Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
We know that Eva Laula yesterday handed down her first budget,
significant money invested on infrastructure and cost of living. The
Northern Territory budget sees a record two point one one
billion spend on infrastructure this fiscal year. It is up
from one point seventy nine billion last year. There's going
to be upgrades for schools, for hospitals and various other things.
(00:22):
Now the governments also say that they are set on
their deadline to create that forty billion dollar economy by
twenty thirty. Now joining me on the line this morning
is the Northern Territory Treasurer Eva Lawla. Good morning to
your treasurer.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Morning Katie.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Now, how would you describe your first ever budget?
Speaker 2 (00:40):
I said it was a rock solid budget, I think,
and that's a good description. Is a really strong balance
between the social and economic which is always difficult in
the Northern Territory. But there was some really good news
around infrastructure, the biggest infrastructure spend in Northern Territory history basically,
so two billion dollars of cash will go out. But
(01:00):
then on the other side, it's had some really good,
really solid announcements around social things, so you know, modular
accommodation for a big modular accommodation unit to go into RDH.
We know we have those code yellows, so that's a
really good news story. Nineteen million for a police station
at pep Manarti. Again we've seen, you know, an escalation
(01:22):
of crime in that sort of area with daily over there,
so that's a really good one to have a permanent
police presence. Catherine High School nine point seven million, really
nice one around the stem. So it's you know, the budget.
We worked hard to make sure it was the length
and the breadth of the territory that you know, everybody,
there was something in it for everybody.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
Basically, Minister that record two point one one billion on infrastructure.
What kind of infrastructure are we going to see? I
know there's been a lot of talk about roads.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Yeah, most of it is roads. You know that that's
one that we have to do in the territory. And
you've heard me say many times Katie, seventy percent of
our roads is still do it, so it know it Again,
it's the length and the breath. So it's a Paru
road on the Tiwi Islands, there are times where people
just can't get across the Island because of you know,
(02:12):
logged of water logged, boggy, dirty areas. So we need
to have bitchman there. The Tannami. We're determined to get
that bitchumen from the Stuart Highway turn off all the
way to the WA border. The Santa Teresa Road. Same story,
people getting out to their community. The road at times
is impassable or dangerous. So that's being done. More roads
(02:34):
in the Beatloo area because of the industry going in there.
The Carpenterrea Highway Central anam road that's that will be bitchamized.
There's a progressive work to bitchamize. That will be amazing
to be able to drive all the way to Nulamboy
on Bitchamen one day, you know, and hopefully in the
not too distant future. So the road's money is the
(02:54):
big money. And you know Tiger Brennan Drive, there's another
one hundred and eight million to do probably hopefully to
finish that Tiger Brenn and Drive overpass. But yeah, nice
roads money. But there's also roads maintenance money. That's one
that I always don't forget because there's about two hundred
million for repairs and maintenance.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Well and given the weather that we experience here and
the issues that we have here. It is money that
does need to be invested.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Oh I know, and you know, I mean I get
reports all the time around potholes. Yeah, people let me know,
and you know they do need to be repaired. You know,
we do know that water gets underneath it, the cars
traveling over makes a pothole, and so there's some good
money in there for repairs and maintenance and upgrades as well.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
Minister, we know as well that there is going to
be quite a significant spend on corrections.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
Can you talk me through that?
Speaker 2 (03:44):
So yes, again, it was about making sure the budget
hit the mark around some of the areas where we
have you know, stress points in it. And so with
the corrections, it was about first and foremost around additional accommodation,
additional prison cells and so there's modular accommodation that will
go in in Alice Springs. First of all, we've had
(04:07):
people looking at similar setups in New South Wales for example,
So that will be and I think there's a between
fifty or eighty just off the top of my head,
you know cells that will go in there. So to
provide extra accommodation there's also more money for correctional officers,
so we know we need more prison officers. You know,
(04:29):
we've had those EBA discussions with the union. They have
told us loudly and clearly they need more prison officers,
more correctional officers. So there's more money that goes into
there as well.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
Does that go against, you know, the line from the
Attorney General? You know that jailing is failing if we
are going to be spending such a significant amount on corrections.
