Labor’s crime crisis exposed again

Media Release from Leader of the Opposition Lia Finocchiaro:

The alarming crime crisis under this government has been exposed with admissions of an explosion in assaults on police and calls to 000 in the past year.

Under sustained questioning in Estimates, Police Minister Brent Potter admitted 199,000 calls to the emergency call centre are forecast this financial year, which equates to 545 calls every day.

The government was also forced to admit:

• 299 police have been assaulted from 1/7/23 to 31/3/24;
• Three watch houses still being used as prisoners despite Labor promising they would be handed back by mid-year; and
• Police over time is up 7% at a cost of over $15 million.

Crime is out of control under Labor.

“Territorians do not trust Labor on crime because they continue to put the rights of offenders above the rights of Territorians.

“For eight years Territorians have been told there’s nothing to see here, but these numbers don’t lie.

In 8 years under Labor, domestic violence assaults are up 81%, commercial break-ins are up 53% and house break-ins Territory-wide have increased 109.28% in that time. (ABS data March 2024)

Only the CLP has a Plan to reduce crime. We will:

• Give police stronger powers and toughen laws to deal with the consequences of crime,
• Address root causes to break the cycle of crime among offenders
• Strengthen bail laws to make sure serious violent offenders start with a position of no bail,
• lower the age of criminal responsibility so that young people and their parents can be held accountable for their crimes; and
• make community safety a priority.

A CLP Government will reduce crime, rebuild our economy and restore our lifestyle.