Now we know that Catherine town counselors raise concerns about Woolworths, the town's only supermarket, reducing its operating hours. I mean a spike in crime and anti social behavior. The supermarket's now closing at seven pm instead of ten pm to ensure the safety of staff and customers. Joining me on the line is the local mayor, Liz Clark. Good morning to you, Liz.

Now we know that Catherine town counselors raise concerns about Woolworths, the town's only supermarket, reducing its operating hours. I mean a spike in crime and anti social behavior. The supermarket's now closing at seven pm instead of ten pm to ensure the safety of staff and customers. Joining me on the line is the local mayor, Liz Clark. Good morning to you, Liz.

Ah, Good morning Katie.

Ah, Good morning Katie.

Lovely to have you on the show. Liz. I know that it's been you know, by the sounds of it, there's been some tough things to deal with in Catherine at the moment when it comes to some of the issues with crime and anti social behavior. What are your concerns with the reduced trading hours announced by Woolies.

Lovely to have you on the show. Liz. I know that it's been you know, by the sounds of it, there's been some tough things to deal with in Catherine at the moment when it comes to some of the issues with crime and anti social behavior. What are your concerns with the reduced trading hours announced by Woolies.

I think the main concern is that when people come like it's the first supermarket you come across, you know, if you're coming up from South for instance, you know, and then if you're coming across from Western Australia, so people and people that do shift work, you know, it's going to reduce the time that they can actually go in and buy their fresh fruit and vegetables when they come through.

I think the main concern is that when people come like it's the first supermarket you come across, you know, if you're coming up from South for instance, you know, and then if you're coming across from Western Australia, so people and people that do shift work, you know, it's going to reduce the time that they can actually go in and buy their fresh fruit and vegetables when they come through.

So I mean what do you make of the comments so that that will words has made that they're I mean, according to the statement that they'd sent through to us, it had been a decision that had to be made because they you know, they were ensuring the safety of their team. So the safety and well being of our team and customers is the utmost importance to us, and we believe that this change in trading ours is going to help to reduce the likelihood of incidents occurring. That's what they told us earlier in the week.

So I mean what do you make of the comments so that that will words has made that they're I mean, according to the statement that they'd sent through to us, it had been a decision that had to be made because they you know, they were ensuring the safety of their team. So the safety and well being of our team and customers is the utmost importance to us, and we believe that this change in trading ours is going to help to reduce the likelihood of incidents occurring. That's what they told us earlier in the week.

Yeah, look, I understand that, and I support will work in you know, looking after their staff. They definitely have to do that. But the issue that we still have is that we have alcohol that is sold up until eight o'clock at night and then from and then when you know, when the bottle shop closes, then people go migrate from there across the Warorf because we no longer have the palis that we had. The palies do make a difference in Catherine. Without the palis, it just everything just you know, falls in the heat basically.

Yeah, look, I understand that, and I support will work in you know, looking after their staff. They definitely have to do that. But the issue that we still have is that we have alcohol that is sold up until eight o'clock at night and then from and then when you know, when the bottle shop closes, then people go migrate from there across the Warorf because we no longer have the palis that we had. The palies do make a difference in Catherine. Without the palis, it just everything just you know, falls in the heat basically.

So, Liz, I mean, how bad are things at the moment when it comes to antisocial behavior in the town from your perspective, Look.

So, Liz, I mean, how bad are things at the moment when it comes to antisocial behavior in the town from your perspective, Look.

We if we didn't have alcohol, I think in town, I think we you know, it would be wonderful because I know, look, and I'm not saying that we you know, we alcohol is here, but we need to change what the way we are doing it. We need more help for people who have alcohol addiction. We need to try and reduce the hours perhaps so that you know, people aren't going out on the town after ours and causing all the trouble that they are because they are intoxicated. And we need to have those palis back on our on our point of sale.

We if we didn't have alcohol, I think in town, I think we you know, it would be wonderful because I know, look, and I'm not saying that we you know, we alcohol is here, but we need to change what the way we are doing it. We need more help for people who have alcohol addiction. We need to try and reduce the hours perhaps so that you know, people aren't going out on the town after ours and causing all the trouble that they are because they are intoxicated. And we need to have those palis back on our on our point of sale.

In terms of last week, we caught up with a local business owner. He told us he'd never seen so many bottles of yellowtail lying around with no police on bottle shops. From the council's perspective, and in terms of the cleanups that I'm sure you do across town, has there been an increase in broken bottles and you know, just general waste around the place.

In terms of last week, we caught up with a local business owner. He told us he'd never seen so many bottles of yellowtail lying around with no police on bottle shops. From the council's perspective, and in terms of the cleanups that I'm sure you do across town, has there been an increase in broken bottles and you know, just general waste around the place.

Absolutely, and in our parks people are now drinking. Since we've not had the palis, people are drinking wherever they like, whereas when the palis were on board, they would have to say where they were going to be drinking. The alcohol now that we don't have the palis, they're drinking all over the place. And yes, an increase in smash bottles everywhere. Yeah, an increase in alcohol like cans and bottles all over the place.

Absolutely, and in our parks people are now drinking. Since we've not had the palis, people are drinking wherever they like, whereas when the palis were on board, they would have to say where they were going to be drinking. The alcohol now that we don't have the palis, they're drinking all over the place. And yes, an increase in smash bottles everywhere. Yeah, an increase in alcohol like cans and bottles all over the place.

Yeah, Lise, tell me, I mean what changes. By the sounds of it, you absolutely want to see those back on bottle shops. What else do you think could happen to try and tackle the issues that are being experienced at the moment in your beautiful little town.

