Emergency curfews will be easier to impose on Northern Territory communities in a bid to quickly crackdown on crime and anti-social behaviour in the Top End.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Chief Minister Eva Lawler says the "groundbreaking" legislation, to be introduced to the territory's parliament on Thursday, will improve community safety.
The amendments follow a series of wild brawls in Alice Springs in March that prompted a three-week curfew banning anyone under 18 from the town's centre between 6pm and 6am.
"We've seen the benefits that the Alice Springs youth curfew have delivered to residents and businesses," Ms Lawler said on Wednesday.
"We want to have the option to use curfews as a circuit-breaker where they are needed."
The NT Police Force will administer the new curfew laws with any use of the tactic depending on operational assessments made by police.
The police commissioner will be able to declare curfews and any extensions will require the police minister to sign off on it.
Crime and community safety measures dominated the NT Labor government's pre-election budget on Tuesday.
The NT Police Force received its largest-ever boost in funding, with an extra $570 million over the next five years to put 200 more officers on the beat, upgrade operational infrastructure and employ 71 extra support staff.
13YARN 13 92 76
Lifeline 13 11 14
Australian Associated Press
