumping of rubbish. 

ACTION: Town Camp amenity initiative implemented ongoing. Corrections Work Crew proposal developed and implemented. Public dumping of rubbish response developed. Amount of rubbish collected by site. Dec 2022.

QUESTIONS: How many in the “Work Crew”? How many man hours a week? What does the public dumping of rubbish response consist of? Are the camp residents going to be encouraged to clean up? If so, how?

[6] Support community engagement, activation, promotion and place-making through Activate Alice, which provides leadership and coordination through a schedule of events, programs and activities. 

ACTION: Measures of success for the first 12 months of the project include:  Establishment of the Working Group. Establishment of central source of information. Ongoing calendar of programmed events and activation. Grant program and guidelines. Developing and managing the Activate Alice brand and evaluation framework. Improved community sentiment. Feb 2023.

QUESTIONS: Will the “first 12 months” see more than meetings to set up a bureaucratic framework? If so, what?

[7] Improve the coordination of cross-government, business and community patrols. 

ACTION: Review ToRs for Patrol Leaders’ Meeting and for the Patrollers’ Network. Commence Patrol Leaders meetings twice per week. Commence Patrollers’ network meetings daily in public spaces in the CBD. Patrol Leaders Meetings; attendance of patrol partners at meetings. Sep 2022.

QUESTIONS: What is ToR? It’s not in the glossary. It’s not in the list of acronyms. 

[8] Integrate and regionalise CCTV monitoring and virtual patrols. Implement a patrollers’ group communication network. 

ACTION: Business case developed,CCTV integrated at a single point of control. Patrollers’ communication network commenced. Mar 2023.

QUESTIONS: Four more months till implementation: With the plethora of CCTVs, why has that not been done before? Will the single point of control be in Alice Springs? If not, why not? How many people and organisations will make up the communications network?  How will they communicate?

[9] Implement a patrol hub and patrol directive for: Foot patrol; Business engagement; Youth engagement; Late night venues; and Public reassurance. 

ACTION: Patrol Strategy Developed, of patrols by type, location and patroller role. Sep 2022.

QUESTIONS: See [8]: 

[10] Reinvigorate the ‘No school, No service’ campaign by working with business owners to support the re- engagement of young people in school. 

ACTION: Collateral and fact sheets developed. Packages delivered to business, # of businesses registered for the NSNS initiative. Sep 22.

QUESTIONS: How many business could usefully participate in “No School, No Service”? How many actually are at present? 

[11] Commence a Youth ITCG that integrates and coordinates the work of the youth services sector, in Alice Springs, including: Youth Services Sector Mapping Project. The NTCOSS led youth voice project. Development of the NTCOSS. Service Directory for youth in Alice Springs; Finalisation of the Alice Springs Youth Action Plan 2023 plus;  Development and oversight of school holiday programs and after hours youth programs; and Work with service providers to deliver wrap around services outside school hours and over the summer/xmas holiday break.

ACTION: ToRs for YITCG endorsed NTCOSS survey Directory reviewed and updated for Alice Springs. School holiday program developed. Continuation of youth services after hours and over summer. Nov & Dec 2022.

QUESTIONS: Summer programs in the past have been a failure, judging by the annual increase in crime. Who will have responsibility for these “wrap around services”? What will they consist of?

[12] Family Responsibility Agreements of FRAs developed; of shared FRAs by Lunar and DFSV Network. Sep 22.

QUESTIONS: What kind of responsibilities will families be asked to take on? What will happen if they breach the agreement? What will happen if they decline entering the agreement?  

[13] Implement Restorative Community Service with a sense of urgency following an incident.  Support Lhere Artepe to be included in the Restorative Youth Justice Conferencing panel contract for Mparntwe. Review Youth Diversion services and funding to have a responsive regional model. 

ACTION: Restorative Community Service included in youth diversion options  Lhere Artepe included on panel contract for RYJC  Youth Diversion programs for central Australia streamlined, regionalised and funding reviewed with a view to increased funding for MacDonnell regional council. Mar 2023.  

