Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
It is time for the week that was and joining
us live in the studio this morning from the COLP
we've got Marie Claire booth Pe Good morning to you.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Good morning Katy, and to your listeners.
Speaker 3 (00:08):
Keasier Puick the Independent, Good morning to you, Ez. Get
back after a couple of weeks off.
Speaker 4 (00:16):
I've been down in the Blue mountains and they're not.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
Just blue, their bloody blue blue mountains.
Speaker 4 (00:19):
I've got windy roads. According to my mother, not good.
But we survived for a wedding for my knees. But
I've got to be back and hellow Bush people.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
Morning, Good morning to everybody out there listening, and of
course from the Labor Party, we've got Naria Kis this
morning from Karama.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Good morning to.
Speaker 5 (00:34):
You, Good morning Katie, Good morning listeners.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Great to have you all in the studio now.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
I do, obviously our show does focus on local issues,
but I do really want to well to talk about
the Israel conflict. And we know that there was some
positive news yesterday in the sense that the Federal government
has now announced that they're going to begin assisted departure
of Australians affected by the situation in Israel and Gaza.
The government said on Monday that they directed Department of
(01:00):
Foreign Affairs and Trade to assess all options to assist
Australians wanting to leave. The Australian government assisted departure flights
are now going to depart well starting I believe early
hours of tomorrow morning our time, and those that already
have plans to leave on commercial options are obviously encouraged
to continue to do so. But all the while there
(01:23):
is incredibly disturbing scenes.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
It's quite unbelievable.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
I think in this day and age, some of what
we are here in come out of Israel. Disturbing images
of dead babies and their charred remains have been released
as Israel's vengeance spread across the Middle East. The US
Secretary of State Anthony Blincoln was in shock at those
bodies of soldiers and the bullet riddled corpses of children
(01:49):
as he visited Israel to offer unconditional military support.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
It is just horrendous what's gone on.
Speaker 4 (01:57):
There's no doubt about it. I mean, the region itself
has got a long and torturous history in regards to conflict,
and it's obviously not going away anytime fast. I mean,
we're going back we're going back centuries, you know, the
conflict in that region. And I think what's happened is
apart from the actual first lot of bombings and terror
(02:17):
attacks and things of that nature, is Israel was caught
on the hop and as you said, Katie, vengeance will
be theirs. Their military has been embarrassed, their intelligence has
been embarrassed. You know, it calls into question the leadership
of the country, you know, Benjamin Etnahu and his team,
but I have read that he has formed a war
cabinet with the other parties of the government in Israel,
(02:41):
and I think sadly the worst is yet to come.
Vengeance will be theirs, and I think they will stop
at nothing to why the Hummos off the map, and
that in itself then leads to other potential conflict because
Ummas obviously has allies, Israel has allies, Israel's part of NATO.
Hummas has got all its networks within it, its community
around the Middle East. So I think we're going to
(03:02):
see more horrendous things come out of it. And it's
not like olden day conflicts where there was some kind
of respect at the end of the day, and you know,
civilians and women and children and old people in Frail
were sort of respected and pushed off to the side.
These days it's all game. And you've got children's soldiers
like you know, as they call me. They're in the
African continents and they'll be in the Middle East as well.
And you know, they haven't just thought about this. This
(03:25):
has been planned for months, if not years, And how
do we get to get back at these bastards over
the border in Israel? And you know, so we will
never know us humble people here in Darwin. But this
has been a long time coming in the minds of
the Hummus people and I think the worst is yet
to come.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
Yeah, it was, you know, it was absolutely horrendous in
what we were seeing on you know earlier in the
week when you saw what had happened as that at
that party that had gone on and women and children
being taken as hostages. Then we saw in Sydney as
well throughout the week all Palestinian sympathizers. I guess you
(04:03):
would say they're rallying, but you know, for me, we're
talking about a level of terrorism here that is just disgraceful.
When there is babies and children being beheaded when there
is women. I know this will be a lot for
people to hear, but being raped.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
And killed and then killed it is humanely, That's exactly right.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
It is next level. It is the next level of
a terrorist attack, I would.
Speaker 4 (04:27):
Say, and I don't know where I read it or
heard it, but people are being encouraged to not let
their young people children look at TikTok or instagrams because
they're going to use social media platforms. The Hummus people,
so I've read to get their messages out what they're doing.
And they take no prisoners literally, they will take no prisoners.
And you know, I think you know when the family's
the Australians, I mean good on the government. Australian government
(04:49):
does at any time there's an issue or conflict in
the country, they try and get their citizens out. But
these things just don't happen overnight. You know. Yes, Constius
is our carrier main carry them. Yes, but they have
to find the planes. They to come to an agreement
with the COMWORLF government. They also cannot put their people
in jeopardy. So wherever the planes go, the pilot and
the crew on those planes, so if they have to
be safe, so you know, as soon as the conflict hit,
(05:11):
you know, people start saying, oh bloody Australian government. You know,
why aren't they in here picking us up? You know,
I'm scared. I'm scared you went to a high risk
country you went. I'm not saying you shouldn't go to
Israel or Palestine for that matter, to visit holy sites
and all that sort of thing, but if you go
to an African country, you have to have a yellow
fever vaccination beig cause yellow feeler's rife over there. You know,
you take a calculated risk when you go to those countries.
(05:33):
And thank you the Federal government. You know, because if
I was stuck in a country somewhere when there was
a calamity or a disaster, I would like my government
to come and help me. So be patient, That's what
I'm saying. And don't expect government to be on your doorstep,
you know, every second minute when something goes wrong.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
And we did speak to the Federal Minister for Transport yesterday,
Catherine King, who said that they were making all their
efforts to get Australians back to Australia safe.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
And yet we know that there is an northern territory.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
Will a Palmestan family that's there at the moment hopefully
able to get home safely and as quickly as possible.
