[Jan Fisher]

The chronic breakdown in law and order in Alice Springs seems to be a problem we never seem to be able to solve.

It’s been going on for decades and slapping on alcohol bans seem to be only papering over the issue.

I don’t know what the answer is, but a massive influx of health support would seem to be the first step.

Problem is, even if governments want to fund it, the bureaucracy sucks up so much of the resources, health and allied staff are understandably reluctant to move to such a dangerous area and there is a lack the political will to initiate any action that may be seen as institutional racism.

The fact is we are looking down the barrel of generations of damaged children who will lack the skills to become parents themselves if no action is taken.

Let’s hope we find the key and can roll it out to other damaged communities, both indigenous and otherwise, and get a start on fixing things.

What would be your solution to the problems in Alice Springs?

[val phillis]

These kids need to take responsibility more seriously. The parents of these kids also need to be made accountable. There always seems to be a reason that these kids do these things, they have had a hard life at home or there is a medical reason they do what they do. Rubbish! it’s too easy to be unaccountable for their actions. I’m sorry, but it’s getting worse all the time. Perhaps we should put these kids into a reform institution, and give them some guidance in their lives, or fine the parents. Put these kids on some sort of community work program which will give them something to do in payment for their actions. It might even show them another option or outlook into a better way to occupy their life or time.

[David Ryder]

This problem has been growing for generations and it’s not confined to Alice Springs. Other places like Townsville have similar problems though not as badly yet. And I say yet because it’s only going to get worse while government law and order policies are written by sociologists in Capital cities and the politicians just go along with them.
I live in a regional area of FNQ and I see what is happening first hand. Most of these troublesome youths and kids are neglected at home and don’t see much of a future for themselves. They group together in the streets and urge each other on to cause a disturbance or do a robbery because it’s become a fun thing to do in their eyes. Except in some cases where the parents or older relatives facilitate them doing robberies on their behalf because there are few consequences for youth and kids who get caught. The kids get peer status by doing things like stealing cars.
The quick solution is harsher penalties including youth imprisonment to get the worst offenders off the streets however governments and courts are reluctant to take that step partly because the prisons are already full and they don’t want the expense of building new ones and partly because of input from Uni graduate sociologists who think the methods they are taught at Uni actually work.
So they fiddle around with half measures like liquor restrictions instead of taking the more socially unpalatable steps that are needed.
In the longer term societal/cultural changes are needed to overcome two generations of anti-social culture which has been instilled in some groups of people from an early age. That will take decades to carry out if it’s even possible as the horse may have bolted.

[Sue Ridge]

I believe that a large part of the problem is the myth of the “stolen generation” which we have been led to believe was stealing children to use as servants in white homes. Nothing could be further from the truth as history shows us that there has been only one successful court case proving that an Aboriginal child was removed without the permission of a parent. The result is that Aboriginal children at risk of harm are left with parents because removing them will displease the inner city “luvvies”, most of whom have never been near a remote Aboriginal community.

Nobody enforces Aboriginal children to attend school although if they do they are entitled to be paid. Nobody wants to arrest Aboriginal people because the same inner city “luvvies” whinge and moan about how many Aborigines are in gaol. The whinge includes deaths in custody when we are being led to believe that it’s all about self harm when, in fact, there are many other reasons why people die in gaol. The records show that the percentage of non-Aboriginal people who commit suicide in gaol is higher than Aboriginal inmates.

To me, the answer is simple; treat Aboriginal people exactly the same as any other race. Enforce schooling, enforce the laws of the states and territories, remove at risk children from families, listen to the Aboriginal women who want the cashless debit card reinstated and get rid of the proposal to bring in the Voice which will do absolutely nothing for problem areas such as Alice Springs. The Voice idea is in fact racist as it will give one race of people more rights than any other race in Australia. Australia has the most diverse culture of any other country with over 140 nationalities represented.

[Sen.Cit.90]

Hi Sue, Yes the following copied part answer of yours could be the answer
Quote, To me, the answer is simple; treat Aboriginal people exactly the same as any other race. Enforce schooling, enforce the laws of the states and territories, remove at-risk children from families, listen to the Aboriginal women who want the cashless debit card reinstated and get rid of the proposal to bring in the Voice which will do absolutely nothing for problem areas such as Alice Springs. The Voice idea is in fact racist as it will give one race of people more rights than any other race in Australia. Australia has the most diverse culture of any other country with over 140 nationalities represented. Unquote.
We have become a racist country dividing black and white citizens. Why two flags? one for the black race and one for the others. As you say, treat Aboriginal people exactly the same as any other race.

[Peter Bungay]

What is required is that there needs to be involvement of the local Elders. The Elders should bring the troublesome children in and ask them why they are running amok. Then they should actively confront the parents of the delinquent children and bring them to a conference where they discuss why their children are running wild and if they are not capable of exerting any control, have the children removed from the parents. The Elders need to be actively involved to help find a solution to solve the problem.

[Author]

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