While a curfew may have tempered violent unrest in Alice Springs, it is not necessarily a strategy that will work in other towns, the prime minister says.
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Anthony Albanese has visited organisations in Alice Springs, weeks after a series of violent brawls led local authorities to impose a three-week curfew on the Red Centre.
The curfew was first imposed in late March after an 18-year-old was killed in a car crash which triggered clashes between rival families and led to a surge of violence.
While Mr Albanese noted the curfew worked, he said it must be carefully discussed elsewhere.
"I don't think it's a one-size-fits-all," he told reporters on Tuesday.
"It worked here, it was a good thing here, I supported it being done here.
"What I don't want is (people saying) 'the prime minister said there should be a curfew in the next town'."
The Northern Territory government declared an emergency and prohibited children under 18 from entering central Alice Springs between 6pm and 6am.
Since the end of the order, extra police patrols have been introduced to prevent a return to violence as government social workers have provided support for families.
The federal government on Monday committed an extra $14.2 million for policing and community safety supports in Alice Springs as part of an extension of its partnership with the Northern Territory government.
Justice advocates have warned punitive measures such as curfews and increased police numbers often fail to address root causes of crime and instead funnel more people into the criminal justice system.
But Alice Spring mayor Matt Paterson insists the curfew and bolstered police presence has made a difference.
"It changed the mindset of the community and people were so grateful that it had changed," he said.
"They were willing to go out to dinner and go to the movies at night time and that's something that they haven't done for a few years.
"It's the police resourcing, it's the domestic violence, it's also about having safe places for young kids to go ... and I think that the prime minister listened to that."
Asked about continued high levels of youth offending, the prime minister said other factors had to be considered.
"What we want to look at is where things are effective - you keep going. Where things aren't - how can improvements be made?" Mr Albanese said.
"We're talking about intergenerational disadvantage here, we're taking about people being given opportunities as well - whether it be to improve school attendance, whether it be to get employment."
After landing in the Red Centre on Monday afternoon, he announced a $19 million funding boost for the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress for the provision of a range of health services.
The government also allocated $8 million to public school infrastructure upgrades in the Northern Territory. Schools will get funding of at least $250,000 to build or upgrade infrastructure.
Australian Associated Press