But you know, for those that for those that are
stuck in that conflict because it's their life, that is
their country, it is about twelve scary stuff Australia's in
the area.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
Yeah there is.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
I'm just trying to find that number now, but yes,
there is quite a.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
Large number from what I've heard love this morning.
Speaker 4 (06:21):
A lot of people and I've known people, they seek
out to go and live in a kibutz in Israel.
They seek it as a way of life, to know
experience what other people have experienced. And I think that's
where probably quite a few of our Australians are. And
I think it was one of the kibbutz's right on
the border that was initially attacked and where the Australian
grandma was killed. I think she was sort of living
in that area of a kibbutz, and you know they've
(06:42):
chosen that path, and you know their destiny has sadly
come to the end that it's come for some of
those Aussies.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Okay, we're feeling it here in Australia too, with the
scenes that I think you just described out of some
of our other states and the protesters and some of
that despicable acts really about you know, having supporting these
kinds of crimes that are happening overseas and to these
families that, by all accounts are innocent families just trying
to live their lives and you know they should. There
(07:10):
really needs to be you know, peace in Australia as well,
because this could go in any direction and we just
don't want that.
Speaker 5 (07:17):
Yeah, it really is sad and horrifying.
Speaker 6 (07:19):
I think every Australian would have heard or seen, you know,
the pictures that you're talking about, Katie.
Speaker 5 (07:24):
It's just absolutely horrific.
Speaker 6 (07:26):
And you know, thank you to the Australian government and
to Quantas for working hard to repatriate and bring back
Australians to our country where they can be safe and
looked after and start being nurtured through that trauma they're
going through. You know, our hearts are just with everybody
over there. Like Kezia said, the conflict has gone on
for a very long time, and I too don't think
that we've seen the worst of it yet, and it's
(07:48):
really sad that events like these happen in twenty twenty three.
I'm with Marie Claire. I think we need a greater
level of peace in our country and right around the world.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
Look, we're going to take a very quick break and
then when we come back, we are going to talk
about the events happening in the Northern Territory and in Australia.
But will take a really quick break. You're listening to
mix Moetow four nine's three sixty. It is the week
that was well back home here in Australia and in
the Northern Territory. There has been a lot to cover
off on this week and we started the week with
the Chief Minister hitting back at John Howard and Tony
(08:19):
Abbott who on the weekend last weekend declared the Northern
Territories a failed state because of its inability to provide
basic services to remote communities, including education, and believe that
the Voice to Parliament will not improve practical outcomes for
Indigenous people in Central Australia. Now, according to a report
in The Australian newspaper, the former Liberal Prime ministers who
(08:39):
implemented the coalition's two thousand and seven intervention into the
Northern Territory, which included grog bands placing military personnel in
some remote communities. They said that little had changed for
Indigenous Australians in the fifteen years since the Coalition government's action.
Mister Howard said that changes to the Constitution to include
an Indigenous voice to Parliament and executive government would be
(09:01):
tied up for years, would not do anything to address
the problems facing Aboriginal children in the Northern Territory.
Speaker 6 (09:08):
Now.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
I know for some people in the Northern Territory, not
right now, you know, they might be feeling like we
are a bit of a failed state in some ways
with the crime and some of the other issues that
we're grappling with. But I've got to say I cannot
help but feel like we're being used as a bit
of a political football right now by the two former
prime ministers and by both sides and politics. To be
(09:28):
honest with you, as we go into to the voice
on the weekend the referendum tomorrow, well this is the thing.
Speaker 4 (09:35):
We've got WA that's got high oborriginal population.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
And look, I think that you know, I think the
problem is right now is that we have got a
lot of issues that are very easy for the federal
government and for federal politicians and former politicians.
Speaker 3 (09:47):
To focus on. And yes, we do want some.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
Focus here in the territory because we want to see
some change. But to say that we're a failed state
when they were actually in charge as well at different times,
I think, you know, is a bit rich.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
Yeah, Katie, I don't think we're a failed state either
like you, But we do have a failing labor government.
I mean we've had a government in power for you know,
twenty odd years, over the last twenty four years, and
I mean that those ex prime ministers are right. You know,
we're not in a better situation now. You don't have
(10:21):
to go anywhere in the territory and you can see
how the decisions that are being made by the Northern
Territory government are failing, you know, the way that crime
is out of control. Of course, we have lots of
cost of living through the roof, with people having to
pay so much more for insurances and security at their
own homes. If we had a labor government that actually
listened to territorians and then made changes in parliament, that
(10:42):
we're going to impact their lives in a positive way.
Then these former prime ministers wouldn't have to say the
things that they're saying.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
I mean, the thing is, the COLP was in power
for at least four of those years, if I if
you know, happy to be corrected if I'm wrong there,
but the COLP was in power for at least four
of those years where there was definitely issues, you know,
things like selling off TiO, leasing the port. They are
just a couple of things that I can think of
off the top of my head. And it's and I
know that I do know that the crime stats are
(11:10):
telling us that things have gotten worse. You don't have
to look far to sort of to understand that either.
But both sides of politics have a part to play
here for the.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
Situation that we're in right now.
Speaker 4 (11:22):
Surely, Katie, there's two parts to what you brought in
with the introduction. There's the ex prime ministers having their
two Bobsworth and then you've got whether the voice will
contribute to better outcomes for disadvantaged Aboriginal people anywhere in
this country. Now, personally, I think those two prime ministers
ex Prime minister should just fade away gracefully, which clearly
they're not doing.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
Thought you're going to say something else there.
Speaker 4 (11:44):
Just say to a you know, be dignified in your
retirement as a chief prime minister of this country. And
you know, you know, I think John had did a
pretty good job as prime minister. Not so sure about
Tony Abbott. But you know what the bloody hell were
you doing when you were prime Minister's or very eld
to come in out and you know, be on the
outside of the tent trying to piss in You should
have been in the tent, trying to help people in
(12:05):
the Northern territory. You know, you've brought in this bloody
what was the thing called the intervention without consultation. You
changed all our legislation, You overrode us again. You just
stomped on us like some dirty piece of rag. And
now you're coming out and say, oh, it's a failed stake. Well,
we all had a part to play and we're I
agree with Murray Clare, I'm sure and I will say
the thing. We are not a failed state. We have
challenges and issues like any other jurisdiction in this country.
