Making the Territory safer

Budget 2024 invests $1.2 billion in public order and safety, and $723 million in social protection to deliver a range of initiatives to build safer, fairer and more resilient communities.

Supporting police

The Territory Government is committed to providing police with the support and resources required to keep Territorians safe.

Budget 2024 invests an additional $570 million over five years to respond to recommendations from the independent Police Review and fully establish the Territory Safety Division. This is the largest increase in police resourcing in the Territory’s history.

The funding includes $445 million over five years for an additional 200 sworn officers and 71 non-sworn operational support staff across the Territory, including 120 officers for general duties to boost frontline policing in the Greater Darwin and Katherine regions and ensure a minimum of three police officers in each remote station.

A further $125 million is provided for a five-year rolling police infrastructure program that aims to give Territory police the best facilities to continue keeping the Territory safe. Key areas of focus for the police infrastructure program will be new and upgraded police stations, watch houses and housing, particularly in remote and regional areas.

Further police infrastructure investments in Budget 2024 include:

• $36.4 million for a multipurpose police complex in Maningrida, including police housing
• $19 million for a Peppimenarti police complex
• $11.5 million for a watch house in Tennant Creek.

The full establishment of the Territory Safety Division, which is based at the Nightcliff Police Station, will enable high visibility policing in Greater Darwin and provide a rapid response to alcohol-related offending, antisocial behaviour and other social order issues. The Territory Safety Division will also provide surge response capacity across the Territory.

The increase in non-sworn staff includes an additional 25 FTE call takers and CCTV operators to support the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre.

The additional staff will be recruited over a 4-year period and result in the Territory Government’s sworn officer target increasing to 1,842 FTE by 2027-28.

Implementation of the government’s response to the Northern Territory Police Review will also strengthen the agency’s ability to support frontline staff in their day-to-day work. This includes career pathways for Aboriginal community police officers, digital transformation, data-informed service provision, bolstering capacity of the Police College, and recruitment of senior, experienced police from other states to build capability in the ranks.

The full establishment of the Territory Safety Division includes $5.4 million per year to continue and expand grant funding for private security guards to help address antisocial behaviour and reduce alcohol-related harm.

Resourcing correctional services

Budget 2024 invests in correctional services to ensure facilities are fit for purpose and that offenders face consequences for their actions but also have training and skills to support rehabilitation through:

• $65 million over five years and $10 million per year thereafter for costs associated with rising prisoner numbers
• $57 million to establish two new interim standalone women’s prisons in Darwin and Alice Springs and refurbish the existing Don Dale Youth Detention Centre for use as an interim training facility for male prisoners to get them work ready. Demolition of the former Don Dale Youth Detention Centre is expected to commence in July 2024
• $34 million to deliver improvements and security upgrades at the Alice Springs Correctional Centre
• $4 million to support the establishment of an alternative to custody facility in Central Australia for up to 30 Aboriginal male domestic and family violence offenders.

Domestic, family and sexual violence

The Territory Government continues its commitment to generational change and safer communities for women and children by providing $70 million in Budget 2024 to reduce domestic, family and sexual violence (DFSV) across the Territory.

Budget 2024 includes an additional $30 million over two years to continue implementation of Action Plan 2 under the DFSV Reduction Framework, supporting health, justice and policing initiatives aimed at preventing DFSV and reducing the impacts of violence on victim survivors. This funding builds on existing investment of around $98 million since 2017-18 for various strategies and initiatives, including the DFSV Action Plan 1 and Action Plan 2.

Business Growth, Resilience and Security Package

Budget 2024 includes $8 million over two years to deliver a refreshed and expanded business growth, resilience and security package, providing grants to enable small Territory businesses to improve safety and security, and reduce commercial crime. Budget 2024 also provides:

• $8 million over two years to continue transit safety initiatives across the bus network to deter and manage antisocial behaviour, including funding for on-board security officers
• $3 million in 2024-25 and $1.1 million per year thereafter to enhance emergency services
• $1.4 million to establish cyber security training and outreach capability and a new Cyber Invest Business Grant program for small businesses to improve cyber security protections
• $1 million to provide additional support to the Director of Public Prosecutions
• $0.55 million to increase the capacity of the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption.

Youth justice

The Territory Government is funding a new model of care for youth detention, supporting young people to receive the specialised care they need to build confidence and capability to make safe, responsible decisions that reduce the likelihood of reoffending and lead to successful adult lives.

Budget 2024 includes $44.2 million over two years to establish and operate residential youth justice facilities in Darwin, Katherine, Alice Springs and Tennant Creek. These will be live-in facilities to ensure court sentences and orders are enforced, while also providing training and education services to help young people get their lives back on track with a pathway into the workforce.

The new residential youth justice facilities will complement existing youth justice centres under development in Darwin and Alice Springs.

Printable fact sheet

Get a printable copy of the making the Territory safer fact sheet PDF (575.6 KB).