A surprising number of people in the NT Government just cannot grasp the fact that Nightcliff is going to the dogs and that a coordinated new approach is needed to cope with the long running canker. Not spin doctoring , denial, a few more drive through police patrols , photo opportunities for the media . Assorted welfare, mental health workers and police on the ground are needed. Dare we invoke the government's own slogan FRESH IDEAS, REAL RESULTS ? Last week, a person who moves in political circles , a Nightcliff resident , was heard say things were “pretty good” down the Nightcliff Village way. He made this statement in the area shortly after his conversation was interrupted by the ranting of a large man , a renowned thug, who not so long ago reportedly dragged a woman up the laneway at Nightcliff Village and “ bashed the shit out of her”. Later ,three women armed with sticks chased the basher around the shopping centre and he took refuge in a parked police car .
- Nightcliff is in this odd situation where it has a Clayton’s police station – the cop shop you have when you don’t have a gendarmerie. That it is not a real police station is borne out by the fact that the letter C is missing from its sign and has been for years, and the doors close before dark when all kinds of wild events often take place . Residents are told not to go there if they expect police help. It also shuts for weekends . Motor vehicle speed checking units are garaged there and there is a domestic violence section in the premises, but never any sign of a human being visible from the front door.
Many people in the Nightcliff area are deeply concerned about the failure of law and order in the district. Some are obviously emotionally scarred by the never ending troubles . A number of shopkeepers , including members of the medical and dental profession , recently detailed their experiences in statutory declarations which went to Chief Minister Henderson and his minions. Here is a condensed summary of the intolerable situation business people and the public are subjected to , with some additional explanatory information in some cases.
1. There are constant problems associated with anti -social behavior and crime in the Nightcliff Village area. My business broken into 31 times in the last six years and there are constant problems with vandalism , violence ,bad language , public drinking , outside area used as toilet ,humbugging , public drinking , begging and many other problems. We also have erratic mental health problem people living in Housing Commission across the road causing constant and daily worries and fears Our windows were smashed in the daytime by one tenant , it cost us $1100. Prostitutes and drug dealers can be seen on a daily basis operating between the Bendigo Bank and the fish and chip shop. I can see no easy solution other than more police presence and quicker response time. Meetings at office of Jane Aagaards , but nothing has really been done. I have been refused assistance from the Nightcliff Police Station on numerous occasions. Stopped trading at night because of itinerants and police non response. I work hard , have never been compensated or given any financial assistance for crimes committed against me and my business. What I make , after long hours, is under the poverty line.
2. In Pavonia Place groups of itinerants pour cask wine into soft drink bottles and drink publicly beside and in children’s playground. Patients harassed as they walked by ; broken into recently and two attempts at break in. Several windows smashed over the years Bottle thrown through window as well as a large rock.
3 “ I am emotionally stressed and tired at the drunken and violent behaviour in Nightcliff Shopping Village a t Progress Drive. My customers and staff are traumatised by their anti - social behaviour and do not feel safe .The place is constantly littered by alcohol bottles, blood and rubbish.”
4.Long standing Nightcliff business. The violence , behaviour and language in this area appalling ; customers find this an issue as well and the safety factor has to be considered. “I would not venture into this area at night as it feels unsafe”.
Something has to be done about this issue.
5. Premises broken into five times. “ Each time I have had to pay for repairs and cleaning up and lost business for that period.”Extremely concerned about break ins and vandalism in the shopping centre and feel that there needs to be a solution to this ,together with a greater police presence .
6. Broken into on several occasions , windows broken, graffiti sprayed over walls. Problems with itinerants ,swearing , defecating ,urinating , aggression. Suggest the road and area between Progress Drive and Woolworths should be fenced off to stop people grouping together , drinking and spreading rubbish .” Dry area is NOT working.”
7. The introduction of a CCTV and a police presence at Nightcliff ( would be ) a step in right direction.
8.Drinking, humbugging, begging , swearing and aggressive behaviour.”Most frustrating is the lack of action taken by the local member of Nightcliff to address any of the problems . Her job is to communicate , support and represent our community .We need her help
9. Has been running a Nightcliff business for 12 years and picks up eldest son from evening job in the city every Friday and Saturday night at midnight for 12 months. “ I always take my Doberman in the car with me , and lock doors and windows to pass through Nightcliff and Coconut Drive safely . Every single night between 12.30-1am I have personally witnessed in Dick Ward Drive from Runge Street flats through to Progess Drive, near The Planet , become a war zone . I regularly have to avoid drunks staggering and fighting on the roads , people threatening the car, kids throwing objects at the car and generally groups of people and kids milling around. I dread the drive through Nightcliff . Also I don’t allow my teenage children to walk around Nightcliff after dark , and I won’t go near Nightcliff Shopping Centre of an evening. In general, I do not feel safe in Nightcliff anymore.”
10. Itinerants a problem in playground area ,using it as a toilet at night , cleaned up by council .Drunks yell at each other and children in the playground. Broken glass and rubbish a hazard for children Business windows broken on numerous occasions.
11. Running our business we are regularly subjected to disgusting displays , foul language, and arguments resulting in physical violence. “It seems incredible to me that in a civilized society we are expected to live with this degenerate behaviour.”
12. The last two and a half years have seen a huge increase in the trouble/vandalism/ anti-social behaviour in the area. The shop broken into and windows smashed nine times .Most other shops in the area are the same. Drunken behaviour has been slightly better during the day since the no-alcohol ruling, but still a problem .There are two blatant drug dealers selling from either the wall outside my shop seats next to the zebra crossing. “This is not an area I would dare venture into after dark , and certainly would not want to live here .” ( Told by police at the Nightliff Police Station no use coming around t here for help , as they will have to call to get somebody to come down , presumably from Casuarina ).
13. I have observed and been affected by anti-social behaviour in Nightcliff Shopping Village: physical assault, verbal assault, humbugging, shoplifting,vandalism,graffiti and smashed windows .People threatened with knives and prostitution discussed.
14. All of the shopfront windows smashed twice, backdoor almost ripped off hinge in attempted break in. Itinerants regularly defecate and urinate at our front door, abuse our clients and us. Police called on a regular basis –to no avail. They are back the next day ! Police do a good job , we do not blame them for the situation .”Most of us have given up any hope of having the problem rectified.” Darwin City Council sympathetic and help as much as they can (more than most ) . “Our local member has done nothing that we can see .” Shop owners in the Nightcliff Shopping Village put up with everything mentioned here every day to a greater and lesser extent.
15. A l2 –page statutory declaration says the violence in the Nightcliff Shopping Centre is a danger to women with children who frequent the centre on a daily basis for dance classes and markets on Sunday. It raises the need for a different approach to the problems of homeless and itnerants .While agreeing it is a challenge to find a solution to the problems , it points out the situation impacts on the running of the centre , the business activities and the tourist industry .Taxes are paid in the expectation that the government will do its job - 16. At the time of writing this statutory declaration , March 20, the shop had been broken into on five occasions Each time the owner had to pay for repairs and cleaning up with a loss of business . “ I am extremely concerned about the break ins and vandalism in this shopping centre and feel that there needs to be a solution to this , together with a police presence. ( The shop has been broken into yet again and owner patrols premises with a dog .) More information and photographs will be posted from time to time.
