NT Country Liberal Party proposes mandatory curfew for youth
The Northern Territory Country Liberal Party or CLP is proposing to introduce mandatory curfews for juveniles, if elected to government in the June state elections. The proposal is aimed at ‘cracking down on kids roaming the streets’ and is in line with the tough law and order agenda pursued by the CLP. Critics of the proposal, including youth workers from Western Australia who have since 2003 experienced the effects of the curfew in Northbridge, say that curfews do little to tackle the underlying reasons that keep kids on the streets in the first place. Des Rogers, a former Alice Springs Alderman and director of Indigenous Perspectives, also claims the policy is purely a knee jerk reaction to grab votes. He spoke to Paulina Vidal, about alternative ways for police to deal with problematic youth.