Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Joining me in the studio right now is the Chief
Minister of the Northern Territory, Natasha Files.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Good morning to you, Good morning Katie, Good morning listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Now, Chief Minister. The Matilda's another win on the weekend.
It was absolutely incredible stuff.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
It was amazing, It truly was.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
I think that everybody around Australia was just going berserk
for the Matilda's pretty phenomenal.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
But the question that's on a lot of people's lips this.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Morning, and it continues to get asked, and I think
that the Prime Minister is obviously going to have to
make a decision around Australia, but it is a state
and territory issue. Is there going to be a public
holiday if they win?
Speaker 3 (00:36):
Katie, I don't want to jinx it. I just am
so excited that they've come this far. They've got such
a great chance and it's a big job. They'll play
basically three games within a week, so they've got to
play Wednesday night and if they can win that Sunday,
so can we just fingers crossed and cheering for them.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
It's one of those things though that like I get
it and I feel the same, but for some of
those businesses. They'll be thinking, well, we need a bit
of certainty. Is there going to be public holiday or
isn't there because it's going to come at an expense
to them.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
So, Katie, I think this is a chance for Territorians.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
And going back to Saturday's game, you know people out
and about and they were watching that game. So obviously
Wednesday night, get out, get down to your local club pub,
watch the game, support your local businesses. So then maybe
I'll have to make a tough decision on Friday.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
Well, I reckon that you're probably going to have to.
You know, that's the way that it's getting it. I
know that you know that a lot of like a
lot of people around the nation wann a public holiday.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
A lot of others are very worried about it.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
I just want the Matildas to win. But Katie, what
about if they win Wednesday night. I absolutely respect the
businesses and your listeners that run businesses. I'll come back
on later in the week.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
With it's all right, let's let's make those respects. When
I watch the sport, I don't like to move. Oh well,
I'll tell you what I was like.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
It was high intensity watching it on Saturday night, and
I don't think that there's been like it was an
incredible viewing audience. But what I think is absolutely phenomenal
is to see Australians getting behind a female sports team
in the way that they've gotten behind the Matildas.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
Katie, As you know, I've got two boys. Not once
during this World Cup have they raised the fact about
gender or that it's a girl's team. They are so
into it and loving the Matildas, but have been watching
the different games highlights, just loving the fact that it's
world class sport being played in Australia and New Zealand. Yeah,
it is awesome stuff.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
Now let's get into some of the other big issues
that have occurred. And on Friday we spoke at length
about kids allegedly stealing the school bus at ypre in
your school. Many of our audience questioning what consequences the
children would face, given the fact that they were reportedly
all under the age of criminal responsibility. Now, Chief Finister,
this was an incredibly dangerous situation, dangerous to everyone on
(02:45):
the road, but dangerous to those eight kids allegedly on
that bus. How have these kids been dealt with since
Friday morning?
Speaker 2 (02:53):
So, Katie, I need to be careful.
Speaker 3 (02:54):
I don't want to jeopardize what's going on in investigations
there and understanding that other children ten or eleven or
some of them twelve and there might be a court process.
But what we've done is we've got twenty trained offices
within Territory Families territory wide. So when you have an
incident that previously a young person would commit, potentially police
would investigate, it would go to court and then you
(03:16):
would find that there is not the understanding and it
would be dolly incapac That is the system that we've
put in place where the Territory Families intervene and with
these young people so that they have certainty and there's consequences,
rather than perhaps a judicial process that ends up going
nowhere because they don't have that understanding. So, territory wide,
(03:36):
there's twenty Territory Families offices. They immediately step in if
there has been an incident, a crime committed and would
work with those families individually with those young people.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
So with this situation, after it's occurred, after the police
have obviously stopped that vehicle, is it then that Territory
Families have turned up and made sure that they've gone home, so.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
Exactly, so police would hand those young people to territory
families and their responsibility of territory family.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
So, Katie, it could be a situation that the.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Family is struggling with that young person and they're trying
their hardest to parent, and so territory families will work
with them. Or it could be a case that that
family doesn't actually know where their young person was and
that they are not accepting their responsibility, and that then
becomes a child protection matter.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
Well. So, Gavin Morris, the principle of you for in
your school on Friday, told us that one of those
children was taken home after the incident to a tent
in the Todd River. Is this being taken to a
safe environment in your opinion? So, Katie, I'm not aware
of that specific circumstance. From the perspective of the legislation,
it's about making sure that that young person is in
(04:43):
the care of a responsible adult. And to me, being
a responsible adult is knowing where your young person is
and keeping your young person in your care, and that's
where I talk about. If that can't be achieved, well
then that is a child protection matter. Well. So obviously
what you've said that you know, like they're strong saying
that it's about knowing where your child is and making.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Sure that you're responsible for them.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
But the fact is you've got a group of eight
young people, very young people, that were behind the wheel
of a bus, Like it doesn't get much worse than that.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Those children could have died.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
Completely agree with you, Katie, and that is unacceptable. But
what I'm saying is that is it the parents not
taking responsibility and not caring for their young people. And
we have a strong child protection system, So if that
is the case, then that child protection system needs to
step in.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
So can you talk us through what programs those children
are now going to face or what exactly they're going
to face because they're not going through the criminal justice system.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
So previously, Katie, it would attempt to go through the
criminal justice system, but it would go nowhere because there
wasn't the understanding because the courts would say this child
didn't understand, and that would be no justice serve for anyone.