I think in fine the community is probably thinking this
isn't a bad announcement because we know that there are
unfortunately lots of issues with crime at the moment. But
does it go against that real jailing spailing line that
the Attorney General users?
Speaker 2 (05:02):
That's right, so that that's the work you do is
the treasure you you know, because I'm the one that runs,
you know, the ruler over it basically, And so when
you have you know, your ministers and the agencies coming
to the you you you actually have these strong conversations
with them around this. You know, are you fair thinking
about this? Tell me about that you know all those
But the other side of the coin is yes, you know,
(05:23):
yes we do need to have those things because there
are those pressure points. But we have also invested twenty
million dollars more into domestic, family and sexual violence. So
again you've probably heard Michael Murphy the Acting Commission. You've
heard that our you know, eighty percent of the people
in our jails are there because of domestic and family violence,
(05:43):
you know, and I mean, I don't know it's total,
right figure, but it's the large percentage of people in
our jails because of devastation violence. So you put more
money into that and hopefully then it's you know that
upstream you can you know, cut off some of those
problems before they start. That's really important as well. The
Aboriginal Justice Agreement, there's about forty million over three years there.
(06:05):
So again that's around what do we do to prevent
people getting to that, you know, about to go over
the cliff, to get into into jail, into trouble. So Minister,
you do as a treasure balance.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
Those or treasure.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
There is a lot of spending, there's no doubt about that,
and a lot of ways, you know, it is spending
that we need. But how are we going to get
back into the black by twenty twenty six, twenty seven.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
So two things on that one, Katie, first of all,
and own it is always complex, but we've got an
operating well we're predicting an operating surplus in twenty twenty four.
So the operating surplus is the money that the public
service spend to keep the place going, so you know, wages,
leases on buildings, vehicles, all of that. So we'll have
an operating surplus we you know, all going well, and
(06:51):
I'll talk more about that by twenty twenty four. But
then there's a fiscal balance surplus. When you put the
fiscal word in that is in that in includes the infrastructure. Then,
so we've got a big spend of infrastructure. Yes, we
have a big spend of infrastructure because you need to
keep the economy ticking over. You can't shut shop like
I could not spend any money on infrastructure and our
(07:13):
budget position would improve greatly. But you can't do that.
We need the civil contractors, we need people in jobs.
So that fiscal balance surplus that's by twenty twenty six.
That will see because we've got this, as I said,
big spend because there's a lot of projects like ship Lift,
Tiger Brenn and drive State Square, the roads funding. Some
(07:35):
of that road's funding. All of it is eighty twenty
from the federal government pretty much, so you know, we
have to match the twenty percent that the Fed's put
eighty percent in. So we've got this big amount road
of infrastructure. As some of that gets completed, that's when
the fiscal balance deficit comes through. So that's an and
(07:55):
you know that's going to be in twenty twenty six,
and it's about I think sixty seven minute and in
the black will be once that happens.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
Minister.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
One of the questions that a lot of people are
asking this morning as well, we know that that obviously
there are concerns that there isn't enough investment when it
comes to community safety. I know that Leofanocchiaro, the opposition leader,
has claimed that you and the Chief Minister are tone
deaf when it comes to crime. With the release of
this budget, I've got to say that, you know, we
(08:24):
asked the Chief Minister a lot of questions about this
yesterday and a lot of listeners were incredibly frustrated that
it doesn't seem as though those real concerns around community
safety are getting through to the government. Is the government
tone deaf? On this issue of public safety.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
No, no, absolutely not. And I will say you there are
fact sheep budget nt dot gov, dot dot gov, dot
AU so you can go and have a look. So
it's all spelled out very carefully there. So, yes, the
police have a record police budget. But besides that, there's
been as I said, twenty million that's gone into domestican
(09:01):
family violence, forty million into the Aboriginal Justice Agreement. There's
about twenty five million over three years that have gone
into the youth justice reform areas. There's money that's gone
into correction. So just because the dollars don't necessarily go
into straight into the police budget, and that is a
very blunt instrument, and that's you know, I mean, it's
politics one oh one that Lee is playing, but it
(09:24):
is a blunt instrument. We have put money into other
areas that will impact then the overall picture of how
we keep territory in safe. The other really good news
is the federal government, and we have to work closely
with the federal government. Doesn't matter what color they are
and what color their stripes, we work closely with them.
