Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
We might need a weather update for the whole of
the Northern Territory because we've got Central Australia representing this morning.
Steve Edgington, the Member for Barkley and Opposition spokesperson for
various portfolios, Good morning to you day.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Good morning Katy, and good morning to all the listeners
here in Darwin and Central Australia. I hope they're out
there listening, but yeah, perfect weather in Tenant Creek, beautiful
Borla at the moment.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
Yeah, I bet it is well.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Robin Lambley, the Independent Member for Arrah Luhn, joins us
as well from Alice Springs this morning.
Speaker 4 (00:28):
Good morning to you morning Katie.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Lovely to have you in the studio and well also
well we've got from from Central Australia as well. Chancey Paik,
the Attorney General, Good morning to you and Deputy Chief
and is it.
Speaker 5 (00:40):
Good morning Katy, and good morning to everyone across the
Northern Territory.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
And Kathleen Gazola from nine years Darwin from Darwin, good
morning to your.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
We most certainly are this morning.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
And do you know what, I love it when there's
a Central Australian focus because there is so much to
discuss this morning.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Right across the Northern Territory. It has been an absolutely
huge week.
Speaker 6 (01:02):
We know.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
The Northern Territory budget was handed down earlier in the
week by the Chief Minister, Evil Lawler.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
It's been described as a pre election.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
Big spending budget, one which is really aimed at winning
votes and trying to win back the confidence of the
people when it comes to crime and law and order.
Delivering the budget in Parliament, the Chief Minister said it's
a common sense budget, a budget that acknowledges our two
highest priorities, keeping Territorians safe and making sure Territorians have
(01:30):
the skills to achieve and enjoy the best work life
balance that Australia has to offer.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
But I tell you what, it comes at a price.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
Territorians are going to be paying almost twice as much
interest on debt in coming years due to a surge
in net debt on the back of record government spending,
with debt forecast to hit a historic high of eleven
billion dollars by the end of the next financial year.
It's a massive amount of money. I mean, it's hard
to wrap your head around really.
Speaker 6 (02:01):
Indeed, and I just heard earlier that the way the governments.
This government is traveling that they will be breaching their
debt ceiling of fifteen billion dollars almost certainly by twenty thirty.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
So it still exists.
Speaker 4 (02:17):
It does, it's legislated.
Speaker 6 (02:18):
It's in this Fiscal Integrity and Transparency Act two thousand
and one. It was it was actually legislated at fifteen
billion dollars and if you look at the forward estimates,
we come within a whisker of that within the next
four years.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
Wow, frightening figure.
Speaker 7 (02:35):
I think what was the the interest of payments were
one point one point three million a day. It's three
point six increases every day, one point six million dollars.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
G It's a lot of money.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
And look, I understand the argument that money does need
to be invested into our Northern Territory police. We know
that money does need to be invested into corrections, into
a number of portfolios, and that is indeed what we've
heard from the Northern tierrate government this week. On the
flip side, we've got the opposition saying that if the
legislation was different, we wouldn't be in the situation that
we are right now. When it comes to the issues
(03:09):
of crime and law and order. Nonetheless, I'm pleased that
we are finally at a point where the government is
taking the issue of crime as seriously as it needs
to be taken. I mean, Chancey, the big question from
a lot of Territorians is, you know we're spending all
this additional money on jails and just you know, not
(03:30):
that long ago your photograph with a shirt on saying
Jalen is failing. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (03:33):
Look, Katie, I think let's first of all acknowledge this
is the Treasurer and the Chief as her role being
the Chief Minister's first budget, it's a common sense budget.
Speaker 8 (03:43):
She's absolutely said.
Speaker 5 (03:44):
And made it very clear that she's investing in those
core areas that matter to Territorians. And certainly we've seen
that record investment in the police and certainly standing up
those additional facilities for women to get women out of
the current correctional centers, and and that obviously frees up
more room within those facilities. But you know, let's make
(04:04):
no mistake as well that the celp Leo Fernocchiaro came
out with an additional two hundred million dollars worth of
expenditure over the forward estimates and hasn't said how she
was going to pay for that, which would be further
debt if they were elected.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
Yeah, look, I get that, and I totally get the argument,
and that's been a criticism of the COLP that you
know that it's big spending from them as well, and
they've got to be able to outline how that's going
to be paid off. But the fact is, you guys
are actually in government right absolutely, and you're at the
point where you're eleven billion dollars in debt, you know.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
So that's the like, that's the realting.