So what we've done now is acknowledging that is that
that young person is identified, they and their families are
(06:02):
case managed, and every support and program is thrown at them,
whether it's the parents or whether it's the young person,
or a combination of both.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
So it's not an actual program, it's a case management.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
Situated, Katie, and that's why there's twenty Territory Families staff
across the territory that work in this new space. This
is not something that they may engage programs with ngngos,
but this is something that we're not outsourcing Territory Families do.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
This a bit of a different story to what we've
been told in the lead up to the age of
criminal responsibility being changed, because we had been told that
there would need to be programs in place. So what's
an example of one of those programs.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
So, Katie, we refer to it as the back on
track and so getting these kids before they become repeat
offenders within the criminal justice system, making sure that they've
got that supports. Now, it is not normal for a
nine to ten year old to be out on the
streets doing that type of behavior, So what has gone
wrong for that to be happening, and so what.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
Is the program that they're going to now have to
do to teach them the consequence.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Of that wrong behavior?
Speaker 3 (07:06):
So, Katie, that will depend on that individual child and
their circumstances. Is it that they're in a situation where
it actually is a child protection notification because the grownups
that are meant to be responsible for them are not
doing that. Or is it the opposite where those parents,
the grown ups are trying their hardest and this young
person is challenging them and how do we engage that
young person?
Speaker 2 (07:26):
So is the young person going to be forced to
do something?
Speaker 3 (07:29):
So, Katie, in terms of the child protection system that
is compulsory we have But so.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Yes or no?
Speaker 1 (07:36):
Are they going to be forced to do an actual
program so Katie to somehow have some kind of I
guess restorative consequence to their action.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
So Katie, it's worked through and every situation is different,
but there is absolutely if the mainstream school is not
working for them, there is supports that can go in.
It's about making sure that what is going wrong, to
come back to that point why they're participating in this
behavior at that hour of the day, stopping that from
happening again.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
Well, it sounds like for some of them a school
is working two of them as I understand it. From
Gavin Morris on Friday, he said that they still came
to school the following day, but it's that they're not
safe in a safe environment the night.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
Before, and so then that sounds and I'm speaking to
speculation and what you've told me, that sounds like a
child protection matter. So it's finding out what is going
wrong that we have this unacceptable behavior happening within our community,
and how do we put a stop to that.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
So I just want to re ask this question.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
So, have we got a situation here with these children
where after what's gone on, that they are going to
be forced to undertake some kind of program, you know,
as a result of the consequence to their action.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
Katie, I would say, yes, they're forced their family and
themselves are forced to attend school, are forced to make
sure that they are keeping that child safe, that that
child is not going out at night. Now, what that
consequence may be is it may be a child protection
notification if it's the responsibility of the parents, If it's
the child that is not working in the family environment,
(09:11):
well then that will be worked through with chitorary families
as well.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
So is there an actual like program is there?
Speaker 1 (09:17):
You know, like are they going on a boot camp
or are they kind of having to go and do
victim conferencing or anything like that.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
Katie, there's a range of programs that territory families can access.
But in changing this age of criminal responsibility, for the
reasons that I've outlined, and I won't keep going over that,
because there was no consequence prior, we've put in place
this team of twenty within teritory families so that they
can manage these young people and make sure that they're
getting every program that they need.
Speaker 1 (09:45):
Now, there are claims that kids under twelve are being
enticed to commit crimes on behalf of older kids and
adults as they're going to get away with it. What
record keeping is there I guess for under twelve offending
and what safeguards are in place to stop that from happening.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
So, Katie, these matters are still investigated by police.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
So if it is a situation where an older person
has put this young person up to it, then that
would be investigated and advice would be provided.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
Okay, tell me the school's been pushing really hard. Yiprinya's
school has been pushing really hard to open a boarding facility.
Two of these kids, like I said, still went to
school on Friday despite what had happened. Why is the
government resisting funding this facility, so Katie boarding and providing.