There was an announcement on the weekend of fourteen million
(09:46):
dollars going into Central Australia for policing and that's thirty
extra police. So combined with what we're doing and the
federal government is doing, there's a large amount of money,
probably over a billion dollar that's going into the safety
for territories. There's a fact sheet on the website. Have
a look at that so you can get all the details.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
Minister, nineteen million dollars for a new police station in
pepper Manati. Some questioning why we're investing such a massive
amount of dollars on that for not a real large population.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
Well, again you work with the agencies around that. I
think anybody that would have looked at very closely some
of the social issues that we've got. We have seen
in that West Ahnam sorry West Daily area, considerable issues
around crime. So you know, I'm not going to go
(10:42):
into the details. I'm not the police minister, but we
have seen vehicles being stolen from Darwin being driven out
into those areas. We've seen we know the ongoing issues
with what EI. There have been long term issues. There
was someone murdered in pep Manati. It is an area
same Daily River. It's an area where we have had
(11:02):
substantial crime. We need to have a ongoing permanent police
presence there. Nineteen million dollars for the pep Manati that
is also around voq. It's around accommodation also for police there,
and that's the difficulty in the territory. It's like, you know,
the same with schools. If you have a school in
a remote community, you then have to have housing. We
(11:24):
know how expensive it is to build housing. So in
Peppy that nineteen million dollars is for a new police station.
It's the detention facilities, but it is also a VOQ
and it is also housing.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
So it sounds like it's a situation where it's sort
of trying to deal.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
With the issue that's out there.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
So that investment, I'm assuming it is hoped that it
will mean that some of those issues that we've seen
spill over into the likes of Darwin and other areas.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
People out there feel safer that there are good people.
It's the same the world over, and it's the same
in all our communities. There are very good people who
live in these communities, but there are some people in
our communities who aren't good, and so we also need
to make sure that we're looking after the good people,
the people who send their kids to school every day.
When I look at the attendance figures in our communities,
(12:11):
they're not good, but they're inside those figures. There are
some really good kids who go to school every single day,
and their families always do the right thing. They have
them up, they have them fed, they're doing the right thing.
They also need to feel safe in those communities.
Speaker 3 (12:25):
I don't think anyone's disputing that.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
I don't think anyone's disputing that, but I think people
sort of get a bit offended when the accusation, you know,
when people ask these kind of questions that the government
sort of reverts back to, you know, to if the
community asks those questions, almost like making out that we're racist.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
No, Katie, it is about making sure that, yes, we
do want to make sure all territories are safe. But
I just need to remind people that the people who
live in Peppinati, who don't have a police a presence there,
a permanent police presence there, they also need to be
able to feel safe. So nineteen million dollars is a
broad spend, as I said, includes accommodation, but it is
(13:02):
also about making sure that you can turn that community around.
If there's a full time police presence there, you can
have police in the schools. You can have the police
in the community. They're on the ground, they're hearing, you
know what's going on. They can address issues.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
Treasurer, we are going to have to move along. There
has been a lot said about the Northern Territory government
reaching the forty billion dollar economy by twenty thirty. However,
the Budget four cast that this is to be about
thirteen billion dollars shy of the target by twenty twenty seven.
How are you going to reach that forty billion dollars,
So it.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
Was always absolutely a stretch target. But there is lots
of things that aren't in the budget. So we've heard
recently the spend. So from the Defense review there's about
three point eight billion dollars that will for the North
of Australia, so a large amount of money from defense,
and that's solid money that we know that the federal
government will spend. There's two point six billion dollars for
(14:00):
infrastructure from the federal government, so that's that's the middle arm.
That's also arrows that money isn't in the budget as well.
There's also arrofurer resources that's up and running about. They're
doing their civil works. There's also the ento oil and
gas industry. So there are lots of projects that you
(14:21):
know that we haven't included in the budget, and that
always happens. Until we get FID or until we get
that sign sealed and delivered with the federal government, it's
not included. So we're very optimistic about that. That's our
target and where I think we'll hit that target. There's
lots of good things happening in the territory, Minister. People
are feeling positive about the economy.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
Let's talk about Alice Springs.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
I know that we were promised two hundred and fifty
million dollars, but it's looking I'm having a look through
that breakdown. It's one hundred and fifty five million dollars
over five years, and then there's ninety four million dollars.
