Good morning, Robin, Good morning Katie.

Good morning, Robin, Good morning Katie.

Robin. This situation with Heidi, I understand that you know her. Can you tell us a bit more about what happened?

Robin. This situation with Heidi, I understand that you know her. Can you tell us a bit more about what happened?

Well, I probably don't know much more than what's been put in them. I have been in contact with Heidi and Aaron, and these two are just a sensational couple. They've given their life to Alice Springs. They contribute by volunteering. They are the people that make Alice Springs great. And it's just so sad that this has happened to Aaron and Heidi and their family. But I have to say they're in a long queue of people that have been victims of crime in Alice Springs over the last five years. It's just horrendous to think that where it feels like we're back to square one a bit.

Well, I probably don't know much more than what's been put in them. I have been in contact with Heidi and Aaron, and these two are just a sensational couple. They've given their life to Alice Springs. They contribute by volunteering. They are the people that make Alice Springs great. And it's just so sad that this has happened to Aaron and Heidi and their family. But I have to say they're in a long queue of people that have been victims of crime in Alice Springs over the last five years. It's just horrendous to think that where it feels like we're back to square one a bit.

Yeah, it will. You know, this situation sounds woeful. I mean the fact that he's ended up in hospital with a severed artery after this has gone on. I mean, like, it's just a terrible situation to think that a Territorian has gone to try and help somebody else and wound up seriously injured.

Yeah, it will. You know, this situation sounds woeful. I mean the fact that he's ended up in hospital with a severed artery after this has gone on. I mean, like, it's just a terrible situation to think that a Territorian has gone to try and help somebody else and wound up seriously injured.

Probably one of the nicest blokes you could meet. And I and I just when I heard it the story, I have this picture in my mind of Aaron just reaching out to be kind and helpful and just being Aaron, and this person has come around the back of him apparently and bashed him in the head with a scooter. And you know, we know the rest of the story to some extent, but look, it's horrendous. It's you know, this is a family, another family that's going to be traumatized probably forever by what's gone on. He has survived, he is okay, but it's it's a real setback. I thought I was hoping, and people have been cautiously optimistic in Alice Springs that things had been set on a different trajectory. But it's just a reminder that we have such a long way to go, Katie. We are not out of the woods. We still have a crime crisis. Things got better for a while, but it feels like we've phaps back a bit. And there's probably a whole range of reasons for that. People come in and out of prison, troublemakers come in and out of town. You know, there's probably a whole set of reasons that for why we're seeing this almost like a spiking crime again. But it's demoralizing.

Probably one of the nicest blokes you could meet. And I and I just when I heard it the story, I have this picture in my mind of Aaron just reaching out to be kind and helpful and just being Aaron, and this person has come around the back of him apparently and bashed him in the head with a scooter. And you know, we know the rest of the story to some extent, but look, it's horrendous. It's you know, this is a family, another family that's going to be traumatized probably forever by what's gone on. He has survived, he is okay, but it's it's a real setback. I thought I was hoping, and people have been cautiously optimistic in Alice Springs that things had been set on a different trajectory. But it's just a reminder that we have such a long way to go, Katie. We are not out of the woods. We still have a crime crisis. Things got better for a while, but it feels like we've phaps back a bit. And there's probably a whole range of reasons for that. People come in and out of prison, troublemakers come in and out of town. You know, there's probably a whole set of reasons that for why we're seeing this almost like a spiking crime again. But it's demoralizing.

Yeah, well, I you know it would be, particularly when people that you know are being injured in the way you know that this gentleman has been Robin from your understanding. We did ask the police commissioner about this yesterday because from the post that Heidi had put on social media, she said that she hadn't been contacted by the Northern Territory Police, or that they hadn't been The Commissioner said yesterday that they had. I don't want to get into a tit for tat, I mean, that's not my aim. However, I do feel as though victims of crime, particularly when it's something as serious as this, expect that they're going to hear from the police and expect that there will be, you know, that full and thorough follow up.

Yeah, well, I you know it would be, particularly when people that you know are being injured in the way you know that this gentleman has been Robin from your understanding. We did ask the police commissioner about this yesterday because from the post that Heidi had put on social media, she said that she hadn't been contacted by the Northern Territory Police, or that they hadn't been The Commissioner said yesterday that they had. I don't want to get into a tit for tat, I mean, that's not my aim. However, I do feel as though victims of crime, particularly when it's something as serious as this, expect that they're going to hear from the police and expect that there will be, you know, that full and thorough follow up.

