As summer looms, supergroup aims to combat antisocial behaviour

A group of senior police, bureaucrats, community leaders and politicians will lead a new attempt at addressing antisocial behaviour in Port Augusta.

The Port Augusta Responsible Communities (PARC) group replaces the popular but sometimes controversial City Safe program wound up by the Port Augusta City Council at the start of the year.

City Safe was a council-funded program that used security officers and a K9 unit for night patrols, community engagement, dry zone enforcement and other interventions.

But the council axed City Safe in January after 11 years because it was costing hundreds of thousands of dollars a year and was not a core council business.

“The most senior people … are being brought together to deal with all of the challenges that the antisocial behaviour brings,” Stuart MP Dan van Holst Pellekaan said.

The state government hoped PARC would develop an understanding of the needs of long-term visitors to Port Augusta, make services more accessible for them and co-ordinate the agencies delivering the services.

It has promised “deep engagement” with Aboriginal people.

New approach after failed attempts

PARC includes Commissioner for Aboriginal Engagement Roger Thomas, Commissioner for Liquor and Gambling Dini Soulio, and the executive director of the Department of Human Services, Anne-Marie Hayes.

Port Augusta-based Superintendent Paul Roberts, also a PARC member, said it was not the first time a cross-agency group had been formed to address social issues in Port Augusta.

“I think finally we’ve got the right people that are establishing getting together to provide that strategic, high-level oversight,” he said.

“There’s no point having … a gathering of 100 people, because it’s like herding cats and we just don’t achieve anything.”

Port Augusta resident and Adnyamathanha elder Vince Coulthard hoped the taskforce would deliver on its promise of improving co-ordination between agencies.

“That’s always been the case — the left arm’s not knowing what the right arm’s doing,” Mr Coulthard said.

He was pleased with the membership of the group.

“[Aboriginal Engagement Commissioner] Dr Roger Thomas, he’s from this community, actually — as a young person, he grew up here … I think he’ll be good for this committee and good for the outcomes for Port Augusta.”

Bad behaviour spikes in summer

Summer increases in antisocial behaviour have been a feature of life in Port Augusta for decades, but authorities said it was a bigger problem than usual last year.

It was usually associated with an influx of people from other parts of the state, including the APY Lands, and a large number of transient people living in the city.

Mr van Holst Pellekaan said the axing of City Safe was not the main driver of last summer’s heightened social problems.

“A whole range of things came together last summer,” he said.

“[The end of City Safe] was certainly one of them, but COVID — some had been in their communities for very, very long times and then when they left, [they were] perhaps behaving not exactly the same way as they would under normal circumstances.”

Mayor Brett Benbow said neither City Safe nor the PARC program were intended to discourage people from visiting.

“Anyone that wants to visit our city is welcome to our city,” he said.

‘The north winds are here’

Mr van Holst Pellekaan said crime on the streets dropped last summer, but antisocial behaviour had risen at the same time.

He said it was important to distinguish between crime and antisocial behaviour.

“They’re not the same thing, and that’s a big part of the challenge,” Ms van Holst Pellekaan said.

Superintendent Roberts said last summer’s problems were “a blight on Port Augusta”.

“[We’re] not necessarily trying to arrest our way out of social problems, but try and target so that we provide the best service at the most appropriate time to the most appropriate people.”

Cr Benbow hoped the group could begin work immediately.

“As you can see the sun has already come upon us, the north winds are here, the dust is here, and the heat promotes the activity that we had last year,” he said.