Speaker 3 (10:29):
An option for families where young people can can sleep
each night and go to school the next day. I
understand there is infrastructure in central Australia at another location
that could be utilized for that type of program, and
I have asked for that previously to be investigated. To
we used to have up here in the top end,
like thirty years ago, some of those boarding houses where
kids could come in from remote locations. It is important
(10:51):
we offer education in remote locations, but that type of environment.
To understand, there is infrastructure already in Alice Springs, but.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
Why not there? Why not at Iprinya.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
We want immediate responses and there is already infrastructure there
that I understands not being utilized.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
But it's not at the same school, is it?
Speaker 3 (11:07):
So?
Speaker 2 (11:07):
Is it at a different school?
Speaker 3 (11:08):
I understand it's nearby within Ala Springs, and I've asked
for that to be investigating.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
Having to go to another school, Katie.
Speaker 3 (11:14):
I've asked for it to be investigated whether the boarding
houses that are available could be used.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
But so why not?
Speaker 1 (11:21):
Like why is you bring your not being looked at
in this way? When the principle has been pushing really
hard and from what I'm being told, that school community
is really keen for this to happen.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
So Katie, we've been looking at the immediate what we
can do immediately. I understand there is underutilized boarding facility.
We're not ruling anything out into the future. Things need
to go through a process. Infrastructure would take some time,
but for me it's been about if that's what the
community feel would be helpful, how quickly using existing infrastructure
could that be achieved.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
All Right, I'm going to have to move along because
there is a lot to cover off. Nari ar Kit
The minister was on the show on Friday and we'd
asked her about children being on the street in Malac.
We'd received a call from a listener the night before
about kids roaming the streets in Malac.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
He believes that some of them have been chroming as well.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
Now the minister had said well that if people see
kids on the street, they should call the police. The
Northern Territory Police Association says it's unbelievable that a government
minister is publicly encouraging the community to call police who
are critically understaffed and stretched beyond breaking point. Whenever they
see youth out on the street, should they be calling police.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
So, Katie, I didn't hear the interview, but you obviously
were here in the studio. I think what the minister
was articulating to a listener question was that they felt
there should be a welfare response one three to one
trip four. It goes through to the Joint Emergency Communications Center,
and that is where people should phone through.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
Then the appropriate.
Speaker 3 (12:49):
Authorities can make a response, and I'll give you an
example away from young people public housing after hours, they
will then decide whether police should attend a matter or
whether public housing safety can attend a strong link twenty
four to seven with police and territory family. So if
you are hearing or seeing a young person in your
neighborhood and you've got welfare concerns, you should ring one
(13:11):
three one triple four.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
Is that appropriate though?
Speaker 1 (13:14):
I mean, we've got a situation where even on the
weekend we obviously saw Mark Turner, the member for Blaine,
had said on Facebook that will basically out in his electorate.
There was a situation where there were the community watched
a red highlux tearing up the middle school oval for
nearly an hour now. In the post, he says that
(13:35):
he's advised that Triple zero was actually called, specifically asking
for the Northern Territory Police, but no one arrived twelve
hours on and still no callback to inquire about the
situation or to inform if help was on the way.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
So, Katie, when you ring triple zero, A one, three, one,
triple four, operational decisions are made and I'm not going
to sit here and place commentary on them.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
What the first question?
Speaker 1 (14:01):
You think that we've actually got enough police to be
able to deal with what's going on?
Speaker 2 (14:05):
I mean, to me, it doesn't seem like it.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
So Katie, we've spoken about this, and there's work around
police and the resources to support them doing their job,
and we've committed to doing that work. There is work
happening in terms of the rostering. So there's a few
pieces to that puzzle. But the first question you asked
me was about a welfare response, and so what I'm
saying is calling that number, our authorities can make the
(14:30):
best decision. They might have had multiple calls, they might
have investigated that. And you know it is for child
is six or eight, that is you see on the street,
you know, there's different circumstances to these situations.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
So what would you.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
Encourage the audience to do if there are kids out
on the street in the late hours of the night,
or the situation like Mark had told us about in
Malac last week where there was kids out on the street.
When he went out to sort of go you know,
look you need to move along, they're swearing at him
and carrying on. He said, some of them looked like
they were as young as eighth So.
Speaker 3 (15:03):
Katie, we need to provide a welfare response to that.
We need to respond to that, and the appropriate authority
that government has set up and it's been in place
for a number of years, Katie is to ring one, three, one,
triple four, if it's life threatening, triple zero, and that
Joint Emergency Communications will make a decision.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
So who would go out to it?
Speaker 3 (15:21):
So, Katie, that would be a decision that's made. As
I said, if it's a public housing property, they may
send public housing safety offices.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
If it's still send them out.
Speaker 3 (15:31):
So Katie, there's teams that work around different hours. In
Alice Springs, for example, we do have territory families that
work through the evening. We've got that safe sleeping location
that young people can take into. So there is resources
behind the scenes, but from.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
The confident that somebody would go out if that number
is called one three, one, triple four and there's kids
out on the straight, that's somebody from like who would
go out in that situation if it's kids on the straight.
Speaker 3 (15:56):
So Katie, my understanding is that that goes through to
that Joint Emergency Communications assessments will be made and they'll
decide whether territory families would respond or whether police would
respond in the first instance, and then perhaps Territory Families
child Protection would get involved. So there is a system
within government to deal with these welfare matters.
Speaker 2 (16:16):
So what do you.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
Say to the Northern Territory Police Association saying that it
is unbelievable that a government minister would publicly encourage the
community to call the police in that situation.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
So, Katie, when you provided the detail to that there
was a welfare response, they were worried that croming was
taking place. That is the right place to call through.
Do we need to work with police amount making sure
they have more resources to support them in their hard
working job. Absolutely, and we've made that commitment around.
Speaker 1 (16:44):
Shouldn't that actually be territory families heading out there?
Speaker 3 (16:47):
So, Katie, during business hours there's a territory Famili's number
that people can call through to. And then after hours
people we see, as I just explained public housing, a
number of those responses go through to one, three, one,
triple four estimates are made. Can it wait till the
next day? Does it need to be dealt with? And
as I was outlining, in some locations, we have teams
out there already working.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
All right, I'm going to move along.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
Timeline of airport runway works has now been released. Are
you aware of any further impacts on flights or cancelations
of services in addition to jetstarsdah and to Dimpessa in
the timeframe that we've previously spoken about. No, Katie, I'm
not so at this point in time, do you think
that we're going to see more disruptions? I mean, looking
at the timeframe that they've given, it's not so much
(17:32):
I guess the duration in terms of the month, but
more so the hours of the day. So looking at
that time frame, it does seem as though it's going
to have quite.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
Quite a big impact. Like a lot of our flights.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
The time of the day that they leave falls into
that two am to eleven thirty am from October nine
to November thirty.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
So Katie, the Airport Development Group who organize the commercial
landings and access to the terminal, have worked in with
Defense around this. Those runway works need to be undertaken,
so they've come up with the timeframe of the hours
each day that the runway will be closed. I mean,
going back decades, I remember there was runway works being
(18:15):
undertaken and planes perhaps leaving these coast a little bit
late started to get impacted. And we need the works
to be undertaken, but at the same time, we absolutely
need to see flights. So the certainty I think is important.
I understand the cross runway will be available for regional
flights within the territory.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
What kind of.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
Impact, though, is it going to have with the government
negotiating with airlines that I know you guys are are
right in the midst.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
Of right now.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
We're negotiating very hard. We've got that aviation attraction package
out there to attract more airlines and more flights into
the territory. I think the certainty is welcomed by the
sector of course, people are disappointed that the works have
to take place and there's an interruption, but at least
now knowing what those timings are, it can help with
those negotiations around flights coming in.
Speaker 2 (18:57):
Chief Finister.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
One of the other situations last week that really did
concern people was another code yellow for both the Royal
Darwin and also the Palmeston Regional Hospital. Are we still
in a code yellow right now?
Speaker 3 (19:10):
Yes, Katie, some of the pressures have eased, but there
is My understanding is there was a number of factors,
but particularly infectious diseases not COVID, was an impact on this.
We are still seeing increased numbers in the emergency department,
so I'd like to acknowledge the hard work of our
doctors and nurses at the hospital now.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
It is a massive cost, as we knowed taxpayers when
there is a code yellow. Will the COLP asked a
written question which revealed that it's at a cost of
more than five hundred thousand dollars based on those days
that we were in code yellow last year? What works
being done to mitigate this issue?
Speaker 3 (19:43):
So, Katie, there's a huge amount of work being undertaken.
We know that we've got sixty age care patients within
Darwin and Palmeston Hospital. So we've done an unusual step
and gone out to develop an age care facility so
that they can get more appropriate care and we can
have those hospital beds back.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
When do you anticipate that's going to be up running.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
So Katie, it is quite a process, but that works
well underway. We've also got in the budget we announced
building thirty two new beds at Rhord Darwen Hospital to help.
So there's a huge amount of work being undertaken. Also
working to keep people as close to home as possible,
so utilizing our regional hospitals. But this is complex work
and there is funding that does come in from the
(20:21):
Commonwealth Government.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
All right, Chief Ministon Natasha Files, we are going to
have to leave it there.
