Police figures showing significant drops in offending in a crime-troubled territory are proof a tough law-and-order approach is working, the government says.
Acting Commander Kirsten Engels said crime statistics continued to trend in the right direction in the Northern Territory, with total offences down 13 per cent in the year ending June 2026 compared to the previous year.
NT Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro jumped on the figures, saying her government was delivering on its election promise to Territorians to make reducing crime its number one priority.
As her government marked two years in office, Ms Finocchiaro said the latest figures showed the number of victims of crime fell by 3501 - a 13.2 per cent reduction.
“The latest crime statistics show encouraging results which demonstrate that our strategy is working and that we have changed the territory for the better," she said in a statement on Monday.
The falling offence rates follow changes to bail laws and other law-and-order measures that have led to hundreds more people being put behind bars, under policies that largely impact Indigenous Territorians.
The latest crime figures come as the NT government announced plans for a 1200-bed Men’s Remand Centre and a new purpose-built 200-bed women’s centre.
Cmdr Engels told reporters in Darwin on Monday sexual assault cases across the NT were down 11 per cent, property offences were down 16 per cent and motor vehicle thefts were down 28 per cent.
In Alice Springs, total offences were down by 30 per cent and property offences were down 37 per cent.
Total offences in Darwin were down by 13 per cent and property offences were down 14 per cent.
Total offences in Palmerston were up four per cent, domestic violence assaults were up by six per cent but house break-ins were down by 22 per cent.
In Katherine, assaults were down by 11 per cent and house break-ins dropped by 17 per cent.
"These figures overall are positive but they also reinforce that crime reduction is not finished and we still continue to put our resources where they need to reduce harm and offending," Cmdr Engels said.