Speaker 3 (14:58):
It's a contingent in a contingent fund.
Speaker 1 (15:01):
Are you disappointed that that's not all being invested immediately?
Speaker 2 (15:05):
A couple of things on that. So, first and foremost,
it was about making sure that you know the consultation,
and there's consultation that's happened with government agencies. There's also
consultation that's happening with the community. Some of that consultation
with the community is ongoing that will nail down that
next ninety million dollars. I've had a lot of input
obviously into the forty million dollars for education, and that's
(15:28):
a really good news story. That will go to the
schools and that will bring the schools up to their
full resource allocation. So a really positive news for education.
But there are ongoing discussions around how all of that
money should be spent and that once it's done, that
money will roll out.
Speaker 1 (15:47):
But it is correct that there's ninety four million dollars
in a contingency.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
Yeah, so there's one hundred and fifty that's been really
clearly in marked forty million. As I said, I've had
strong discussions with Jason Claire. The other agencies as well
have mutual discussions. So forty million has been nailed down
around education some of the other dollars and you can
see that on the list where they will be spent.
But there's ninety million dollars where there's still some ongoing
(16:13):
discussions around where that's what that should be focused on.
You know, So there's things like boarding facilities, have been
talked about a lot. We do need to do some
more conversations around that to make sure it's money well spent.
So that's still consultation happening.
Speaker 1 (16:27):
But so it is going to happen that ninety four
or ninety million order is going to be spent.
Speaker 3 (16:31):
Is that what you're saying?
Speaker 2 (16:32):
I reckon, Marion scrimdaw will be making sure of that.
I really want to argue with Marion scrimdaw me.
Speaker 3 (16:39):
Minister before I let you go.
Speaker 1 (16:41):
Another arm told up last night that follows a sixty
one year old man being stabbed in his home yesterday
during the day. Territorians are feeling really sad and I
think pretty deflated at the moment that they feel in
a lot of ways, particularly after hearing from the Chief
Minister yesterday that they're know for the plans to try
(17:01):
to fix their very serious concerns around public safety. What
would you say to Territorians to give them some hope
that the government does understand those concerns and that they're
going to see some change.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
So, yeah, Katie is absolutely shocking. Nobody wants to see
any crime at all in the territory. As I said,
it is a terrible thing. And you know, every time
I hear a story around crime in the Northern Territory, yeah,
it breaks your heart to hear that. I was born
and bred territory. You know, we all remember the days
where we didn't hear about crime, so it is absolutely
shocking to hear that. But I can assure territories that,
(17:38):
like in our budget, there's a lot of money that's
going in to actually address these issues. But it is
everybody having to do their job in a firm focused
way and that includes ngngos as well as government agencies
and government ministers. So you know, more money into education,
well that means getting every single kid to school so
(17:59):
that you can make sure that a kid that's going
to school is doing the right thing, they're learning right
and wrong, all of those sorts of things. So you know,
but again, you put in legislation, you work with the police.
It's a constant work to keep ahead of the issues
around crime, and the Territory.
Speaker 1 (18:16):
Minister just finally a couple of messages coming through people
saying Katie, it's great to build a police station out
in the remote community, but are we going to have
enough police to be able to man it.
Speaker 2 (18:26):
Yeah, so that was one of the good things that
is in the budget as well. There's three million dollars
for the health and wellbeing of police and I think
that's a really important one. We hear the story that
there are police that are on sickly, that there are
police that are feeling undervalued, that their families are feeling
the stresses as well. So there's some good money there
(18:46):
for police to work on the health and wellbeing of
the police force. And I think I see that as
a preventative measure method as well as a measure to
get people back into the workforce. That's some good money
there into the police. But as I said, the federal
government also have put more police into Central Australia. We've
(19:08):
given police a really solid budget. Again, then that's up
to the Acting Commissioner to make sure that's used judiciously,
that it hits the mark around that well.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
Treasurer for the Northern Territory, Eva Laula really appreciate your
time this morning.