(12:27):
We have a large land mass, we have a spread
out population, mostly because of the indigenous population, and they
live where they want to live on their country and
in communities and townships and things of that nature. And
of course it's bloody hard to deliver services in the
middle of wood woop, you know, like whether it be power,
whether it be water, whether it be seurage and septic,
or education or health or law and order. It is
(12:48):
a challenge. It doesn't mean you've failed. Yes, we failed,
like some of the other states have failed at certain things,
you know, in delivering services. You know, I just think
they should butt out, button the lip and just nickoff
well on real.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
Issue with people that dinactually live in the Northern Territory
issue shit, And this is the thing I think, until
you've lived here for six months, or until you actually
live here and live and breathe it, you know, yeah,
happy for you to look in and and you know observer,
but actually be here and see what's going on now.
(13:18):
In Tony Abbot's defense, I think that he did travel
to the Northern Territory to more than most of our
other prime ministers have. And you know, the fact is
right now we do have some very serious issues and
I know the Northern Territory government always refers back to
the need for different funding models to try and sort
some of those issues out. But you can't deny we
(13:39):
have poured billions of dollars into the Northern Territory for
Katie not as some questionable outcomes.
Speaker 4 (13:46):
Not only government has poured billions into the economy, industry
has also poured tens of hundreds of millions through mining
worldies into this economy, into Lulan Boy, into Grewod Island,
into Jabboru, into when Nablek the mine was opera, adding
little Uranian mine out towards Owen Pelly thirteen back in
the early eighties, thirteen million dollars in royalties were paid
(14:07):
to the local communities and people and there is nothing
to show for it. So it's not just government money.
There's money that has come from industry, not just mining,
but seafood industry, cattle industry, in some shape or form,
controlling industry. That money also is hundreds and hundreds of
millions of dollars and there's really there's some things to
show for it, but there's not a lot. So I
don't know if someone has said it, I've read it
(14:28):
about undertaking audits of you know, where expenditure goes, where
funds goes, and most money that comes from government is tied.
You have to account for it. You have to you know,
do an audit, you have to sort of equip what
you've spent it on. But I sometimes wonder if that's
really a very whether it's rigorous enough, because I personally know,
and I'm sure others in this room do, where money
has been squandered and there's been mismanagement, there's been fraud,
(14:51):
and there's been theft, and that money should have been
going to Aboriginal people. Even the Gaggage You Association way
back in the eighties. You know, there was fraud, there
was theft by the then CEO, and you know, so
it's a massive issue and the funding just keeps getting
poured into these places with no accountability and no structure
to have accountability.
Speaker 5 (15:11):
Accountability is that keyword, Keysier.
Speaker 6 (15:13):
It's making sure that and you're right, there's got to
be accountability out there to make sure that the dollars
that are allocated to make lives better are actually structured
in the way that it will benefit not you know,
a hair brain scheme from the federal government who probably
can't even pronounce, let alone visit a remote community that
the intervention was based upon coming up with, you know,
(15:34):
impacting legislation for well beyond a decade and thinking that
won't have long term.
Speaker 5 (15:39):
Rammifications in the Northern territory. They should have done their homework.
So we are not a failed state.
Speaker 6 (15:44):
And it's really great to hear you know, all of
us in this room today agree that we're not a
failed state.
Speaker 5 (15:48):
It's not nice for you.
Speaker 6 (15:50):
Know, our territory to be used as a political football.
And I agree with you, Gizy. I think people when
you used to be in the limelight, when you used
to be at the top of the food chain and
the Prime Minister of Australia had every opportunity to help
make things better, not just for your term, but for
every term going forward. And don't use us as a
political football because tomorrow is the day of the referendum.
Speaker 5 (16:10):
It's unfair and you had your opportunity.
Speaker 6 (16:13):
And if you want to help out, give us a
call and we can find something for you to help well.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
And look, we'll talk about the voice in just a second,
but before I get to there, Shane Stone said earlier
in the week, and we'll talk about that a little
later as well. But Shane Stone said earlier in the week, Nari,
We're not a failed state, we're a failed government.
Speaker 4 (16:29):
Which government's you're referring to, it means an Northern Territory government. Now,
of course he's going to pick on the latter government,
you know, and they've been in for three terms or
four and seal people's win for un term. I think
I think it's governments across the board, and they haven't
failed because of lack of intention or lack of ideas,
or lack of drive or enthusiasm, or lack of legislative bases.
(16:51):
I think it's just such a complex and complicated issue.
Our people living in the charity, in the way and
where they live, and you know all the other things
that coming to play. You know, the high dependence upon
alcohol and drugs. You know, the literacy. You know, the
Abaginal kids not being growing up in a hygienic situation.
Therefore they are partly deaf, they don't hear well at school,
they get disinterested, et cetera, et cetera. So to just
(17:14):
lay the blame at Labour's door fair enough. I could
agree with him to some disagree, But I think it's governments.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
Don't forget it.
Speaker 4 (17:21):
Was way back when.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
So when we talk about these issues, I mean when
we talk about the various issues that we are grappling
with in the Northern Territory.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
And we've just discussed it.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
We've also just discussed funding and the enormous amounts of
money that have come into the Northern Territory that haven't
delivered the outcomes that we all expect and that we
all hope to see. Is that where the Voice would
actually make a difference. And we are heading to the
referendum tomorrow.
