Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has clashed with a journalist in a heated confrontation over the “crime crisis” in Alice Springs.
Mr Dutton was in the Northern Territory city for his second consecutive day on Thursday, on a visit with Indigenous senator Jacinta Price to campaign against the Indigenous Voice to Parliament.
As Alice Springs mayor Matt Peterson pleaded with politicians not to politicise crime in central Australia for either side of the Voice campaign, Mr Dutton was quizzed on the issue.
The tension arose as an ABC journalist asked Mr Dutton about his call for a royal commission to examine rates of child sexual abuse in central Australia, following criticism from SNAICC, a national non-government peak body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
“We have seen the SNAICC, which advocates for Indigenous children, come out and strongly reject your call for a royal commission into that. They have labelled it an uninformed approach. Why do you think those peak bodies are rejecting those calls by you, and what evidence do you have that there is this so-called rampant child sexual abuse?” the journalist said.
Mr Dutton said he had spoken to police and social workers about the issue.
“That’s such an ABC question. Do you live locally? I mean, do you speak to people on the street? Do you hear what it is they’re saying to you?” he said.
When the journalist said they were a local, Mr Dutton continued.
“You live locally and you don’t believe there’s any problem here?” he said.
To which, the journalist, said “I’m asking you what evidence you have”.
Mr Dutton then said he would answer only if there was a “more sensible” question.
He also took aim at Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney and said Alice Springs would be overlooked by the Voice.
“Linda Burney will say wait for the Voice and that will sort it out,” he said.
“You have kids here tonight who are going to be sexually abused or families where domestic violence has now become an occurrence all the time and we are told nothing can be done about it. I find it deplorable.”
In response, Assistant Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy urged Mr Dutton to report any such allegations to the police.
“It is a very serious allegation to raise the abuse of a child and a serious allegation to make that a child is being returned to an abuser,” she said..
“Peter Dutton, if you are aware of this, then you need to mandatory report it to police so that there can be an investigation immediately. And if you have not done that, I would urge you to do so as soon as possible.”
Senator McCarthy also urged Mr Dutton “to not use Alice Springs as a political football with irresponsible accusations if they cannot be followed up”.
Earlier, Mr Peterson said he didn’t want Alice Springs’ problems with alcohol and crime linked to the Indigenous Voice referendum. The community needed help regardless of the outcome, he said.
“My fear is if people are linking it with the Voice, as soon as the referendum is over they’re going to forget about Alice Springs,” Mr Peterson said.
“We’re asking for help because we need a change and we’re going to need change a lot longer than when the referendum is held later this year.”
Supporters of the Voice say problems in towns like Alice Springs highlight why the Indigenous voice is needed. They argue the advisory body will help politicians and public servants make better decisions.
Former Indigenous Australians minister Ken Wyatt, who quit the Liberal Party over its stance, said the Voice would help reshape local programs and services.
“If we maintain the status quo, nothing will change. This is about a better future,” he said.
Indigenous Liberal senator Kerrynne Liddle, who grew up in Alice Springs, said she wanted a legislated body that would focus on regional communities, but had reservations about enshrining it in the constitution.
“The principle of the Liberal Party is it’s really important that people in the local and regional areas are heard and they’re heard first,” she said.
Senator Price, a former deputy mayor of Alice Springs, said more bureaucracy would not help. She wants more police officers on the ground.
“We can’t just be a territory that is heavy with bureaucracy, heavy with public service,” Senator Price said.
“Community members are just crying out for support.”
Mr Peterson, who hasn’t outlined his position on the Voice, encouraged politicians to continue raising the issues of youth crime and alcohol-fuelled violence.
“Businesses can’t operate any more because of the vandalism and the bill that goes with that so people are leaving in droves. It’s hard to fathom we’re living through this in 2023,” he said.
Former Liberal MP Trent Zimmerman, who lost his North Sydney seat to a teal independent, said his party should back the Voice.
He said young people supported the Liberals’ economic agenda but would not vote for a party that did not represent modern Australia.
“I’m yet to see the party really responding to the type of concerns and issues I saw in my own electorate from traditional Liberal voters that abandoned us,” he said.
-with AAP