Speaker 2 (20:25):
Thank you as always for your time. Take care,
Joining me in the studio right now is the Chief
Minister of the Northern Territory, Natasha Files.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Good morning to you, Good morning Katie, Good morning listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Now, Chief Minister. The Matilda's another win on the weekend.
It was absolutely incredible stuff.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
It was amazing, It truly was.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
I think that everybody around Australia was just going berserk
for the Matilda's pretty phenomenal.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
But the question that's on a lot of people's lips this.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Morning, and it continues to get asked, and I think
that the Prime Minister is obviously going to have to
make a decision around Australia, but it is a state
and territory issue. Is there going to be a public
holiday if they win?
Speaker 3 (00:36):
Katie, I don't want to jinx it. I just am
so excited that they've come this far. They've got such
a great chance and it's a big job. They'll play
basically three games within a week, so they've got to
play Wednesday night and if they can win that Sunday,
so can we just fingers crossed and cheering for them.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
It's one of those things though that like I get
it and I feel the same, but for some of
those businesses. They'll be thinking, well, we need a bit
of certainty. Is there going to be public holiday or
isn't there because it's going to come at an expense
to them.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
So, Katie, I think this is a chance for Territorians.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
And going back to Saturday's game, you know people out
and about and they were watching that game. So obviously
Wednesday night, get out, get down to your local club pub,
watch the game, support your local businesses. So then maybe
I'll have to make a tough decision on Friday.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
Well, I reckon that you're probably going to have to.
You know, that's the way that it's getting it. I
know that you know that a lot of like a
lot of people around the nation wann a public holiday.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
A lot of others are very worried about it.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
I just want the Matildas to win. But Katie, what
about if they win Wednesday night. I absolutely respect the
businesses and your listeners that run businesses. I'll come back
on later in the week.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
With it's all right, let's let's make those respects. When
I watch the sport, I don't like to move. Oh well,
I'll tell you what I was like.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
It was high intensity watching it on Saturday night, and
I don't think that there's been like it was an
incredible viewing audience. But what I think is absolutely phenomenal
is to see Australians getting behind a female sports team
in the way that they've gotten behind the Matildas.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
Katie, As you know, I've got two boys. Not once
during this World Cup have they raised the fact about
gender or that it's a girl's team. They are so
into it and loving the Matildas, but have been watching
the different games highlights, just loving the fact that it's
world class sport being played in Australia and New Zealand. Yeah,
it is awesome stuff.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
Now let's get into some of the other big issues
that have occurred. And on Friday we spoke at length
about kids allegedly stealing the school bus at ypre in
your school. Many of our audience questioning what consequences the
children would face, given the fact that they were reportedly
all under the age of criminal responsibility. Now, Chief Finister,
this was an incredibly dangerous situation, dangerous to everyone on
(02:45):
the road, but dangerous to those eight kids allegedly on
that bus. How have these kids been dealt with since
Friday morning?
Speaker 2 (02:53):
So, Katie, I need to be careful.
Speaker 3 (02:54):
I don't want to jeopardize what's going on in investigations
there and understanding that other children ten or eleven or
some of them twelve and there might be a court process.
But what we've done is we've got twenty trained offices
within Territory Families territory wide. So when you have an
incident that previously a young person would commit, potentially police
would investigate, it would go to court and then you
(03:16):
would find that there is not the understanding and it
would be dolly incapac That is the system that we've
put in place where the Territory Families intervene and with
these young people so that they have certainty and there's consequences,
rather than perhaps a judicial process that ends up going
nowhere because they don't have that understanding. So, territory wide,
(03:36):
there's twenty Territory Families offices. They immediately step in if
there has been an incident, a crime committed and would
work with those families individually with those young people.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
So with this situation, after it's occurred, after the police
have obviously stopped that vehicle, is it then that Territory
Families have turned up and made sure that they've gone home, so.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
Exactly, so police would hand those young people to territory
families and their responsibility of territory family.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
So, Katie, it could be a situation that the.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Family is struggling with that young person and they're trying
their hardest to parent, and so territory families will work
with them. Or it could be a case that that
family doesn't actually know where their young person was and
that they are not accepting their responsibility, and that then
becomes a child protection matter.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
Well. So, Gavin Morris, the principle of you for in
your school on Friday, told us that one of those
children was taken home after the incident to a tent
in the Todd River. Is this being taken to a
safe environment in your opinion? So, Katie, I'm not aware
of that specific circumstance. From the perspective of the legislation,
it's about making sure that that young person is in
(04:43):
the care of a responsible adult. And to me, being
a responsible adult is knowing where your young person is
and keeping your young person in your care, and that's
where I talk about. If that can't be achieved, well
then that is a child protection matter. Well. So obviously
what you've said that you know, like they're strong saying
that it's about knowing where your child is and making.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Sure that you're responsible for them.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
But the fact is you've got a group of eight
young people, very young people, that were behind the wheel
of a bus, Like it doesn't get much worse than that.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Those children could have died.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
Completely agree with you, Katie, and that is unacceptable. But
what I'm saying is that is it the parents not
taking responsibility and not caring for their young people. And
we have a strong child protection system, So if that
is the case, then that child protection system needs to
step in.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
So can you talk us through what programs those children
are now going to face or what exactly they're going
to face because they're not going through the criminal justice system.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
So previously, Katie, it would attempt to go through the
criminal justice system, but it would go nowhere because there
wasn't the understanding because the courts would say this child
didn't understand, and that would be no justice serve for anyone.