Speaker 4 (17:42):
I mean, I don't think Katie the Voice, in whatever
shape or form, a committee of advisory nature to the
Federal Government, to the Executive and to the Parliament and
the subsequent bureaucratic structure that will be set up to
support it is not going to help the kids out
at Amongana, and it's not going to help the young
people and the women out on the Grid Island, you know,
with the particular disease I've got out the energies and
I disagree, and it's not going to help, you know,
(18:04):
because that partly those services are delivered by the anti
government and other agencies.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
What we have seen and like we've literally just discussed
it what we've seen over the years is every time
a new government comes into place, there's new policies, there's
different things that that government wants to focus on. And
with the tick of a pen or with the you know,
the cross of a t the dot of an I,
it means that those policies change and what was being
delivered or what they were trying to deliver on the
(18:30):
ground in indigenous community changes.
Speaker 3 (18:33):
If we had a voice, would that make some kind
of difference.
Speaker 6 (18:36):
I absolutely believe it would, Katie, And that's why I'm
a big advocate and a supporter.
Speaker 5 (18:40):
Of the voice.
Speaker 6 (18:41):
I think the best way for government in the Federal
Parliament to decide how best program should be established and
where money should go, talk to the people who are
being directly impacted Aboriginal infirstinations.
Speaker 5 (18:52):
People right around the country.
Speaker 6 (18:53):
I take on keysiest point and I've had a number
of conversations and I've been really grateful to hear all
sides of the discussion. Won't call it an argument. It's
been really healthy talks and debates. But if people spend
more time trying to put themselves in first nations, people's situation,
understanding community life, understanding a lot of our mob don't
speak English as a first, second, or third language. The
(19:14):
challenges that they've gone through with government after government, change
after change often not really communicated clearly in their own
first language. You know, the detrimental impacts of the intervention.
I worked in the Intervention. I took a job in
there because I wanted to be a blackfellow and to
hold people to account, and I thought the best place
for me to help make change was from the inside.
(19:34):
I spoke to a lot of people in the remote
communities about the impact. I watched a lot of the
men become disempowered. Remember that it was based off things
where they were making allegations that men were doing the
wrong thing against There was pornography involved, there was pedophilia,
and how would you like to be labeled as that.
It's kind of chucked the blanket over. We've got the
(19:56):
way forward, but you actually don't if the intervention, If
when planning the INTERVI mentioned the federal government had have
actually spoke to First Nations people in the territory, in
those remote communities, they would have told them it wouldn't work,
So hopefully they wouldn't have done it.
Speaker 1 (20:08):
What we're doing right now, though, isn't working either. I
think that's a really tough part. You know, I don't
know where we get it so wrong.
Speaker 3 (20:14):
But it's not working.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
Yeah, Katie, Whe're some years on from that intervention, and
you're right, we have a different government now, and you
know it was the Labor government who implemented the intervention
after it was ordered by the coalition at the time.
And you know, you just say you're out speaking to
people on the ground about that. I mean, when our
team is out speaking to Indigenous communities, the one thing
(20:36):
they're telling us is that they want to take that
control of their communities and actually have you know, go
back to the shires or the smaller councils that they
had so they can make their own decisions. They feel
like that there's all these other people telling them what
to do all the time, and so they can't. I mean,
I've got plenty of Indigenous people that are telling me
every day that they just can't see how this change
(20:57):
to the constitution is going to make their lives better
on the ground.
Speaker 1 (21:01):
Yeah, and look, this is I suppose this is a
really hard point at this you know right now, is
that it is looking as though it's going to be no.
It's looking like tomorrow. That is how it's going to
it's going.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
To roll out.
Speaker 1 (21:11):
I mean, if you go on the numbers that are
coming through, that is the way that it's looking at
this point in time.
Speaker 4 (21:17):
The country has voted already.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
Yeah, well, so I'll read some of the numbers that
were printed yesterday. So it's saying that Australians are most
likely to vote. The Australians that are most likely to
vote Yes it's Saturday's Voice to Parliament referendum are the
ones that if they live in one of a.
Speaker 3 (21:33):
Handful of inner city electorates.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
This is according to a News Corps story yesterday, with
the vast majority of seats in suburban, regional and rural
Australia sharpening their pencils to vote no.
Speaker 3 (21:44):
So this new analysis by UK.
Speaker 1 (21:46):
Firm Focal Data, using advanced statistical techniques pioneered at the
most recent Australian and British elections, revealed that just twenty
two out of one hundred and fifty one federal electorates
home to a majority of likely Yes voters in New
South Wales, only a handful of inner city and suburban
(22:07):
seats are expected to vote yes, with with the seat
of Sydney expected to come in at seventy point four
percent in favor of the referendum. So, I mean, you
can go through all of the different seats. Even for
us here in the Northern Territory, it's looking like Lingiari
is going to be a no. It is looking like
Solomon is going to be a no. That is according
(22:28):
to this data. And we never know until you're actually,
you know, until the results actually start to come in. Look,
I voted yes, And the reason that I voted yes
is because I do want to see some change.
Speaker 3 (22:39):
I want to see that self determination.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
I want to see, you know, when a new government
comes in that there isn't new policies that change the
way that things are being delivered and more money being
poured into something that's not actually working. I don't know
whether it will make a difference. I really don't, but
I just, you know, I'm just at the point where
I think what we're doing right now is not working.
Speaker 4 (23:01):
Some parts do work, all right. We should acknowledge that
doesn't matter which government's in power. There are parts within
our community of a range of programs to do with
all sorts of things, and they do work, and they
work well because of one the design and then to
the implementation, but also to focus and not exclusively on
the outcomes and the outputs. I think what happens a
(23:22):
lot of the time, and it happens within our community
in the public service, is they set up a program
and they just focus on the processes and they don't
focus on what do we actually want to get out
of this and how we're going to gauge if we
do get what we want to get, you know. So
I think there's big chunks in our community that work
very well across the board. But it also comes back
(23:42):
to get success, you've got to have really good, strong leadership.