Speaker 5 (04:39):
You don't most people don't sell their house to pay
off their mortgage because they don't have a house.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
It's so expensive that they can't afford to pay it
off and then rely on getting a job that they
don't quite have yet to be able to pay that mortgage.
Speaker 4 (04:55):
You know.
Speaker 5 (04:55):
The territory obviously has a small population and has a
high need, so the work needs to continue on multiple levels.
They work with the Commonwealth around looking at needs based
funding for particular areas, but it's also about diversifying the
economy and that's where natural resources like gas, like these
major projects are critical to bringing in that enownment.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
The government has got a bit of an issue on
their hands in the sense that previously, you know, you've
said not too long ago that that you don't support gas.
I understand as well that one of the one of
the candidates for Alas Springs had also recently said on
ABC radio that she didn't support gas. So have we
(05:38):
got an element within the Labor Party that don't support
gas all the while it is certainly a revenue source
that the Northern Territory Chief Ministers relying Adie.
Speaker 8 (05:47):
The Labour Party is a broad church.
Speaker 5 (05:49):
People have views and opinions, but the Territory Labor Government
is absolutely committed and we're working with the gas industry.
I know answered questions yesterday from the opposition as a government.
We're absolutely continuing our investments and working with that industry,
supporting the growth in that sector because that is revenue
that can help pay for critical infrastructure in the Northern Territory.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
Can I put it this one? Look? I know that
you'll say, you know, there's a lot of variables there.
I'm sure and there is.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
But you know, what would the situation be if we
went back to Evil Laula not being the Chief finester.
I mean, would the Labor Caucus and would the Labor
Cabinet still be supporting and pushing for gas in the
way that she currently is because she came out, you know,
sort of a day after becoming the Chief Minister saying
that she is the one that wants to get this
going on.
Speaker 8 (06:37):
She's a situation, a huge advocate.
Speaker 5 (06:40):
But remember our government under Michael Gunner, our government under
Natasha Files has always supported that industry and will.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
Support it into state tracking.
Speaker 5 (06:51):
I don't think that's a fair assessment. I think she
did her event at the press at the Press Club
absolutely saying about this industry. The Chief Minister's made it
really clear and under Chief Minister Lawla will continue to
insists not under Chief under as a government, our government
(07:11):
supports that industry.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
Even the other day when we had Well and even
the other other week when we had Joel Baden, he
wouldn't say that he personally supported gas. He was saying
we support gas. I mean, do you personally support gas
and support fracking?
Speaker 8 (07:25):
Katie? Our government support are you.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
Talking about, mister? Do you support gas and do you
support fracking?
Speaker 5 (07:37):
As Deputy Chief Minister, I absolutely support our government's position.
Speaker 8 (07:41):
I'm supporting in.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
Do you personally support gas and fracking.
Speaker 5 (07:46):
Okay, we've done a lot of environmental we've introduced those
measures to enable those practices and iron satisfy all of the.
Speaker 8 (07:56):
Work that our government has done in this industry.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
Yes, no question, it's as.
Speaker 5 (08:06):
Katie has just said, there are important variables which need
to be considered, and absolutely our government supports the industry.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
You're not prepared to say that you personally support gas and.
Speaker 8 (08:16):
Tracking, Katie.
Speaker 5 (08:17):
Our government's made a decision and I back our government's decision.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
So you don't, though, but you support your chief minister
and the government.
Speaker 5 (08:24):
I support my chief minister, I support our government, and
I support the gas industry to be able to grow,
to be able to then invest in critical infrastructure support gas.
Speaker 8 (08:36):
I just said, I support gas.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
Excellent, there we go. All right, let's Steve, what do
you make of it?
Speaker 6 (08:41):
All?
