Media release from the Shadow Minister for Territory Families, Joshua Burgoyne:
Today Shadow Minister for Territory Families Joshua Burgoyne said it was astonishing despite the escalating crime crisis in Alice Springs that none of the emergency funding announced by the Prime Minister had been received.
“In late January this year the Prime Minister stood with the Chief Minister to announce an emergency funding package of $250million, today we have learned that not one dollar has hit the ground.”
“This funding was meant to make an immediate difference to a town in crisis, the Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said to the people of Alice Springs that this was emergency funding at a time when she was using emergency powers to backflip on her removal of Stronger Futures.”
“Youth crime is plaguing our town and today the Minister couldn’t even answer how much of this $250million would go to Territory Families.”
“Not only has the Territory Families budget not received these funds, it’s taken a huge hit from the costs associated with the Howard Springs facility. From February to April almost $3million was spent on security, catering and entertainment, a huge $1.12million of that on private security alone.”
“It is extremely concerning, that despite Territory Families setting up safe rooms for residents experiencing domestic violence or feeling threatened these details weren’t recorded. We are very worried that if these details were not recorded, how can we know that when evacuees returned they weren’t sent back to violent and unsafe homes?”
“The Government had a duty of care to keep these people safe, and a responsibility to spend taxpayer money responsibly – they failed at both.”
The Opposition have uncovered:
