New police statistics in the Northern Territory show a mixed picture of crime trends two years after the Country Liberal Party (CLP) government came to power promising stronger law-and-order measures. While the territory recorded overall reductions in several categories of offending, more recent figures reveal increases in some areas, particularly around Darwin and the Top End.

The CLP government took office in August 2024 and introduced a series of law-and-order reforms during its first year. Preliminary figures cited by the ABC show that property offences fell by 15 per cent during the government's second year, while offences against the person declined by 6 per cent.

These territory-wide figures suggest an improvement compared with the preceding period. However, the overall totals do not reflect the experience of every town or community, and the latest data indicates that the direction of crime trends has begun to vary across the territory.

In Darwin, property offences have been increasing since October 2025. Police data shows that the number of recorded property crimes returned to levels seen in 2024 during July and August 2026. In August this year, more property offences were recorded than in August 2024, when the CLP government was elected.

Property offences cover a range of crimes involving belongings and buildings, including theft and burglary. These offences can affect residents, retailers and other businesses through financial losses, disruption and concerns about personal safety. The figures do not, by themselves, explain why the increase has occurred or whether it is connected to any particular government policy.

Offences against the person, which include crimes such as homicide, assault and robbery, fell during the CLP's first year in office. The latest data suggests that this improvement has since levelled off both in Darwin and across the Northern Territory. This means that the earlier decline has not continued at the same pace.

The situation also differs between regional centres. Alice Springs has experienced significant reductions in both property offences and crimes against people since the CLP took office in August 2024. In contrast, the figures for Katherine suggest that offending remains at similar or higher levels than two years ago. Rural and remote communities also remain a challenge, with the data not showing consistent reductions across both major categories.

The differences underline the difficulty of assessing a territory-wide law-and-order strategy using a single overall figure. Communities have different circumstances, and changes in recorded offences can reflect a range of factors. The statistics provide a measure of reported crime, but they do not independently establish the causes of changes or prove whether a specific policy has succeeded or failed.

The findings also place pressure on the government to explain how its reforms are working in areas where offending has increased or remained stubbornly high. The ABC reported that the Northern Territory government had not responded to its request for comment on the figures at the time of publication.

The latest figures therefore present a divided picture: the territory-wide totals have improved in some respects, but the increases in Darwin and continuing regional problems show that crime remains a significant public-safety issue. Further data will be needed to establish whether the recent rises continue and whether improvements can be sustained across the Northern Territory.