Speaker 3 (19:21):
Thank you for speaking with us.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
Thanks very much, Katie, thank you
We know that Eva Laula yesterday handed down her first budget,
significant money invested on infrastructure and cost of living. The
Northern Territory budget sees a record two point one one
billion spend on infrastructure this fiscal year. It is up
from one point seventy nine billion last year. There's going
to be upgrades for schools, for hospitals and various other things.
(00:22):
Now the governments also say that they are set on
their deadline to create that forty billion dollar economy by
twenty thirty. Now joining me on the line this morning
is the Northern Territory Treasurer Eva Lawla. Good morning to
your treasurer.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Morning Katie.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Now, how would you describe your first ever budget?
Speaker 2 (00:40):
I said it was a rock solid budget, I think,
and that's a good description. Is a really strong balance
between the social and economic which is always difficult in
the Northern Territory. But there was some really good news
around infrastructure, the biggest infrastructure spend in Northern Territory history basically,
so two billion dollars of cash will go out. But
(01:00):
then on the other side, it's had some really good,
really solid announcements around social things, so you know, modular
accommodation for a big modular accommodation unit to go into RDH.
We know we have those code yellows, so that's a
really good news story. Nineteen million for a police station
at pep Manarti. Again we've seen, you know, an escalation
(01:22):
of crime in that sort of area with daily over there,
so that's a really good one to have a permanent
police presence. Catherine High School nine point seven million, really
nice one around the stem. So it's you know, the budget.
We worked hard to make sure it was the length
and the breadth of the territory that you know, everybody,
there was something in it for everybody.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
Basically, Minister that record two point one one billion on infrastructure.
What kind of infrastructure are we going to see? I
know there's been a lot of talk about roads.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Yeah, most of it is roads. You know that that's
one that we have to do in the territory. And
you've heard me say many times Katie, seventy percent of
our roads is still do it, so it know it Again,
it's the length and the breath. So it's a Paru
road on the Tiwi Islands, there are times where people
just can't get across the Island because of you know,
(02:12):
logged of water logged, boggy, dirty areas. So we need
to have bitchman there. The Tannami. We're determined to get
that bitchumen from the Stuart Highway turn off all the
way to the WA border. The Santa Teresa Road. Same story,
people getting out to their community. The road at times
is impassable or dangerous. So that's being done. More roads
(02:34):
in the Beatloo area because of the industry going in there.
The Carpenterrea Highway Central anam road that's that will be bitchamized.
There's a progressive work to bitchamize. That will be amazing
to be able to drive all the way to Nulamboy
on Bitchamen one day, you know, and hopefully in the
not too distant future. So the road's money is the
(02:54):
big money. And you know Tiger Brennan Drive, there's another
one hundred and eight million to do probably hopefully to
finish that Tiger Brenn and Drive overpass. But yeah, nice
roads money. But there's also roads maintenance money. That's one
that I always don't forget because there's about two hundred
million for repairs and maintenance.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Well and given the weather that we experience here and
the issues that we have here. It is money that
does need to be invested.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Oh I know, and you know, I mean I get
reports all the time around potholes. Yeah, people let me know,
and you know they do need to be repaired. You know,
we do know that water gets underneath it, the cars
traveling over makes a pothole, and so there's some good
money in there for repairs and maintenance and upgrades as well.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
Minister, we know as well that there is going to
be quite a significant spend on corrections.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
Can you talk me through that?
Speaker 2 (03:44):
So yes, again, it was about making sure the budget
hit the mark around some of the areas where we
have you know, stress points in it. And so with
the corrections, it was about first and foremost around additional accommodation,
additional prison cells and so there's modular accommodation that will
go in in Alice Springs. First of all, we've had
(04:07):
people looking at similar setups in New South Wales for example,
So that will be and I think there's a between
fifty or eighty just off the top of my head,
you know cells that will go in there. So to
provide extra accommodation there's also more money for correctional officers,
so we know we need more prison officers. You know,
(04:29):
we've had those EBA discussions with the union. They have
told us loudly and clearly they need more prison officers,
more correctional officers. So there's more money that goes into
there as well.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
Does that go against, you know, the line from the
Attorney General? You know that jailing is failing if we
are going to be spending such a significant amount on corrections.