They do, and they should. I think since Heidi's come out very publicly, I don't think a lot of people knew about it. They knew that someone had been assaulted, but they had no idea it was Aaron Blacker, and so Heidi coming out publicly really put it out there. I mean, they have such a huge network of friends and family in Alice Springs, So her coming out and complaining saying that she was not happy with the police's response, I think that has triggered the police into acting appropriately. But it also says to me, Katie that the police are overwhelmed again. You know that they are struggling to keep up with what's going on again. It is not like a few months ago they got on top of it, and now we're seeing it cycle back down to a low where they're struggling again. We know that that's what happens. There's campaigns and what do they call it operations that heighten police activity and they put all all their resources into a period of time, and then obviously people police need a break, they need to go on holidays, they need to do stuff. There's changes, and then we sort of experience this almost like a decline in response because of their lack of resourcing or pressure. Look, I'm just surmising this. I don't know that. When I heard Heidie's complaint about the police, I thought, well, this is just an indication of where we are in the cycle and the fact that really nothing has changed in that regard. They're still struggling to put police into the shifts and respond to crime. And that's no different to the way it's been forever probably, but particularly over the last five years since we've had this heightened crime crisis, and.

They do, and they should. I think since Heidi's come out very publicly, I don't think a lot of people knew about it. They knew that someone had been assaulted, but they had no idea it was Aaron Blacker, and so Heidi coming out publicly really put it out there. I mean, they have such a huge network of friends and family in Alice Springs, So her coming out and complaining saying that she was not happy with the police's response, I think that has triggered the police into acting appropriately. But it also says to me, Katie that the police are overwhelmed again. You know that they are struggling to keep up with what's going on again. It is not like a few months ago they got on top of it, and now we're seeing it cycle back down to a low where they're struggling again. We know that that's what happens. There's campaigns and what do they call it operations that heighten police activity and they put all all their resources into a period of time, and then obviously people police need a break, they need to go on holidays, they need to do stuff. There's changes, and then we sort of experience this almost like a decline in response because of their lack of resourcing or pressure. Look, I'm just surmising this. I don't know that. When I heard Heidie's complaint about the police, I thought, well, this is just an indication of where we are in the cycle and the fact that really nothing has changed in that regard. They're still struggling to put police into the shifts and respond to crime. And that's no different to the way it's been forever probably, but particularly over the last five years since we've had this heightened crime crisis, and.

Sort of since from listeners up here in the top end, as we've gone through some of the different issues that we've seen in recent weeks, you know what we've sort of seen, I guess in a few different instances. Is you's, you know, engaged allegedly in quite serious, serious crimes and in some cases on bail, and so a lot of people up here in the top end are sort of starting to question, you know, how they can be on bail and able to continue to offend. The Northern Territory government announcing and saying on this show on numerous occasions that they're going to be reviewing and they're in the process of reviewing the Youth Justice Act and trying to make some changes to avoid this happening. I mean, what do you make of that and do you think that it will have much of an impact in Alice Springs?

Sort of since from listeners up here in the top end, as we've gone through some of the different issues that we've seen in recent weeks, you know what we've sort of seen, I guess in a few different instances. Is you's, you know, engaged allegedly in quite serious, serious crimes and in some cases on bail, and so a lot of people up here in the top end are sort of starting to question, you know, how they can be on bail and able to continue to offend. The Northern Territory government announcing and saying on this show on numerous occasions that they're going to be reviewing and they're in the process of reviewing the Youth Justice Act and trying to make some changes to avoid this happening. I mean, what do you make of that and do you think that it will have much of an impact in Alice Springs?

Well, I think that's probably one of the few mechanisms they've got is to keep tweaking the legislation and tightening things up so we have better laws in place that the police can then go on and use to keep us all safe. I mean, look, the broader perspective for me is we've had a change in government where seven or eight months down the track, they've done their best to demonstrate their commitment to delivering on their promises, which is to reduce crime and tighten things up, which they did for a while but we know that these things are hard to sustain. I think the challenge for them now is to put the mechanisms in place to sustain it, to keep the pressure on and that can you know, as legislators, and that's all we are as members of Parliament, changing and strengthening the legislation around these things is one of the few mechanisms we have. So they're on track, that's exactly what they should be doing. But in the meantime it's just it's just agonizing to see things decline again. And but you know, as we know with the cycle, there'll be operations that come about conducted by the police that will see a reduction in crime. We hope and assume, because that's what's happened under Labor, that's what's happened will happen under the CLP. They're still although they're a different government, they're still facing the same problems with the same level of resourcing and the same sort of context. Robin, how can they do things so dramatically different? It's I don't know, that's what they have to come up with.