Now that's the question that could be asked, and it
could be up for discussion or debate whether this Labor
government has had good leadership in regards to delivering programs
and delivering legislation that's going to get outputs and outcomes
that can be gauged or judged.
Speaker 2 (24:03):
I think whatever happens on Saturday with the result of
the referendum, the work needs to be done, and that
needs to be done by the governments who have been
elected to lead our nation and to lead the territory
of course, and so as I say, no matter what
the result is, there is so much work that needs
to be done. We have the most astronomical levels of crime.
(24:25):
We have seniors that won't even leave their backyards for exercise,
which obviously plays to their mental health. You know. We
have families that don't want to send their kids on
the bus to school. These are the types of real
issues that territories speak to me about every single day
in my community, and that is what all of the
labor government members need to be focused on, no matter
(24:46):
what the result of the referendum is.
Speaker 4 (24:48):
Katie, I had a briefing with all these center Melanderie McCarthy.
She offered it and so I had a talk and
had to listen, and I asked her the question. I said,
has your government, as in federal government, given any consideration
if this referendum doesn't get up? And I really didn't
get a fullsome answer, but in short it was not
(25:09):
really no. So I think in any exercise there should
be some consideration, and I think the federal goverment's now
doing it. When they realized that it's not going to
get up, and so the language changed completely. It was
like oh, well, yes, if it doesn't get up. But
it's been a good discussion. It's been a good debate.
It's highlighted the issues of disadvantage. Well, you should have
actually thought about it.
Speaker 1 (25:27):
I think I don't think they've sold the message well
at all. And I think that if it had liput
into constitutional recognition right from the get go, I reckon
ninety nine percent of Australians would have voted yes if.
Speaker 4 (25:37):
The constitution, if the wording was such that the Aboriginal
torrestate on a lot of people were the first people
in this country. Well, of course they were, and to
recognize him in our constitution. You're right, Katie, people have
got yeah, that were the first people here.
Speaker 1 (25:50):
I mean fundamentally, what the federal government asking what they
were asking, or what they're asking the Australian people to
do with trust politicians, which by very nature we just don't.
And so I think that's where they've had a real issue,
is that when you're asking all of Australia to say, look,
we want to do this, you're just going to have
to trust us on the way that it works, when
by very nature we're all going we'll hang on a
(26:11):
Sekia quite often. No disrespect to the three of you
in the studio with me this morning, but by very
nature we sort of go. Sometimes politicians tell us one
thing and then do another.
Speaker 4 (26:21):
They beat to the drum of a four or three
election cycle. Yes, and that's that's the nature of our country.
And you're right, Katie, it wasn't. It wasn't sol public
relations disaster. Quite frankly, Albanesi, Prime Minister alban Esi, I
don't think we'll have his job taken away from and
think he'll stay there, as has happened with lots of
other referendums in the country. He doesn't get rid of
the prime minister even when they fail. But I think
(26:43):
what it has done is it has created a division,
or it has created angst within the community. You know,
we've had the angst coming out of COVID with the
anti vaxist sentiment and all this bloody sovereign right shit
that you know, people hang on to. And this has
really divided people. You know, it's going to be a
real Now, if you vote no, you're automatically a racist. Now,
what a load of bullshit. I thought we had the
(27:05):
opportunity to vote yes or no, and people will vote
yes or no.
Speaker 5 (27:09):
Let me raiate the input.
Speaker 6 (27:11):
And I've spoken to a number of people in my
own electorate, nonindigenous, local residents of Karama and malacc who
have said, Narri, I'm all for a voice. I just
don't want to tinker with our first document, which is
our constitution.
Speaker 5 (27:24):
And you know that's what I pried territorians on.
Speaker 6 (27:27):
I have a lot of really good, in depth conversations
and by no means do I ever consider anyone who's
voting no a racist unless you say I'm not voting
because tomorrow, because Aberaginal people are.
Speaker 5 (27:37):
I'm going to have a big issue.
Speaker 6 (27:38):
I'm going to tell you you face absolutely, these are
really good conversations.
Speaker 5 (27:41):
And you know this, gentleman, I.
Speaker 6 (27:43):
Was able, We were able to go back and forth
about you know, this is a very old document. It's
older than a century. It was created by white men,
it didn't include black.
Speaker 5 (27:51):
People or women.
Speaker 6 (27:52):
It's outdated, and there is a reason why tinkering with
the Constitution hardly ever gets up.
Speaker 5 (27:58):
It's not supposed to be an easy process.
Speaker 6 (28:00):
And so I've said to a lot of people throughout
the entire campaign, whether you vote yes or whether you
vote no. My job as an elected member, as an
a proud Black following the territory, I want to make
sure you have access to all of the information so
you make an informed decision. I respect that I'm not
even going to ask you how you're going to vote.
Most of the time, that's none of my business.
Speaker 5 (28:19):
If you want to share it with that, great.
Speaker 6 (28:21):
We need to get together on Sunday because there are
a lot of issues and that's what my government continues
to look at how the world, how our territory, how
the communities have changed, and making sure that our government
systems are fit for purpose for twenty twenty three.
Speaker 1 (28:34):
And we're going to have to take a very quick break.
You are listening to Mix one oh four nine's three sixty.
Speaker 3 (28:39):
It is the week that was. If you've just joined us,
it is the week that was.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
We've got Marie Claire Boothby Keys here, Puric and Naria
Keys in the studio this morning.
Speaker 3 (28:47):
Now, well, some changes for the c or P.
Speaker 1 (28:50):
We are just what's ten months out now from an election,
so I've no doubt that there's going to be plenty
of announcements made by both political parties and all the
independents and everyone in between over the coming months.
Speaker 3 (29:01):
But what we know is that the former Northern Territory Chief.
Speaker 1 (29:03):
Minister, Shane Stone has been elected as the new President
of the Country Liberal Party as the party fights to
will take control of government in twenty twenty four. Now
the COLP well, he has held the role twice before.