I think in fine the community is probably thinking this
isn't a bad announcement because we know that there are
unfortunately lots of issues with crime at the moment. But
does it go against that real jailing spailing line that
the Attorney General users?
Speaker 2 (05:02):
That's right, so that that's the work you do is
the treasure you you know, because I'm the one that runs,
you know, the ruler over it basically, And so when
you have you know, your ministers and the agencies coming
to the you you you actually have these strong conversations
with them around this. You know, are you fair thinking
about this? Tell me about that you know all those
But the other side of the coin is yes, you know,
(05:23):
yes we do need to have those things because there
are those pressure points. But we have also invested twenty
million dollars more into domestic, family and sexual violence. So
again you've probably heard Michael Murphy the Acting Commission. You've
heard that our you know, eighty percent of the people
in our jails are there because of domestic and family violence,
(05:43):
you know, and I mean, I don't know it's total,
right figure, but it's the large percentage of people in
our jails because of devastation violence. So you put more
money into that and hopefully then it's you know that
upstream you can you know, cut off some of those
problems before they start. That's really important as well. The
Aboriginal Justice Agreement, there's about forty million over three years there.
(06:05):
So again that's around what do we do to prevent
people getting to that, you know, about to go over
the cliff, to get into into jail, into trouble. So Minister,
you do as a treasure balance.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
Those or treasure.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
There is a lot of spending, there's no doubt about that,
and a lot of ways, you know, it is spending
that we need. But how are we going to get
back into the black by twenty twenty six, twenty seven.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
So two things on that one, Katie, first of all,
and own it is always complex, but we've got an
operating well we're predicting an operating surplus in twenty twenty four.
So the operating surplus is the money that the public
service spend to keep the place going, so you know, wages,
leases on buildings, vehicles, all of that. So we'll have
an operating surplus we you know, all going well, and
(06:51):
I'll talk more about that by twenty twenty four. But
then there's a fiscal balance surplus. When you put the
fiscal word in that is in that in includes the infrastructure. Then,
so we've got a big spend of infrastructure. Yes, we
have a big spend of infrastructure because you need to
keep the economy ticking over. You can't shut shop like
I could not spend any money on infrastructure and our
(07:13):
budget position would improve greatly. But you can't do that.
We need the civil contractors, we need people in jobs.
So that fiscal balance surplus that's by twenty twenty six.
That will see because we've got this, as I said,
big spend because there's a lot of projects like ship Lift,
Tiger Brenn and drive State Square, the roads funding. Some
(07:35):
of that road's funding. All of it is eighty twenty
from the federal government pretty much, so you know, we
have to match the twenty percent that the Fed's put
eighty percent in. So we've got this big amount road
of infrastructure. As some of that gets completed, that's when
the fiscal balance deficit comes through. So that's an and
(07:55):
you know that's going to be in twenty twenty six,
and it's about I think sixty seven minute and in
the black will be once that happens.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
Minister.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
One of the questions that a lot of people are
asking this morning as well, we know that that obviously
there are concerns that there isn't enough investment when it
comes to community safety. I know that Leofanocchiaro, the opposition leader,
has claimed that you and the Chief Minister are tone
deaf when it comes to crime. With the release of
this budget, I've got to say that, you know, we
(08:24):
asked the Chief Minister a lot of questions about this
yesterday and a lot of listeners were incredibly frustrated that
it doesn't seem as though those real concerns around community
safety are getting through to the government. Is the government
tone deaf? On this issue of public safety.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
No, no, absolutely not. And I will say you there are
fact sheep budget nt dot gov, dot dot gov, dot
AU so you can go and have a look. So
it's all spelled out very carefully there. So, yes, the
police have a record police budget. But besides that, there's
been as I said, twenty million that's gone into domestican
(09:01):
family violence, forty million into the Aboriginal Justice Agreement. There's
about twenty five million over three years that have gone
into the youth justice reform areas. There's money that's gone
into correction. So just because the dollars don't necessarily go
into straight into the police budget, and that is a
very blunt instrument, and that's you know, I mean, it's
politics one oh one that Lee is playing, but it
(09:24):
is a blunt instrument. We have put money into other
areas that will impact then the overall picture of how
we keep territory in safe. The other really good news
is the federal government, and we have to work closely
with the federal government. Doesn't matter what color they are
and what color their stripes, we work closely with them.