Well, I think that's probably one of the few mechanisms they've got is to keep tweaking the legislation and tightening things up so we have better laws in place that the police can then go on and use to keep us all safe. I mean, look, the broader perspective for me is we've had a change in government where seven or eight months down the track, they've done their best to demonstrate their commitment to delivering on their promises, which is to reduce crime and tighten things up, which they did for a while but we know that these things are hard to sustain. I think the challenge for them now is to put the mechanisms in place to sustain it, to keep the pressure on and that can you know, as legislators, and that's all we are as members of Parliament, changing and strengthening the legislation around these things is one of the few mechanisms we have. So they're on track, that's exactly what they should be doing. But in the meantime it's just it's just agonizing to see things decline again. And but you know, as we know with the cycle, there'll be operations that come about conducted by the police that will see a reduction in crime. We hope and assume, because that's what's happened under Labor, that's what's happened will happen under the CLP. They're still although they're a different government, they're still facing the same problems with the same level of resourcing and the same sort of context. Robin, how can they do things so dramatically different? It's I don't know, that's what they have to come up with.

Well, and you know, it's a community's expectation, right. People want to feel as though they're able to be safe. Aaron Blacker does not want to. I'm assuming, you know, be in the situation that he in now and he and his little family where you go to help and you know you're stepping up as a good human and winding up then seriously injured like it's We speak about these issues way more often than any of us want to.

Well, and you know, it's a community's expectation, right. People want to feel as though they're able to be safe. Aaron Blacker does not want to. I'm assuming, you know, be in the situation that he in now and he and his little family where you go to help and you know you're stepping up as a good human and winding up then seriously injured like it's We speak about these issues way more often than any of us want to.

Yes, we do. Aaron Blacker is a leader in our community of Alice Springs. He is extremely articulate, he's extremely intelligent. He's very widely respected across the community, across he's been in the construction industry for years. I think we will see Aaron Blacker come out of this and provide insight and leadership around what he wants and what he thinks should happen, and I welcome that if there's any positive that will come out of it. I know Aaron well, I've known him for a very long time. He is a superstar, and I think we will see some positives come out of it. But that's not always the case case for people who are less articulate and less empowered. It can you know, really just destroy live, right.

Yes, we do. Aaron Blacker is a leader in our community of Alice Springs. He is extremely articulate, he's extremely intelligent. He's very widely respected across the community, across he's been in the construction industry for years. I think we will see Aaron Blacker come out of this and provide insight and leadership around what he wants and what he thinks should happen, and I welcome that if there's any positive that will come out of it. I know Aaron well, I've known him for a very long time. He is a superstar, and I think we will see some positives come out of it. But that's not always the case case for people who are less articulate and less empowered. It can you know, really just destroy live, right.

That's exactly the right. Well, Robin, please pass on, you know our well wishes to him and his family. But look before I let you go, I mean we also reported last week on this terrible situation where a Danish tourist was allegedly assaulted by an offender who was not known to her. Now, you know, following on from that, we know that there's been some really good moves in terms of additional flights going into Alice Springs, for example. But you know, I think that our tourism operators have got such a big battle on their hands when we continue to grapple with these issues of crime all the while, you know, trying to get more people to head to the Red Center. Even yesterday we had a mum getting contact with us. You know, they're heading to Alice Springs as part of an event the anti title series for motor Cross. Says I understand it, and there, you know, like she's worried about her son heading to Alice Springs. This is the kind of thing that you guys are grappling with now as you try to get the place on track.

That's exactly the right. Well, Robin, please pass on, you know our well wishes to him and his family. But look before I let you go, I mean we also reported last week on this terrible situation where a Danish tourist was allegedly assaulted by an offender who was not known to her. Now, you know, following on from that, we know that there's been some really good moves in terms of additional flights going into Alice Springs, for example. But you know, I think that our tourism operators have got such a big battle on their hands when we continue to grapple with these issues of crime all the while, you know, trying to get more people to head to the Red Center. Even yesterday we had a mum getting contact with us. You know, they're heading to Alice Springs as part of an event the anti title series for motor Cross. Says I understand it, and there, you know, like she's worried about her son heading to Alice Springs. This is the kind of thing that you guys are grappling with now as you try to get the place on track.