So what we've done now is acknowledging that is that
that young person is identified, they and their families are
(06:02):
case managed, and every support and program is thrown at them,
whether it's the parents or whether it's the young person,
or a combination of both.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
So it's not an actual program, it's a case management.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
Situated, Katie, and that's why there's twenty Territory Families staff
across the territory that work in this new space. This
is not something that they may engage programs with ngngos,
but this is something that we're not outsourcing Territory Families do.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
This a bit of a different story to what we've
been told in the lead up to the age of
criminal responsibility being changed, because we had been told that
there would need to be programs in place. So what's
an example of one of those programs.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
So, Katie, we refer to it as the back on
track and so getting these kids before they become repeat
offenders within the criminal justice system, making sure that they've
got that supports. Now, it is not normal for a
nine to ten year old to be out on the
streets doing that type of behavior, So what has gone
wrong for that to be happening, and so what.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
Is the program that they're going to now have to
do to teach them the consequence.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Of that wrong behavior?
Speaker 3 (07:06):
So, Katie, that will depend on that individual child and
their circumstances. Is it that they're in a situation where
it actually is a child protection notification because the grownups
that are meant to be responsible for them are not
doing that. Or is it the opposite where those parents,
the grown ups are trying their hardest and this young
person is challenging them and how do we engage that
young person?
Speaker 2 (07:26):
So is the young person going to be forced to
do something?
Speaker 3 (07:29):
So, Katie, in terms of the child protection system that
is compulsory we have But so.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Yes or no?
Speaker 1 (07:36):
Are they going to be forced to do an actual
program so Katie to somehow have some kind of I
guess restorative consequence to their action.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
So Katie, it's worked through and every situation is different,
but there is absolutely if the mainstream school is not
working for them, there is supports that can go in.
It's about making sure that what is going wrong, to
come back to that point why they're participating in this
behavior at that hour of the day, stopping that from
happening again.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
Well, it sounds like for some of them a school
is working two of them as I understand it. From
Gavin Morris on Friday, he said that they still came
to school the following day, but it's that they're not
safe in a safe environment the night.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
Before, and so then that sounds and I'm speaking to
speculation and what you've told me, that sounds like a
child protection matter. So it's finding out what is going
wrong that we have this unacceptable behavior happening within our community,
and how do we put a stop to that.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
So I just want to re ask this question.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
So, have we got a situation here with these children
where after what's gone on, that they are going to
be forced to undertake some kind of program, you know,
as a result of the consequence to their action.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
Katie, I would say, yes, they're forced their family and
themselves are forced to attend school, are forced to make
sure that they are keeping that child safe, that that
child is not going out at night. Now, what that
consequence may be is it may be a child protection
notification if it's the responsibility of the parents, If it's
the child that is not working in the family environment,
(09:11):
well then that will be worked through with chitorary families
as well.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
So is there an actual like program is there?
Speaker 1 (09:17):
You know, like are they going on a boot camp
or are they kind of having to go and do
victim conferencing or anything like that.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
Katie, there's a range of programs that territory families can access.
But in changing this age of criminal responsibility, for the
reasons that I've outlined, and I won't keep going over that,
because there was no consequence prior, we've put in place
this team of twenty within teritory families so that they
can manage these young people and make sure that they're
getting every program that they need.
Speaker 1 (09:45):
Now, there are claims that kids under twelve are being
enticed to commit crimes on behalf of older kids and
adults as they're going to get away with it. What
record keeping is there I guess for under twelve offending
and what safeguards are in place to stop that from happening.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
So, Katie, these matters are still investigated by police.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
So if it is a situation where an older person
has put this young person up to it, then that
would be investigated and advice would be provided.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
Okay, tell me the school's been pushing really hard. Yiprinya's
school has been pushing really hard to open a boarding facility.
Two of these kids, like I said, still went to
school on Friday despite what had happened. Why is the
government resisting funding this facility, so Katie boarding and providing.