The President Shane Stones held the role twice before and
was also previously the President of the National Liberal Party
(29:25):
back in nineteen ninety nine to two thousand and five.
And when asked at that press conference on Monday, why
the COLP membership elected him for the role, mister Stone
said it was because I know how to win. He said,
I've got a track record of proven of proven winning
both at state and federal level. I took the COLP
(29:46):
as the Chief Minister to their highest level of electoral
success in its history.
Speaker 3 (29:51):
It's time for a change in the Northern Territory.
Speaker 2 (29:54):
Katie, we welcome back Shane Stone, absolutely welcome him. He
is a wealth of experience and says, you've just highlighted
I mean you've said it all yourself.
Speaker 1 (30:03):
Well, I read it from an article, so I'm not
my personal endorsement. It's just reading an article.
Speaker 2 (30:10):
We absolutely value him being there as the party's leader,
and you know his whole job's going to be to
help mobilize members and to you know, get those members
to help our team, you know, become the finocciero led
Sea or peak government.
Speaker 3 (30:26):
Casey, what do you make of it all?
Speaker 1 (30:28):
Because you've been part of the CLP obviously are an
independent now big side there.
Speaker 4 (30:32):
No, I'm not sure what election he's referring to where
he had a thumping win. I can't recall, but I mean, yes,
he was the chief minister. I think he was from memory,
was a pretty good chief minister apart from the fact
he cost us the referendum on statehood when because I
was part of that process and the famous words in
regards to there was questions about the structure and the
(30:52):
wording and all that sort of stuff, and he said, well,
if you don't like it, don't vote for it. So
that's what people did. And I had my friends saying
no because of what shapes dictated to them and I
use that word carefully dictated to them. So he did
cost us that the state would referendum. We could have
almost been well, we could have been a state by now. So,
but of course there's lots of people like we get
a turner over thirty percent of the electric you know,
(31:14):
with election cycles, there's a lot of people around who's
a lot higher at the moment, No Shanstone and that's
the way it is. But you know, look if the
Seal Peece got him back on board, and he does
have experience, there's no doubt about it. You know, he's
been a chief minister, he's been you know, president of
the Liberal Party whatever, he's been involved in national campaigns.
But the bottom line is going to be with this
coming election is are you going to have better policies
(31:36):
than the other mob? What are they and what are
you going to do to help the territory? And I
know the k the SEALPA says we've got a plan.
I actually like to see it. I like to see
the nuts.
Speaker 3 (31:45):
I think a lot of territories as well.
Speaker 4 (31:47):
You know, like I've been around long enough, and Murray
Clay have been around a little bit not so long.
But you know, you can say I've got a plan.
I'm going to clean up the streets. How are you
going to clean up the streets? How are you going
to it's probably probably the economic thing is probably the easiest,
I think, is to encourage investment and to get things going.
And it hasn't got a lot to do with the bad,
nasty stuff on our streets or in our bottle shops.
(32:07):
It's to do with the high level of attracting investment
to the church because we have the potential. We know
we have the potential. And for so long I've been
banging on about the fact that you don't have any
major minds coming up behind you. And only now Nicole Madison,
the Minister, has decided, oh shit, we're facing a royalty cliff.
We've been facing the royalty cliff for the last bloody five.
Speaker 2 (32:25):
Years, and introduce the legislation about the Territory Coordinator keys
now so that we could actually get our economy moving
again and have major projects that actually come to pruision
and out of the ground.
Speaker 4 (32:36):
Yeah, the perfect piece of that could have done it.
But let's be clear about this. Every government takes credit
for when there's large investments, you know, that's just the
way it is, nature of the game of politics. But
a lot of time business will come here despite of government.
Minds will open, despite the value, but they will look
at the charity as whether it's an attractive place to
invest their dollars in mining, for example, or in construction
(32:58):
or anything else for that matter. But the CLP have
to demonstrate in a very realistic way, how are you
going to sort out law and order, what's your what's
your policies in regards to education, and how are you
going to sort out our hospitals from having code browns?
Speaker 1 (33:12):
And this is three things that will winndred Per one
hundred percent agree with that. And I think that you
know that labor there their line to the CLP is
that you know that they're a one trick pony that
all they talk about at this point in time is
crime and personal safety and and you know, yes that
is the case because that is the number one.
Speaker 3 (33:31):
Issue for a lot of territories.
Speaker 1 (33:32):
But you've got to have policies also, you know they
also you need to make sure that there are policies
for things like health, that there is things like housing.
Speaker 3 (33:41):
And other areas the economy. Yeah, that's exactly the voice.
Speaker 6 (33:45):
Because you don't think things are going to get better,
explain to territories how you actually got to make it better.
Speaker 4 (33:50):
And I mean you have a plan and a plan
has components to I guess I'm interested in some of
the components. I guess your Rowty schemes you think around
well when it comes to land release and play for
your future of the top end, I'll just talk for
the top end. What's the seal peace policy in regards
to word deal and so regards to this, That's where
they're going to have to start to.
Speaker 3 (34:07):
Drill they are going to really have to start to
drill down.
Speaker 1 (34:10):
But let's you know, the government's certainly not off the
hook though, either, because you're going to have to explain
to territories how are you going to actually make them
any safer in the next I haven't done anything the
last four years exactly right, So it is going to
be a really interesting ten months. I mean, are you
thinking easier that there's going to be more independence put
their hands up. I don't think we're going to see
like a teal wave nationally.
Speaker 4 (34:32):
That's stupid.
Speaker 1 (34:32):
But also but I also think that a lot of
territories learnt their lesson from the last election where we
had Terry Mills and the Territory Alliance come through and
everybody go on a.
Speaker 4 (34:41):
Second or Terry Mills did was split the conservative simple line,
and I personally think it was out of vengeance, but
you know that's another story. More independents put up their hand, sure,
good on you, And I've given the benefit of my
wisdom to a couple of people who're sort of.
Speaker 3 (34:54):
Thinking about it.