Speaker 1 (08:41):
I mean, look, and we will get to the Celpeace
budget replied.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
You know, let's get back to the budget. But I
suppose you know, at one point six million dollars a
day in interest, you know, we're talking what over what
We're talking half a billion dollars being wasted on interest
at the moment. And as Robin said, it's not going
to be long before we face debt ceiling. But I
think when you look at the budget overall, there's three
point four billion dollars worth of revotes in there, So
(09:06):
that's three point four billion dollars worth of infrastructure that
hasn't been delivered, not only last year but to previous
years as well. And I often rattle off for some
of the ongoing projects in the Barklay that announced over
the last six seven years, what are you cutting and
they still haven't been delivered. So here we are constantly
(09:27):
rolling over money. It's high time that the government got
on with and delivered some of these projects because what
we're seeing is a greater debt, nothing to show for it,
no revenue being generated by this government, and at the
same time.
Speaker 8 (09:39):
People in the because at the moment.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Suffering because of the incompetence of this that's just simply
called infrastructure in the northern we see at the moment,
we see the moment there is a whole lot of
smoke and mirrors around the police budget as well.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
Well. The interesting thing at the moment is I actually
think it's a really interesting tact for the Labour Party
to now be having a crack still at the colp
over the spending. When you're in a situation where you're
eleven billion dollars in dick like that, I think is
an interesting tac to continue.
Speaker 7 (10:11):
On Tuesday night, we've had even lawl alive on air
as well, and we asked the Chief Minister where she
would make her savings measures, because that is a debt
situation that is not sustainable and is continuing to grow.
She also couldn't say exactly where it was because a
we're relying on increased GST funding, which again will make
up what eighty five percent or whatever the astronomical figure
(10:34):
is of our budget, plus the major projects which is
basically solely relying on gas at the moment, Fracking and
Barossa because the other major projects still haven't got final
investment decisions. So neither side is saying where they're going
to make.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
The Neighbor's prepared to the Public Service PA.
Speaker 8 (10:53):
That's not true.
Speaker 5 (10:54):
We have our budget is costed. We've got plenty of
time to cost ourdle to tell Territorians where they're going
to play for this additional two hundred million dollars. We
know that Shane Stone is pulling the strings, and he's
got a history of singing the strings and the swing
TI on the What was he doing before with Shane
(11:23):
doing at the moment, what was he hanging around the
fifth terrible this week was going?
Speaker 1 (11:29):
And look, I will say because I think it's again
it's somewhere where Labor is being a bit tricky at
the moment by saying that that the SEALP is not
costing their plan because they do have until what day
is it, Cathleen, it's a little bit later in the
year to obviously do that.
Speaker 3 (11:40):
It's a couple of days before the problem.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
Look, Katie, I just want to make the point that
our plan will be fully costed by Treasury. And at
this stage we've committed to twenty twenty million to the
Home Start program and we said that there will be
forty three million dollar cost to the payroll tax. So
that's all we've announced at this stage. So I'm not
sure where the Deputy chiefment.
Speaker 8 (12:01):
Is coming from. People, And here we go. We've got
plenty of time.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
We've got budget estimates coming up just next month. So
what we'll be doing is scrutinizing what the got on
offer at the moment. So we're on there every day
of the budget estimates. But what we will do during
budget estimates is find out where the waste is. And
there's been plenty of waste over the years. You've only
got to look at the boundless possible straight. Fifty million
dollars wasted on boundless possible over the last six or
(12:28):
seven years and the last we ever saw of it
was advertising on a rocket being flown out of Queensland.
Forty thousand dollars wasted on boundless possible. But here we
have about savings. Fifty million dollars wasted on boundless possible
and we've got nothing to show for.
Speaker 1 (12:44):
Look, I will say that hundred people people are quite
concerned about with the celpay at this point. Is that
I did think it was really good earlier in the
week to get a better understanding of really the colp's
election platform, with Leafcio delivering her replied and obviously the
Northern Territory Chief Minister delivering the budget, it gave everybody
a bit of a better understanding I think of the
(13:06):
election platforms and where that line in the sand has
realistically now been drawn.
Speaker 3 (13:11):
But the fact is, Steve, you know there are some big.
