Matt Cunningham, who has worked as a journalist for more than 12 years in Northern Territory and covered the escalating crime rate, was overcome with emotion during a live cross on Friday morning.
A Sky News Australia reporter has been overcome with emotion as he spoke about the ongoing violence that has gripped the Northern Territory.
The town of Alice Springs has been thrust into the national spotlight this week over surging crime rates in the community, as well as child protection issues.
An alcohol ban was put in place by the government in a bid to address the situation, with a proposed ballot to decide if booze should be allowed in Aboriginal town camps.
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Matt Cunningham, who has worked in the Top End for more than a decade covering issues affecting Indigenous communities, and has been on the ground covering the story this week, said in a live cross on Friday the concerns were not new.
He was in Alice Springs in September last year reporting on the death of Indigenous woman Alena Kukla, also known as A.K, and her 15-week-old baby boy Orlando who were both allegedly killed at the hands of her partner in a murder-suicide in July.
AM Agenda host Laura Jayes spoke about the tragic story and noted the mother and her baby had died on the same day alcohol bans were lifted in the territory.
“It’s a heartbreaking story. We actually came down here to investigate whether an Aboriginal Voice to Parliament could do anything to deal with the issues Alice Springs is facing,” Cunningham said on Friday standing in front of the town’s sign.
“We see Linda Burney the Minister for Indigenous Australians say this week if a Voice had been in place then some of the things we’re seeing in Alice Springs perhaps wouldn’t have happened. That wasn’t the impression I got when I was on the ground here in September.”
An emotional package from September then proceeded to play, where the Sky News reporter spoke to the family members of the murdered mother and baby.
The story finished playing and returned to the live broadcast where Cunningham said Aboriginal communities had been “crying out for help” for months.
“Have a look at this place, it is the most beautiful place in the world. You know the heart of this country, but it’s breaking at the moment,” he said as he appeared to tear up.
Jayes recognised it had been a big week for the experienced journalist and posed why it had been “so tough” and what he wanted to say to those living in major cities who may not have known about the situation in Alice Springs.
“I’ve been reporting on this stuff for a long time, Laura,” he said, wiping his face.
“I see the country cares. It cares about five minutes and then it moves on and doesn’t care anymore.
“So, maybe we’ve got a chance here. We are focused on this for once and maybe will actually happen and something will change.”
Crime surged in Alice Springs following the lapse of the Stronger Future laws in July 2022, with terrified locals desperately asking for government intervention.
Alice Springs Mayor Matt Paterson this week described the situation in his besieged town as “pretty scary at the moment”.
“The new flavour of the month for the people committing crimes is edged weapons,” he said, referencing one story where scared shoppers had to be locked inside a supermarket due to a 13-year-old wielding a machete outside.
NT Police said about 300 people have been arrested in the past seven weeks alone and another 400 infringement notices had been issued.
Domestic violence has also doubled, with about 3,000 incidents reported back in 2018, but that number soared to 6,000 by the end of 2021.
The Northern Territory Government announced this week takeaway alcohol sales would be banned on Monday and Tuesday and restrictions on other days between 3pm to 7pm in a bid to curb the violence gripping the town and nearby communities.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a swathe of funding for central Australia, including $25 million toward community services funding for central Australian organisations, $2 million for the Tangentyere Women’s Council, $2 million for high visibility police operations and $2 million for extra lighting and street lamps for the area.
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‘Heartbreaking’: Sky News reporter’s emotional live cross on NT violence – Sky News Australia