QUESTIONS: What will streamlining of youth diversion programs consist of?

[14] Promote and support community health and wellbeing by connecting sporting bodies and organisations to support Town Camps. 

ACTION: # of connections between individual town camps and sporting bodies. Mar 23.

QUESTIONS: Who will have responsibility for this “connecting”? What will be their agenda?

[15] Work with communities and AFLNT to support community football on communities. Review and consider opportunities to enhance sports and recreation programs in communities. 

ACTION: # of matches played on communities: # of youth sport and recreation programs. # of youth sport and recreation activities. Mar 23 

QUESTIONS: Will the objective of this be to reduce the number of fixtures requiring players and supporters travelling from communities to Alice Springs? If so how will this be enforced?

[16] Support ASTC to implement ongoing organised youth sports and recreation programs and activities. Support ASTC to implement ongoing organised youth sports and recreation programs and activities. 

ACTION: # of youth sport and recreation programs: # of youth sport and recreation activities. Dec 22.

[17] Work with town camps to develop Community Alcohol Management Plans and support Central Land Council to develop applications for communities wanting to be dry areas. 

ACTION: # of Community Alcohol Management Plans:# of applications for communities to be dry areas. Jun 23

QUESTIONS: Alcohol abuse is regarded as being on the root of most crime and trauma. Yet this a more than half a year away. Why? 

[18] Develop fact sheet and guidance for public alcohol consumption in Town Camps. 

ACTION: Fact sheet prepared and disseminated to police. Sep 22.

QUESTIONS: What results does SORT expect from this fact sheet? 

[19] Work with licensed premises to improve their response to managing the alcohol consumption of patrons and monitoring problematic drinkers, and ensure compliance and enforcement of the Liquor Act 2019. 

ACTION: Sub-plan and Ops Order developed. Operation conducted. # of inspections by type. # of compliance breaches by type. Dec 22.

QUESTIONS: What does “work with” mean? How many breaches of the Liquor Act 2019 occurred in the past 12 months? Are the penalties for breaches going to be increased? Will there be licence removals and prosecutions? How many of these occurred in the past 12 months?  

[20] Revitalise Alice Springs Liquor Accord. The Accord to consider issues such as: Updated Terms of Reference; Patron and Licensee code of conduct; Cultural awareness and RSA training; Supply and special events management; Other harm reduction measures. 

ACTION: ToR endorsed. Code of Conduct endorsed # training sessions by type # of compliance breaches. Proportion of compliance checks satisfactory. Mar 23

QUESTIONS: See [17].  

[21] Develop and implement a Last Drinks Survey for Police watch houses, A&E, Patrollers, sobering up shelters. 

ACTION: Fact sheet and survey developed. Survey conducted. Data analyses and dissemination. Nov 22.

QUESTIONS: What has the survey found? What will be the responses on the basis of that survey?

[22] Agencies to ensure referrals to the Banned Drinkers Register where problematic alcohol use is identified. 

ACTION: # BDR referrals by agency: Oct 22.

QUESTIONS: How many BDR referrals were made in the past 12 months? Will there be more resolute action for breaches? If so, what? 

[23] POSI Strategy to be developed and disseminated. 

ACTION: Strategy briefed to be communicated to relevant stakeholders.

[24] Explore opportunities to increase commercial passenger transport and ridesharing and identify safe pick up and drop off zones in the CBD. Explore after-hours bus service (CBD to suburbs).

ACTION: # of CPV providers. Feb 23.

[25] Explore courtesy busses with licensees and sports clubs. 

ACTION: # of premises supplying courtesy bus service. Dec 22.

[26] Develop a proposal to pilot vehicle lockdown to CBD and options to permit taxi access to the mall to improve safety in the CBD. 

ACTION: Pilot proposal developed Pilot undertaken. Pilot evaluation complete. Feb 23.

QUESTIONS: Please provide me a copy of evaluation.  

[27] Develop a proposal for Biz Secure to be extended to CPVs for GPS, Cameras, and barrier shields. 

ACTION: Biz Secure in place for CPV providers. Dec 22.

