Politicians in the Northern Territory have reacted with disgust and horror at news a baby girl's skull was fractured during an alleged violent home invasion.
NT Police said the "serious assault" of a mother and child occurred in Larapinta on Wednesday, "where the infant suffered a serious head injury after allegedly being struck by a blunt weapon".
"Detectives have spoken with family members and the infant involved is currently in a stable condition in hospital in Adelaide," NT Police said.
"Two males, aged 16 and 17, have since been arrested and charged with a multitude of offences and will appear in court today."
Lingiari MP Marion Scrymgour said the alleged assault on the infant was "disgusting, horrific and horrible," and argued people living in Mparntwe/Alice Springs were scared.
"People should feel safe in their homes and they're not. I hate it … I feel unsafe in my home in Alice Springs," Ms Scrymgour said, as reported by NT News.
"There's many women who approach me that are living on their own.
"One day someone's gonna say 'I have to protect my home and my kids' and there'll be consequences. That's what I fear, is that someone's going to get killed in all of this."
She said she had been discussing the plight of the troubled town with federal colleagues, including Minister for Indigenous Australians, Malarndirri McCarthy, and called on NT Police to seek the help of the ADF, federal police or other agencies.
Opposition spokesperson for Indigenous affairs, Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, said when people feared violence in their own homes, "things are terribly wrong".
The NT Senator blamed the federal government, arguing they "must do more to support the wider community instead of simply throwing money at these situations, especially at Aboriginal organisations and hope for the best".
In a statement, Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro said the "community deserves to be safe," and cited her government's new laws, which lowered the age of criminal responsibility and made bail requirements more stringent.
"Alice Springs deserves a comprehensive and consistent response to community safety, not a glossy brochure touted as a 'plan' that has historically failed to deliver results," she said.
Ms Finocchiaro announced a dozen police will target individuals with outstanding warrants to "reduce the ongoing risk to the community," whilst the town will be divided into five sectors: "four urban - including the CBD - and one rural sector".
"Over the coming days, I will hold urgent meetings with police, lead agencies, the community sector, and Aboriginal leaders," Ms Finocchiaro said.
"Our government will announce further measures to reduce crime in Alice Springs."
Opposition leader Selena Uibo said the new CLP government's approach to crime prevention was failing and called for another curfew in the town.
"Alice Springs is spiralling further out of control, and Lia's so-called urgent laws have no impact," Ms Uibo said, as reported by NT News.
She said the chief minister needed to stop "hiding behind press releases" and take "immediate action to protect Territorians".
"A curfew must be called."