Speaker 4 (34:55):
And if more people want to put their hand up,
but don't get dewy eyed and romantic about it. It's
hard work solid win a seat as an independent, particularly
off a sitting member. Say like Mari, you know, so
this is my tip. Independent members getting elected will not
hold the balance of power. It will go to one
of the major parties, and there'll be probably independence like myself,
like Rob Homing I get elected, Mark the Mark Turner's
(35:17):
Mayomo I get elected maybe one. But you've got to
be super high profile and you've just been known, like
like someone like Nri if she's stopping a labor part
of person, then right as an independent, she most likely
get elected.
Speaker 3 (35:28):
But acause you've already been the member for what sometimes
but he and dearly A. Laurie struggled with that. Yes,
you know, you'd have a very high profile.
Speaker 4 (35:35):
Preferences. Preferences are the key people people think things just
magically happen. They don't know. It's all about numbers.
Speaker 1 (35:41):
What about Do you think we're going to see an
increase in the Greens candidates particularly but no, definitely not,
I don't think, but particularly in some of those labor
held seats. There's you know, where people have been quite
against some of the decisions around fracking and various other things.
Speaker 4 (35:57):
They will, I think they'd be smart to target the
seats where they've.
Speaker 7 (36:01):
Sort of got a bit of a foothold, which helped
Fanny Bay, which is Nightcliff, maybe Casarina, you know, there's
some the lady who ran for council the Greens layer.
Speaker 4 (36:11):
You know, from from an election point of view, and
garnishing the vote. They won't win a seat, but I
think the referencing, well, it's correct because Fanny Brent Potter
wasn't head on primaries, but he got them on preferences.
That's the nature of our preferential system. So yes, I
think they will target seats and they will perhaps get
(36:32):
a little bit more than what they have in the past. Yep,
but they won't win a seat.
Speaker 3 (36:36):
I think it's going to be a very interesting ten
months to say.
Speaker 2 (36:40):
I guess you know that's a long time for people
who are living in the territory. So right now our
focus is absolutely holding the Labor government to account. We've
got two weeks of Parliament coming up. Sadly there's not
much on the agenda to deal with the things that
territorianes are talking about, and I'm really looking forward to
seeing what the Labor government introduced next week into Parliament
and hopefully it's something that they're actually talking about.
Speaker 4 (37:02):
Rather than what the Labor Government want to do.
Speaker 3 (37:04):
Well, look, we're going to take a very short break.
You are listening to mix.
Speaker 1 (37:07):
When we come back, keen to talk about the situation
with the Barkley Regional mayor if you've just joined us
Nari R kit Keesi Apuric and Mary Clare Boothby in
the studio this morning for the week that was now.
Earlier this week we learned that the Barkley Regional Mayor, well,
he said that he's not going to resign after coming
under fire over vision showing him pinning an Indigenous boy
(37:29):
to the ground. Now, the ABC was reporting that a
confidential meeting of the Berkley Regional Council was going to
be held earlier in the week to discuss the actions
of their mayor, Jeffrey McLaughlin, who's due to return from
three weeks of pre arranged leave next week. Footage of
that incident, which is said to have occurred late August,
shows the Barkley mayors sitting on a boy while another
(37:51):
man makes threats towards that young boy, and in an
interview with the ABC in the Berkley, the mayor had
said that he had performed a citizen's arrest after the
child allegedly broke into his home and was chased into
his neighbour's yard.
Speaker 3 (38:05):
He said, I didn't squish him. I just sat on him.
Speaker 1 (38:08):
I said I can't let you go. It's school hours.
I was there for the child's welfare. Now, he also
he had said, you know that he was not the
one who was making other comments in that video and
did not condone those comments.
Speaker 3 (38:24):
But I think that there is well.
Speaker 1 (38:26):
We've then got the Acting Children's Commissioner, Nicole Hucks, saying
in a statement that she was deeply concerned that this
footage showed vigilanteism is alive and well in the Northern
Territory and that this behavior is deeply sorry is also
only encouraging encouraged by continued negative, stereotypical and often discriminatory
portrayal of children in the media and on social media,
(38:49):
which has to stop. Now, I want to say that
we have got kids in the Northern Territory that are
breaking the law. That is why the media reports on
those different situations. Earlier in the week, I had to
report on the fact that there was a seventeen year old,
a ten year old and an eight year old that
broke in to the shopping center and stole allegedly crossbow
(39:14):
and various other knives. We also had a situation in
Catherine just a couple of days ago where the police
were obviously reporting that there had been a woman who'd
been sent upon by five female youths allegedly assaulting her
at the entrance of a store at the Catherine Central
Shopping Center complex.
Speaker 3 (39:34):
Now to say that you know that the media and.
Speaker 1 (39:39):
That social media discriminatory towards the portrayal of children, I
don't buy that we are reporting on issues that are
happening in the Northern Territory. Do I think it's okay
to sit on a kid that's broken into your house? No,
I don't, but I can understand why people are at
the point where if someone's broken in, they're incredibly frustrated
and they do not know what to do.
Speaker 4 (40:02):
It doesn't matter whether kid's aboriginal kid or not, you know,
it doesn't matter what color the kids could have been
a Chinese or you know, Croatian kid for example. But
the fact that the fellow thought it was one okay
and too necessary to restrain the child. I mean, he
looked about I don't know what, is he nine or something,
you know, and you're a big, grown adult. Surely you
could have just held him by the arm and use
(40:23):
some kind of verbal sort of discussion like listening to
your kids. Sit down here, don't move until the police
get here. So it's just really odd, you know. And
I saw the photo somewhere I don't know where, but
it was uncomfortable to watch, Like I wouldn't social media.
There are people out there will be well he did that,
So next time I see a little punk doing X
y Z, then I'll just grab him when sitting or
(40:45):
her on the ground and do whatever, you know. And
it's just it's not no, it's not okay, you know,
Like I get the apprehending the person. I get that
whether it be a child or an adult that's trying
to break into your property or do hard to you
and your loved ones. I get all that, but it's
just it's symptom of a bigger problem. That's the issue.