QUESTIONS: What does Biz Secure do? Provide barrier shields such as outside bottle shops and roller blinds for shops? 

[28] Review provision of safety services at the School bus interchange. Consider Transit Safety Officers for Alice Springs.

ACTION: Commencement of alternate and extended transport options. Dec 22.

[29] Agency responses to domestic and family violence must be undertaken with a sense of urgency. Accountability from services and agencies, with joint reporting and demonstration of outputs.All agencies will use the NTG Risk Assessment and Management Framework. Integrated multi-agency responses to DFSV are redeveloped and strengthened including collocation of key agencies. 

ACTION: # CRAT/RAMF, Safe &Together training sessions and attendance numbers by agency. CRAT utilised by all agencies. Attendance at designated levels at FSF and other designated fora. # of referrals to and Family Safety framework by agency. % of accepted referrals. % of accepted referrals with shared case plan. Reinvestment in a multi-agency collocated response. Nov 22.

QUESTIONS: What do DFSV and CRAT/RAMF and Risk Assessment and Management Framework mean?

I’ll have many more questions on this point.

[30] Implement an active outreach program for illegal campers and rough sleepers. 

ACTION: Sub-plan complete. Outreach program commenced.# of services referred and delivered by service type. # of supports provided by category. Outreach hours and patrols delivered by location. Three and six month desktop evaluation undertaken. Sep 22.

QUESTIONS: What does this “outreach program” provide?

[31] Formalise the active outreach program for illegal campers and rough sleepers to be managed and undertaken by the homelessness sector 

ACTION: Consider a centralised reporting/intake mechanism for referrals for people experiencing homelessness and rough sleeping. Program co-design complete. Contract re-negotiation for provision of services by the NGO sector. Dec 22.

QUESTIONS: See [28]. 

[32] Consider a centralised reporting/intake mechanism for referrals for people experiencing homelessness and rough sleeping.

ACTION: Program co-design complete. Contract re-negotiation for provision of services by the NGO sector. 

QUESTIONS: What does “co-design” provide? Which NGOs?

[33] Work with the Commonwealth to ensure Centrelink is attending regional communities, town camps and public housing to ensure they have the right entitlements. 

ACTION: # Centrelink visits by location type. # or individuals receiving additional entitlements. Feb 23.

QUESTIONS: What has been Centrelink’s response?  

[34] Review the Return to Country and Bush Bus services to meet the needs of visitors in consultation with service provider/s and communities. 

ACTION: Transport services to remote communities are effective and sustainable. Nov 22. 

[35] Housing – review of Visitors Park occupancy levels and duration, assess if need for structured camping options. 

ACTION: Assessment complete. Need for structured camping confirmed or otherwise. Dec 22.

QUESTIONS: Please provide me with a copy of the assessment report.

[36] Support Lhere Artepe to promote their on-country protocols including; Signage at entries to Mparntwe, Todd Mall and key sites; WiFi push feeds; and Messaging via Imparja, CAAMA and other media.

ACTION: Signage designed Signage erected. # of media messages developed.# of media messages broadcast. Dec 22. 

QUESTIONS: What do the signs say?

[37] Support Lhere Artepe to develop and implement a Traditional Owner’s day and night patrol. 

ACTION: Day patrol contracted Night Patrol contracted. Lhere Artepe join Patrollers’ Network. Day patrol contracted Night Patrol contracted. Lhere Artepe join Patrollers’ Network. Mar 23.

QUESTIONS: What is the brief for the patrols?

[38] Expand Victim Offender Conferencing in Alice Springs to include Lhere Artepe under the RYJC panel contract. 

ACTION: TFHC RYJC panel contract includes Lhere Artepe. Staff recruited and trained. Service provision commences. Mar 23.

QUESTIONS: What’s TFHC and RYJC?

[39] Develop a communication strategy for ongoing communications in social media, commercial media and local media. 

ACTION: Communications Plan complete. Oct 22.

QUESTIONS: Please give me details of the communications plan. 

IMAGE Action for Alice.