There was an announcement on the weekend of fourteen million
(09:46):
dollars going into Central Australia for policing and that's thirty
extra police. So combined with what we're doing and the
federal government is doing, there's a large amount of money,
probably over a billion dollar that's going into the safety
for territories. There's a fact sheet on the website. Have
a look at that so you can get all the details.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
Minister, nineteen million dollars for a new police station in
pepper Manati. Some questioning why we're investing such a massive
amount of dollars on that for not a real large population.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
Well, again you work with the agencies around that. I
think anybody that would have looked at very closely some
of the social issues that we've got. We have seen
in that West Ahnam sorry West Daily area, considerable issues
around crime. So you know, I'm not going to go
(10:42):
into the details. I'm not the police minister, but we
have seen vehicles being stolen from Darwin being driven out
into those areas. We've seen we know the ongoing issues
with what EI. There have been long term issues. There
was someone murdered in pep Manati. It is an area
same Daily River. It's an area where we have had
(11:02):
substantial crime. We need to have a ongoing permanent police
presence there. Nineteen million dollars for the pep Manati that
is also around voq. It's around accommodation also for police there,
and that's the difficulty in the territory. It's like, you know,
the same with schools. If you have a school in
a remote community, you then have to have housing. We
(11:24):
know how expensive it is to build housing. So in
Peppy that nineteen million dollars is for a new police station.
It's the detention facilities, but it is also a VOQ
and it is also housing.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
So it sounds like it's a situation where it's sort
of trying to deal.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
With the issue that's out there.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
So that investment, I'm assuming it is hoped that it
will mean that some of those issues that we've seen
spill over into the likes of Darwin and other areas.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
People out there feel safer that there are good people.
It's the same the world over, and it's the same
in all our communities. There are very good people who
live in these communities, but there are some people in
our communities who aren't good, and so we also need
to make sure that we're looking after the good people,
the people who send their kids to school every day.
When I look at the attendance figures in our communities,
(12:11):
they're not good, but they're inside those figures. There are
some really good kids who go to school every single day,
and their families always do the right thing. They have
them up, they have them fed, they're doing the right thing.
They also need to feel safe in those communities.
Speaker 3 (12:25):
I don't think anyone's disputing that.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
I don't think anyone's disputing that, but I think people
sort of get a bit offended when the accusation, you know,
when people ask these kind of questions that the government
sort of reverts back to, you know, to if the
community asks those questions, almost like making out that we're racist.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
No, Katie, it is about making sure that, yes, we
do want to make sure all territories are safe. But
I just need to remind people that the people who
live in Peppinati, who don't have a police a presence there,
a permanent police presence there, they also need to be
able to feel safe. So nineteen million dollars is a
broad spend, as I said, includes accommodation, but it is
(13:02):
also about making sure that you can turn that community around.
If there's a full time police presence there, you can
have police in the schools. You can have the police
in the community. They're on the ground, they're hearing, you
know what's going on. They can address issues.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
Treasurer, we are going to have to move along. There
has been a lot said about the Northern Territory government
reaching the forty billion dollar economy by twenty thirty. However,
the Budget four cast that this is to be about
thirteen billion dollars shy of the target by twenty twenty seven.
How are you going to reach that forty billion dollars,
So it.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
Was always absolutely a stretch target. But there is lots
of things that aren't in the budget. So we've heard
recently the spend. So from the Defense review there's about
three point eight billion dollars that will for the North
of Australia, so a large amount of money from defense,
and that's solid money that we know that the federal
government will spend. There's two point six billion dollars for
(14:00):
infrastructure from the federal government, so that's that's the middle arm.
That's also arrows that money isn't in the budget as well.
There's also arrofurer resources that's up and running about. They're
doing their civil works. There's also the ento oil and
gas industry. So there are lots of projects that you
(14:21):
know that we haven't included in the budget, and that
always happens. Until we get FID or until we get
that sign sealed and delivered with the federal government, it's
not included. So we're very optimistic about that. That's our
target and where I think we'll hit that target. There's
lots of good things happening in the territory, Minister. People
are feeling positive about the economy.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
Let's talk about Alice Springs.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
I know that we were promised two hundred and fifty
million dollars, but it's looking I'm having a look through
that breakdown. It's one hundred and fifty five million dollars
over five years, and then there's ninety four million dollars.