It's a symptom of a bigger problem apart from the
abhorrent nature of what he was doing or did and
(41:07):
what the other person was allegedly would just go to
do like just not on, you know, But it's just
it's symptomatic of the biggest problem or the bigger problem
we have in the churchy and that is just law
and order. There's no laws that are looking after us,
and there's no order.
Speaker 3 (41:22):
Yeah, where is that? Like the thing that always strikes me,
where is.
Speaker 4 (41:26):
His moral compass?
Speaker 5 (41:27):
That mere?
Speaker 4 (41:28):
That's what I'd be asking, where's his moral I get
you've got an issue with this kid breaking into your house,
but where is your and your neighbor's moral compass gone?
Speaker 6 (41:35):
And I've seen the video to Katie, and it was
it was really really hard to watch, and you know,
you're looking at a young child who allegedly has done
the wrong thing.
Speaker 5 (41:44):
But we do have an incredible police force who work
really hard, and.
Speaker 6 (41:47):
I understand that the incident is being investigated, but it's
making sure that you know what, if I always go
west case scenario, if something had gone wrong in that circumstance.
Speaker 5 (41:58):
It really is tough.
Speaker 6 (41:59):
And I know that when people are frustrated and we
hear their frustrations, we feel it too. It's really hard
to kind of maintain your composure, and I guess sometimes
act appropriately when you're that frustrated. It was when people
have seen it, I just you know, I would hate
to see that other people think, yeah, that's a great idea,
let's do it too. But when the police do their
(42:21):
investigation and it turns out what it does, I hope
people take that message on board as well. It's not
okay for people to get away with bad behavior and
criminal activity. But I also wouldn't encourage territorians to take
matters into their own hands because you may end up
getting into a world of traumble.
Speaker 2 (42:35):
Well, that's exactly in a bit of a pressure cooker
situation right now in the territory. I mean, people they
literally have fed up, you know, they're so frustrated. We've
got escalating crime, we're escalating violence, and it's all at
the hands of the labor government that just refuse to
take any action. I mean, we've seen laws be watered
down over the last number of years. We have absolute
(42:56):
lawlessness on our streets. And the real fear is that
that's right, someone is going to get incredibly hurt and
that's not what we want to have here in the territory.
Speaker 1 (43:05):
I do just want to step to the other side
for one moment, and and you know, I go back
to this incident quite often because I'm pretty mortified by it.
But what about the situation that we've seen on the
streets of Darwin a few weeks ago where Leah Bennett,
who left Stompshoes where she was working, left and got
set upon by three teenage girls. You know, that was
a situation where the teenagers were belting into an innocent
(43:29):
person who was walking to her car. You know the
outrage then that we see for the mayor doing the
wrong thing, which he has done, it is the wrong thing.
But where is the outrage as well for an innocent
person like that who's been set upon by three young people,
one of them allegedly eleven years old. I just, you know,
I just think it was outright, Yeah, from me on air,
(43:51):
But you know, you sort of go like, why are
we You know, I'm not expecting that. You know that
the National Children's Commission is going to come out and
make commentary on.
Speaker 3 (43:58):
That, But you know why not? People get frustrated.
Speaker 4 (44:02):
Should she be making comment on that they're underage, they're
under sixteen, they're not at school, and they're being violent.
Why shouldn't the Children's commissioner come out and say that
behavior is not acceptable?
Speaker 3 (44:12):
That's about That's what people are wondering, right, you.
Speaker 4 (44:15):
Comment when the little black kid gets sat on, But
when the Aboriginal women girls attack a white woman, where's
the commentary? You know, it's across the board. It's not acceptable.
Speaker 3 (44:26):
I mean, what is your take on?
Speaker 6 (44:28):
I hear a lot of outrage in regards to a
number of dangerous and criminal circumstances, and as local members,
we try to make sure that you know, incidences are
followed up.
Speaker 5 (44:37):
We have regular catchups with authorities.
Speaker 6 (44:39):
We try to make sure I personally, as a memph Crama,
I look through all of the local resources. I try
to connect people, knock on the doors, check in on people.
If people out there are in a situation where they
feel like they have to resort to that behavior because
they have no support, perhaps in the home. Then there
have got to be safe places, and that's what we've
created in our electorate and young kids roaming around the
(45:00):
streets getting up to no good bashing bashing here absolutely okay,
But I did hear uproight that my colleagues did as well.
Speaker 5 (45:09):
Katie Good.
Speaker 1 (45:09):
I'm glad that you did, because it's not the territory
that we know and love, and it has to change.
The behavior is not good enough. People should be safe
to walk on the streets, no matter when it is.
But we are going to have to wrap up for
this morning. Marie Claire Boothby, thank you as always for
your time.
Speaker 4 (45:25):
Thank you, and have a wonderful weekend.
Speaker 3 (45:27):
Katie, you too, Keezy if Eric, thank you for your time. Katie.
Speaker 4 (45:29):
I want to put a plug in. I'm looking on
your wall here and you know your name of a
business they must sponsor.
Speaker 3 (45:34):
The Richmond Rolling Solutions.
Speaker 4 (45:36):
Yeah, yeah, I was there yesterday. I don't even know
the shot, but I was there to get a circuit
board for my electric gait which has been bung for
two years. As a friend of mine, Bloody broken in
his enthusiasts and to fix it broke. No, and I
didn't even know they had.
Speaker 3 (45:56):
Atrange.
Speaker 4 (45:57):
Woman that came in yesterday wanting a bit for electric Day.
So anyone want lifted gates fixed, go to this mob,
go to theirs.
Speaker 3 (46:04):
Thank you and nari I Kip, thank you so much
for your time this morning.
Speaker 5 (46:09):
Thanks Katie, it's been great