Speaker 3 (10:29):
An option for families where young people can can sleep
each night and go to school the next day. I
understand there is infrastructure in central Australia at another location
that could be utilized for that type of program, and
I have asked for that previously to be investigated. To
we used to have up here in the top end,
like thirty years ago, some of those boarding houses where
kids could come in from remote locations. It is important
(10:51):
we offer education in remote locations, but that type of environment.
To understand, there is infrastructure already in Alice Springs, but.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
Why not there? Why not at Iprinya.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
We want immediate responses and there is already infrastructure there
that I understands not being utilized.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
But it's not at the same school, is it?
Speaker 3 (11:07):
So?
Speaker 2 (11:07):
Is it at a different school?
Speaker 3 (11:08):
I understand it's nearby within Ala Springs, and I've asked
for that to be investigating.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
Having to go to another school, Katie.
Speaker 3 (11:14):
I've asked for it to be investigated whether the boarding
houses that are available could be used.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
But so why not?
Speaker 1 (11:21):
Like why is you bring your not being looked at
in this way? When the principle has been pushing really
hard and from what I'm being told, that school community
is really keen for this to happen.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
So Katie, we've been looking at the immediate what we
can do immediately. I understand there is underutilized boarding facility.
We're not ruling anything out into the future. Things need
to go through a process. Infrastructure would take some time,
but for me it's been about if that's what the
community feel would be helpful, how quickly using existing infrastructure
could that be achieved.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
All Right, I'm going to have to move along because
there is a lot to cover off. Nari ar Kit
The minister was on the show on Friday and we'd
asked her about children being on the street in Malac.
We'd received a call from a listener the night before
about kids roaming the streets in Malac.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
He believes that some of them have been chroming as well.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
Now the minister had said well that if people see
kids on the street, they should call the police. The
Northern Territory Police Association says it's unbelievable that a government
minister is publicly encouraging the community to call police who
are critically understaffed and stretched beyond breaking point. Whenever they
see youth out on the street, should they be calling police.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
So, Katie, I didn't hear the interview, but you obviously
were here in the studio. I think what the minister
was articulating to a listener question was that they felt
there should be a welfare response one three to one
trip four. It goes through to the Joint Emergency Communications Center,
and that is where people should phone through.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
Then the appropriate.
Speaker 3 (12:49):
Authorities can make a response, and I'll give you an
example away from young people public housing after hours, they
will then decide whether police should attend a matter or
whether public housing safety can attend a strong link twenty
four to seven with police and territory family. So if
you are hearing or seeing a young person in your
neighborhood and you've got welfare concerns, you should ring one
(13:11):
three one triple four.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
Is that appropriate though?
Speaker 1 (13:14):
I mean, we've got a situation where even on the
weekend we obviously saw Mark Turner, the member for Blaine,
had said on Facebook that will basically out in his electorate.
There was a situation where there were the community watched
a red highlux tearing up the middle school oval for
nearly an hour now. In the post, he says that
(13:35):
he's advised that Triple zero was actually called, specifically asking
for the Northern Territory Police, but no one arrived twelve
hours on and still no callback to inquire about the
situation or to inform if help was on the way.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
So, Katie, when you ring triple zero, A one, three, one,
triple four, operational decisions are made and I'm not going
to sit here and place commentary on them.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
What the first question?
Speaker 1 (14:01):
You think that we've actually got enough police to be
able to deal with what's going on?
Speaker 2 (14:05):
I mean, to me, it doesn't seem like it.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
So Katie, we've spoken about this, and there's work around
police and the resources to support them doing their job,
and we've committed to doing that work. There is work
happening in terms of the rostering. So there's a few
pieces to that puzzle. But the first question you asked
me was about a welfare response, and so what I'm
saying is calling that number, our authorities can make the
(14:30):
best decision. They might have had multiple calls, they might
have investigated that. And you know it is for child
is six or eight, that is you see on the street,
you know, there's different circumstances to these situations.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
So what would you.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
Encourage the audience to do if there are kids out
on the street in the late hours of the night,
or the situation like Mark had told us about in
Malac last week where there was kids out on the street.
When he went out to sort of go you know,
look you need to move along, they're swearing at him
and carrying on. He said, some of them looked like
they were as young as eighth So.
Speaker 3 (15:03):
Katie, we need to provide a welfare response to that.
We need to respond to that, and the appropriate authority
that government has set up and it's been in place
for a number of years, Katie is to ring one, three, one,
triple four, if it's life threatening, triple zero, and that
Joint Emergency Communications will make a decision.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
So who would go out to it?
Speaker 3 (15:21):
So, Katie, that would be a decision that's made. As
I said, if it's a public housing property, they may
send public housing safety offices.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
If it's still send them out.