Speaker 3 (14:58):
It's a contingent in a contingent fund.
Speaker 1 (15:01):
Are you disappointed that that's not all being invested immediately?
Speaker 2 (15:05):
A couple of things on that. So, first and foremost,
it was about making sure that you know the consultation,
and there's consultation that's happened with government agencies. There's also
consultation that's happening with the community. Some of that consultation
with the community is ongoing that will nail down that
next ninety million dollars. I've had a lot of input
obviously into the forty million dollars for education, and that's
(15:28):
a really good news story. That will go to the
schools and that will bring the schools up to their
full resource allocation. So a really positive news for education.
But there are ongoing discussions around how all of that
money should be spent and that once it's done, that
money will roll out.
Speaker 1 (15:47):
But it is correct that there's ninety four million dollars
in a contingency.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
Yeah, so there's one hundred and fifty that's been really
clearly in marked forty million. As I said, I've had
strong discussions with Jason Claire. The other agencies as well
have mutual discussions. So forty million has been nailed down
around education some of the other dollars and you can
see that on the list where they will be spent.
But there's ninety million dollars where there's still some ongoing
(16:13):
discussions around where that's what that should be focused on.
You know, So there's things like boarding facilities, have been
talked about a lot. We do need to do some
more conversations around that to make sure it's money well spent.
So that's still consultation happening.
Speaker 1 (16:27):
But so it is going to happen that ninety four
or ninety million order is going to be spent.
Speaker 3 (16:31):
Is that what you're saying?
Speaker 2 (16:32):
I reckon, Marion scrimdaw will be making sure of that.
I really want to argue with Marion scrimdaw me.
Speaker 3 (16:39):
Minister before I let you go.
Speaker 1 (16:41):
Another arm told up last night that follows a sixty
one year old man being stabbed in his home yesterday
during the day. Territorians are feeling really sad and I
think pretty deflated at the moment that they feel in
a lot of ways, particularly after hearing from the Chief
Minister yesterday that they're know for the plans to try
(17:01):
to fix their very serious concerns around public safety. What
would you say to Territorians to give them some hope
that the government does understand those concerns and that they're
going to see some change.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
So, yeah, Katie is absolutely shocking. Nobody wants to see
any crime at all in the territory. As I said,
it is a terrible thing. And you know, every time
I hear a story around crime in the Northern Territory, yeah,
it breaks your heart to hear that. I was born
and bred territory. You know, we all remember the days
where we didn't hear about crime, so it is absolutely
shocking to hear that. But I can assure territories that,
(17:38):
like in our budget, there's a lot of money that's
going in to actually address these issues. But it is
everybody having to do their job in a firm focused
way and that includes ngngos as well as government agencies
and government ministers. So you know, more money into education,
well that means getting every single kid to school so
(17:59):
that you can make sure that a kid that's going
to school is doing the right thing, they're learning right
and wrong, all of those sorts of things. So you know,
but again, you put in legislation, you work with the police.
It's a constant work to keep ahead of the issues
around crime, and the Territory.
Speaker 1 (18:16):
Minister just finally a couple of messages coming through people
saying Katie, it's great to build a police station out
in the remote community, but are we going to have
enough police to be able to man it.
Speaker 2 (18:26):
Yeah, so that was one of the good things that
is in the budget as well. There's three million dollars
for the health and wellbeing of police and I think
that's a really important one. We hear the story that
there are police that are on sickly, that there are
police that are feeling undervalued, that their families are feeling
the stresses as well. So there's some good money there
(18:46):
for police to work on the health and wellbeing of
the police force. And I think I see that as
a preventative measure method as well as a measure to
get people back into the workforce. That's some good money
there into the police. But as I said, the federal
government also have put more police into Central Australia. We've
(19:08):
given police a really solid budget. Again, then that's up
to the Acting Commissioner to make sure that's used judiciously,
that it hits the mark around that well.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
Treasurer for the Northern Territory, Eva Laula really appreciate your
time this morning.
Speaker 3 (19:21):
Thank you for speaking with us.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
Thanks very much, Katie, thank you
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