Alice Springs anti-violence campaigner says government must engage Indigenous leaders after curfew

A prominent Alice Springs anti-violence campaigner has called on the Northern Territory government to “step up” and involve senior community members in discussions about strategies to quell violent unrest.

The decision comes after Northern Territory authorities announced they would not extend a 72-hour curfew in the city, introduced on Monday in response to a series of violent incidents.

On Wednesday, as the Police Commissioner and Police Minister considered next steps, a violent brawl broke out in the Alice Springs CBD involving about 100 people.

Police Minister Brent Potter said that once the curfew is lifted, authorities would take steps to relocate outlying migrants who were sleeping rough “without a valid reason (to be) in Alice Springs”.

The territory’s police commissioner said earlier that about 5,000 people, mostly from remote communities, had arrived in the remote town in recent weeks.

However, Shirleen Campbell, co-ordinator of the Tangentyere Women’s Family Safety Group, said conditions in Alice Springs would not improve without a meaningful discussion with community leaders about the underlying causes of dysfunction.

“The government must… listen to the people of the people, especially those in remote communities, homelands and external centres.”

Indigenous people in remote areas have long faced higher rates of chronic health problems, poverty, domestic and family violence, incarceration and overcrowded housing compared to non-Indigenous people in Australia.

Ms Campbell, a Warlpiri and Arrernte woman, called on the Northern Territory government to work with leaders in remote communities to “understand what needs to be prioritised”.

“They have been neglected,” she said.

“Government policies do not serve our citizens – they work against us.

“We are here to support them… because they don’t have the opportunity to raise their voice from the bush.”

Remote visitors asked to “follow our rules”

Michael Liddle, an elderly man from Alyawerre, Central Australia, said people migrate to Alice Springs because “life in remote communities is too difficult”.

“It’s a lot easier to maintain a life in a place like Alice Springs than in Yuendumu or Ampilatwatja,” he said.

“You have poor water quality, no roads, no decent walking paths, no green areas.

“You have food that is completely overvalued… you have substandard education and you have no principles regarding education.”

But Mr Liddle stopped short of recommending further investment in remote communities, saying: “I don’t think any form of government is going to change that.”

“I really think investing in remote communities is a thing of the past. People don’t want to live remotely anymore,” he said.

Chief Minister Eva Lawler said Wednesday’s violent brawl was the result of a dispute between families over the death of an 18-year-old in a car crash earlier this year.

The same dispute led to riots in Alice Springs in March and a three-week youth curfew.

Southern Territory Police Acting Commander Drew Slape said mediation was necessary to end violence between families.

“We need to make sure that the leaders of each of these families actually have a seat at the table,” he told ABC Radio Alice Springs.

“Have meaningful conversations so we can solve these types of problems, so we don’t have this type of violence.”