PHOTO: Alice Springs. THE GLOBAL WIZARDS
As this Aussie city descends into chaos and violence with seemingly no end in sight, one image sums up the depressing reality for residents.
Gripped by an out-of-control youth crime wave and a terrifying escalation in alcohol-fuelled violence, Alice Springs is facing an “exodus” of long-term residents — and the situation is so bad, even the town’s mayor says he “can’t blame them”.
Around 200 properties are currently listed for sale in the Central Australian outback town, which has a population of just 26,000.
Typically at any given time that number would be just under 100, according to locals.
“We’re seeing an exodus of people out of Alice Springs,” said Toni Rowan from Alice Springs Realty.
“The primary reason is young families are moving out because their children are getting to an age now where they want them in a safe environment. They’ve been moving for the last year. Now we’ve got the second lot, the grandparents are moving because they miss their children.”
A large number of properties are up for sale in Alice Springs.
A third group also selling are people who moved to Alice Springs for work and purchased a property due to the tight rental market making it cheaper to simply pay off a mortgage.
“They can’t stick it out,” said Ms Rowan.
“I settled one in April last year, it was back under contract in December. As soon as they got it under contract they had a break in.”
Ms Rowan, who has lived in the town on-and-off since the ‘90s, said the crime was the worst it had ever been and “almost everyone in Alice” was under “very high emotional stress”.
“The children are running amok, breaking into people’s houses, stirring things up, smashing windows,” she said.
“I live in fear. People … have threatened to burn my house down, kill my dogs, to rape me. They’re out of control. People come in from the community and yell and scream. You go out and say can you please be quiet and it escalates. ‘You’re a racist see-you-next-Tuesday.’ People are closing down businesses and leaving.”
The town is facing an ‘exodus’ due to rising crime. Picture: JPL/Media Mode/news.com.au
Ms Rowan conservatively estimates she is getting “at least five appraisals a week for people leaving town due to anti-social behaviour”.
And she believes the newly announced alcohol restrictions are “not going to work”.
“I understand why the children are roaming the street, because they feel unsafe in their house,” she said.
“They need to be taken off the street. We need to build a facility or something with games and digital technology and have the elders there — I’m not saying lock them up, but if we don’t stop this now we’re going to be saying sorry in 20 years for not doing something.”
Ms Rowan said the difference between when she last left in 2010 and when she came back a few years ago was shocking — and social media likely plays a big role.
“I don’t know how this happened,” she said.
“They’re walking around like Bloods and Crips as if they’re in LA or something. That’s what they’re about. They’re definitely on TikTok, they love it. They’re not even scared breaking into places and putting it on social media.”
Police question a driver in the CBD on Australia Day. Picture: JPL/Media Mode/news.com.au
Darren Clark, who runs the popular Action for Alice Facebook page, says the crime has been “a real bad problem for about four years”.
The local baker turned community activist says kids have been stealing cars for a “long, long time”, but the issue garnered mainstream attention a few months ago when they began “stealing them en masse, taking them into the CBD and going f**king nuts”.
“The cops tell you to lock your keys away but my advice to people is the opposite — leave it on the bench,” he said.
“Because if they come into your home and can’t find them, they actually stand over kids’ beds and everything.”
The high-profile crime wave and ensuing media attention led to a special high-visibility police operation in the CBD.
“But then it all comes out here to the suburbs,” he said.
He warns that anger in the local community at the perceived lack of action from authorities is reaching boiling point.
“Everyone is just fuming,” he said.
“I’m trying to keep them calm. I’ve got a few boys here that are just ready to go. Mental illness is hitting, they’re on antidepressants. But I have to keep saying, guys, don’t f**king do anything because you’ll be made an absolute example. You’ll be straight out on the road, you’ll be put on a cross.”
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