Yeah, Lise, tell me, I mean what changes. By the sounds of it, you absolutely want to see those back on bottle shops. What else do you think could happen to try and tackle the issues that are being experienced at the moment in your beautiful little town.

I think we need to maybe, you know, change the hours when alcohol is sold. That I think that would go a long way, because it's open until eight o'clock at night. That's you know, that's quite a that's quite a long time. We did have reduced hours some time ago. And like we seem to be in a revolving door because we talk about these things, we implement things, and then it all changes, you know, changes all the time. And then of course, and again when we don't have palis on our bottle shops, we go back to having all of these other issues which we wouldn't have.

I think we need to maybe, you know, change the hours when alcohol is sold. That I think that would go a long way, because it's open until eight o'clock at night. That's you know, that's quite a that's quite a long time. We did have reduced hours some time ago. And like we seem to be in a revolving door because we talk about these things, we implement things, and then it all changes, you know, changes all the time. And then of course, and again when we don't have palis on our bottle shops, we go back to having all of these other issues which we wouldn't have.

So palis on bottle shops, and look at the opening hours for for those bottle shops as well.

So palis on bottle shops, and look at the opening hours for for those bottle shops as well.

Yep, yep. And we need we need extra services to you know, for alcohol addiction. You know that that is the root cause of most of the incidences that we have here.

Yep, yep. And we need we need extra services to you know, for alcohol addiction. You know that that is the root cause of most of the incidences that we have here.

Liz, are you also calling on Woolworths to rethink those reduced trading hours?

Liz, are you also calling on Woolworths to rethink those reduced trading hours?

I think until some of these other things have changed, you know, Woolworths of course have to look after their staff. That I think, until we change some of these other things, I you know, I think that we just have to work with Warworth to try and get try and get the you know, lobby the government to try and do something.

I think until some of these other things have changed, you know, Woolworths of course have to look after their staff. That I think, until we change some of these other things, I you know, I think that we just have to work with Warworth to try and get try and get the you know, lobby the government to try and do something.

Liz. Has there been much discussion as well? I know that when we were talking about this through the week, there'd certainly been you know, discussion about people traveling in from community and you know, not behaving in the way that everybody would expect. I mean, what do you make of those comments? And and do you think that there needs to be some work done with the local groups down there? Kolano, Jarwin, whoever else it may be, You've got a better idea than I to get to return people to country if they're you know, if they're in town and they've got nowhere to stay.

Liz. Has there been much discussion as well? I know that when we were talking about this through the week, there'd certainly been you know, discussion about people traveling in from community and you know, not behaving in the way that everybody would expect. I mean, what do you make of those comments? And and do you think that there needs to be some work done with the local groups down there? Kolano, Jarwin, whoever else it may be, You've got a better idea than I to get to return people to country if they're you know, if they're in town and they've got nowhere to stay.

Yeah, we have a we have a lot of issues when around royalty times, and of course that's all different times. So whenever there's royalty payments, of course the people come into town and you know they you know, of course they're coming to town to do their shopping. So Catherine is the hub for all the communities around around out on the outside. So it's not just servicing our local community. It is servicing all the communities around the outside of Catherine that need to come in and do their shopping. And that's not the issue. The issue is the alcohol still.

Yeah, we have a we have a lot of issues when around royalty times, and of course that's all different times. So whenever there's royalty payments, of course the people come into town and you know they you know, of course they're coming to town to do their shopping. So Catherine is the hub for all the communities around around out on the outside. So it's not just servicing our local community. It is servicing all the communities around the outside of Catherine that need to come in and do their shopping. And that's not the issue. The issue is the alcohol still.

Yeah, all right, well it does I mean.

Yeah, all right, well it does I mean.

And so I was going to say, and that was identified with all of those couple of car accidents that killed whole families because of alcohol.

And so I was going to say, and that was identified with all of those couple of car accidents that killed whole families because of alcohol.

Yeah, look, it sounds as though there needs to be some really serious work there. Hopefully, we are hoping that we've got the Chief Minister on the show on Monday morning, so we'll certainly talk further to her about that. We do have her on on Monday morning. I mean, Liz, what is your what is your message for the Northern Territory government. I get that it's sort of a whole you know, it's a whole of community approach in a lot of ways. But what is your message, you know, for the Northern Territory government on these issues that you're currently experiencing.

Yeah, look, it sounds as though there needs to be some really serious work there. Hopefully, we are hoping that we've got the Chief Minister on the show on Monday morning, so we'll certainly talk further to her about that. We do have her on on Monday morning. I mean, Liz, what is your what is your message for the Northern Territory government. I get that it's sort of a whole you know, it's a whole of community approach in a lot of ways. But what is your message, you know, for the Northern Territory government on these issues that you're currently experiencing.

I think the message is we need our palis back on our outlets, we need to review the opening hours of alcohol sales, and we need more services to unit for people with alcohol addiction.

I think the message is we need our palis back on our outlets, we need to review the opening hours of alcohol sales, and we need more services to unit for people with alcohol addiction.

Liz Clark, the Mayor of Catherine. It's always good to speak with you. Wish it was under better circumstances, but I've no doubt we'll talk to you again very soon.

Liz Clark, the Mayor of Catherine. It's always good to speak with you. Wish it was under better circumstances, but I've no doubt we'll talk to you again very soon.

No worry. Thank you, thank you for having me.

No worry. Thank you, thank you for having me.

Good to have you on the show.

Good to have you on the show.