Well, that's right, Katie. There's always this tension, always this tension between tourism operators wanting to talk up the town but having to do with the reality that we do have a very high level of crime. We always have and we in recent years have had a crime crisis. So how do you sell tourism when that is the reality of living in Alice Springs? Can I say Katie that at this time of year, Alice Springs is absolutely magical. We've come out of one of the longest, hottest, driest, terrible summers, and it's like we've all crept out of a hole and we've all got smiles in our faces. It's rained, it looks green and lush and beautiful, and the temperature is just perfect. So and the parture my festival over the weekend was just such a success and people have had a wonderful weekend despite these terrible incidences. But look, it's an ongoing battle for tourism. I don't know what the answer is. I'm not going to stop talking about crime because I think it's important that we have a dialogue about how to combat crime and we need to be realistic about the levels of crime. Don't shoot the messenger, don't shoot Katie Wolf and any other journalist that wants to talk about crime, because I think it's important we know where it's happening and what is happening. But I feel for the tourism operators, but that's you know, that's one thing that they have to deal with, you know. Like but coming to our springs, if you are careful, if you are very mindful of what could happen, look after yourself, you look after your belongings. You nine times out of ten you'll be okay. It's just I think a lot of people just push their luck a little bit or ignorantly and naively put themselves in a situation. Walking alone on a street anywhere in Alice Springs obviously, is something you've got to be very careful about in quiet areas of Jap. Look, it can happen anywhere, and if it can happen to Aaron Blacker, honestly, it can happen to anyone. But I think if you're just really protective of yourself and mindful of your surroundings, nine times out of ten you will be okay.

Well, that's right, Katie. There's always this tension, always this tension between tourism operators wanting to talk up the town but having to do with the reality that we do have a very high level of crime. We always have and we in recent years have had a crime crisis. So how do you sell tourism when that is the reality of living in Alice Springs? Can I say Katie that at this time of year, Alice Springs is absolutely magical. We've come out of one of the longest, hottest, driest, terrible summers, and it's like we've all crept out of a hole and we've all got smiles in our faces. It's rained, it looks green and lush and beautiful, and the temperature is just perfect. So and the parture my festival over the weekend was just such a success and people have had a wonderful weekend despite these terrible incidences. But look, it's an ongoing battle for tourism. I don't know what the answer is. I'm not going to stop talking about crime because I think it's important that we have a dialogue about how to combat crime and we need to be realistic about the levels of crime. Don't shoot the messenger, don't shoot Katie Wolf and any other journalist that wants to talk about crime, because I think it's important we know where it's happening and what is happening. But I feel for the tourism operators, but that's you know, that's one thing that they have to deal with, you know. Like but coming to our springs, if you are careful, if you are very mindful of what could happen, look after yourself, you look after your belongings. You nine times out of ten you'll be okay. It's just I think a lot of people just push their luck a little bit or ignorantly and naively put themselves in a situation. Walking alone on a street anywhere in Alice Springs obviously, is something you've got to be very careful about in quiet areas of Jap. Look, it can happen anywhere, and if it can happen to Aaron Blacker, honestly, it can happen to anyone. But I think if you're just really protective of yourself and mindful of your surroundings, nine times out of ten you will be okay.

Yeah, hey, Robin, really quickly before I let you go. I understand that there's been some concerns as well about this scam going on with flights into Alice Springs.

Yeah, hey, Robin, really quickly before I let you go. I understand that there's been some concerns as well about this scam going on with flights into Alice Springs.

What happened, Well, there was this marvelous deal put on the table a few weeks ago. I'm pretty sure it was through webjaed.

What happened, Well, there was this marvelous deal put on the table a few weeks ago. I'm pretty sure it was through webjaed.

It was.

It was.

It was heavily discounted flights for people coming into Alice Springs from anywhere across the country. And it was reported just a few days ago that a local got their family onto it and to cut along story short, picked up the wrong link and bought tickets and was scammed. So you know, another setback for the town that even when you are offered discount flights, you have to be so extraordinarily careful that you're actually going to the right place and spending your money with the right company, otherwise you'll end up out of pockets.

It was heavily discounted flights for people coming into Alice Springs from anywhere across the country. And it was reported just a few days ago that a local got their family onto it and to cut along story short, picked up the wrong link and bought tickets and was scammed. So you know, another setback for the town that even when you are offered discount flights, you have to be so extraordinarily careful that you're actually going to the right place and spending your money with the right company, otherwise you'll end up out of pockets.

So there's a lot of scammers around at the moment. I think it's Yeah, it's a good people changing invoices, changing websites, all sorts of things and catching you hadn't.

So there's a lot of scammers around at the moment. I think it's Yeah, it's a good people changing invoices, changing websites, all sorts of things and catching you hadn't.

Heard of it and that I think that's been a real blow for tourism Central Australia too. That's something so positive and someone has had such a negative experience, so yeah, another blow.

Heard of it and that I think that's been a real blow for tourism Central Australia too. That's something so positive and someone has had such a negative experience, so yeah, another blow.

Well, Robin sounds glorious.

Well, Robin sounds glorious.

A lovely easter ahead of us.

A lovely easter ahead of us.

We'll have a lovely easter. Robin I always appreciate it. Thank you, thanks so much for joining me, hopefully hopefully. Thanks Robin, you too, talk to you bye.

We'll have a lovely easter. Robin I always appreciate it. Thank you, thanks so much for joining me, hopefully hopefully. Thanks Robin, you too, talk to you bye.