Speaker 3 (15:31):
So Katie, there's teams that work around different hours. In
Alice Springs, for example, we do have territory families that
work through the evening. We've got that safe sleeping location
that young people can take into. So there is resources
behind the scenes, but from.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
The confident that somebody would go out if that number
is called one three, one, triple four and there's kids
out on the straight, that's somebody from like who would
go out in that situation if it's kids on the straight.
Speaker 3 (15:56):
So Katie, my understanding is that that goes through to
that Joint Emergency Communications assessments will be made and they'll
decide whether territory families would respond or whether police would
respond in the first instance, and then perhaps Territory Families
child Protection would get involved. So there is a system
within government to deal with these welfare matters.
Speaker 2 (16:16):
So what do you.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
Say to the Northern Territory Police Association saying that it
is unbelievable that a government minister would publicly encourage the
community to call the police in that situation.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
So, Katie, when you provided the detail to that there
was a welfare response, they were worried that croming was
taking place. That is the right place to call through.
Do we need to work with police amount making sure
they have more resources to support them in their hard
working job. Absolutely, and we've made that commitment around.
Speaker 1 (16:44):
Shouldn't that actually be territory families heading out there?
Speaker 3 (16:47):
So, Katie, during business hours there's a territory Famili's number
that people can call through to. And then after hours
people we see, as I just explained public housing, a
number of those responses go through to one, three, one,
triple four estimates are made. Can it wait till the
next day? Does it need to be dealt with? And
as I was outlining, in some locations, we have teams
out there already working.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
All right, I'm going to move along.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
Timeline of airport runway works has now been released. Are
you aware of any further impacts on flights or cancelations
of services in addition to jetstarsdah and to Dimpessa in
the timeframe that we've previously spoken about. No, Katie, I'm
not so at this point in time, do you think
that we're going to see more disruptions? I mean, looking
at the timeframe that they've given, it's not so much
(17:32):
I guess the duration in terms of the month, but
more so the hours of the day. So looking at
that time frame, it does seem as though it's going
to have quite.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
Quite a big impact. Like a lot of our flights.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
The time of the day that they leave falls into
that two am to eleven thirty am from October nine
to November thirty.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
So Katie, the Airport Development Group who organize the commercial
landings and access to the terminal, have worked in with
Defense around this. Those runway works need to be undertaken,
so they've come up with the timeframe of the hours
each day that the runway will be closed. I mean,
going back decades, I remember there was runway works being
(18:15):
undertaken and planes perhaps leaving these coast a little bit
late started to get impacted. And we need the works
to be undertaken, but at the same time, we absolutely
need to see flights. So the certainty I think is important.
I understand the cross runway will be available for regional
flights within the territory.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
What kind of.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
Impact, though, is it going to have with the government
negotiating with airlines that I know you guys are are
right in the midst.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
Of right now.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
We're negotiating very hard. We've got that aviation attraction package
out there to attract more airlines and more flights into
the territory. I think the certainty is welcomed by the
sector of course, people are disappointed that the works have
to take place and there's an interruption, but at least
now knowing what those timings are, it can help with
those negotiations around flights coming in.
Speaker 2 (18:57):
Chief Finister.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
One of the other situations last week that really did
concern people was another code yellow for both the Royal
Darwin and also the Palmeston Regional Hospital. Are we still
in a code yellow right now?
Speaker 3 (19:10):
Yes, Katie, some of the pressures have eased, but there
is My understanding is there was a number of factors,
but particularly infectious diseases not COVID, was an impact on this.
We are still seeing increased numbers in the emergency department,
so I'd like to acknowledge the hard work of our
doctors and nurses at the hospital now.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
It is a massive cost, as we knowed taxpayers when
there is a code yellow. Will the COLP asked a
written question which revealed that it's at a cost of
more than five hundred thousand dollars based on those days
that we were in code yellow last year? What works
being done to mitigate this issue?
Speaker 3 (19:43):
So, Katie, there's a huge amount of work being undertaken.
We know that we've got sixty age care patients within
Darwin and Palmeston Hospital. So we've done an unusual step
and gone out to develop an age care facility so
that they can get more appropriate care and we can
have those hospital beds back.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
When do you anticipate that's going to be up running.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
So Katie, it is quite a process, but that works
well underway. We've also got in the budget we announced
building thirty two new beds at Rhord Darwen Hospital to help.
So there's a huge amount of work being undertaken. Also
working to keep people as close to home as possible,
so utilizing our regional hospitals. But this is complex work
and there is funding that does come in from the
(20:21):
Commonwealth Government.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
All right, Chief Ministon Natasha Files, we are going to
have to leave it there.
Speaker 2 (20:25):
Thank you as always for your time. Take care,
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