Speaker 1 (13:13):
Spending items there in that budget reply and the question,
I mean, the question does still remain, how is it
going to be afforded when we've got a massive level
of debt.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
As I said, all of our costings will be costed
by treasury. We've got, you know, just under one hundred
days now to the election. As I said, budget estimates
coming up in June. What we will be doing is
going through all of these commitments.
Speaker 8 (13:35):
By the Northern Church and government.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
Second, looking at to where money can be better spent.
And as I said, the classic example over the years
is you know, we've seen a shade structure on Kavanagh
Street that costs two point seven million dollars and it's
costing over one hundred thousand dollars a year just to
maintain it because they won't change the vines on there.
So look at all this wastage game.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
To me one from the CLP or change the vines, I.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
Think we probably someone's going to have to at the
end of the.
Speaker 8 (14:06):
Day to anything.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
What we will be doing is going through all of
this during estimates. We've got plenty of time. All of
our election commitments will be fully costed by treasury and
we'll be happy to release that to publicly.
Speaker 8 (14:21):
Is that a yes or no answer? On the shade
structure Steve what replacing the vines? Well, I'd love to
see him replaced.
Speaker 4 (14:28):
I'm saying government, I'll get rid of.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Maintain, grow some vines because there's none growing on these.
Speaker 8 (14:40):
Lines growing there now. But is that a community not
very well?
Speaker 3 (14:43):
Unfortunately, get rid of the shade structure.
Speaker 4 (14:49):
Don't worry about the vines.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
What did you make you know you have? You've obviously.
Speaker 8 (14:56):
Changed the whole election.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
What did you make of the budget speech and also
the budget reply then from the seal pag.
Speaker 6 (15:04):
Well, I thought the budget was really a statement of
defeat by the government. The fact that there are two
biggest platforms, biggest points if you like, were around policing
and prisons, and admission that crime is out of control.
It doesn't need to be restated. We all know it,
we experience it. The fact that we had the Minister
(15:27):
for Police in Parliament yesterday spooking about his astronomical police budget.
Why because this government's allowed crime to get out of control.
So I can't say I was impressed by that. And
in terms of Alice Springs, there really wasn't much to
get excited about it, or as Steve said, most of
the infrastructure projects in Alice Springs haven't been delivered by
(15:50):
this government. They've over promised and underdelivered. And I think
that's the point that people need to really keep in mind,
that it's very easy to make promises but almost impossible
to deliver when those promises are unrealistic. The Order to
General came out with her report this week. I haven't
read it, but I was a part of the Public
(16:10):
Accounts Committee and were briefed on it yesterday, and I've
heard some snippets from people talking about it. One thing
that she found pretty well across the areas that she
ordered is that there isn't a lot of information available
to measure where the money is going and what's being delivered,
(16:31):
particularly when it comes to closing the gap strategies within
the Northern Territory government, and interestingly with the ship lift.
The order she did of the ship lift, she said
that normally she doesn't have access to Cabinet papers, but
normally the information that they preside over is provided to
her upon request. When it came to the ship lift,
(16:51):
this government closed down and wouldn't provide her with any
information which only spells one thing that there's a lot
of suspicious activity around that a project that hasn't been
delivered for many, many years. It was announced by the
former CELP government back in twenty fifteen, and here we
are in twenty twenty four. This government's closed the book
(17:12):
to allowing the Order to General to have a look
at what's been going on.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
Jase, why is it with the shiplifted so policy piece.
Speaker 5 (17:19):
I was obviously something behind something at the CLP committed
to and they couldn't build. And you know we've obviously
times month before work is certainly happening in this space
to open obviously with any type of agreement that there
are you know, those matters that need to be worked
(17:41):
through with legal teams, with you know, commercial interests and
so forth. So you know there is a process that
is being undertaken and we're going to commit it to
delivering that project and that's going to happen.
Speaker 1 (17:52):
It is taking an awfully long time, though I guess
when announced forty times perceptions, I'm not one hundred percent sure,
But what I do know is it does seem to
be taking an awfully long time, and I know like
it is a massive project. I totally understand that, but
a little bit like when we go back to sort
of right from the get go, the discussion that we're
having about the projections in terms of you know, in
(18:16):
terms of major projects, in terms of bringing that debt
level down by owned source revenue and.
Speaker 3 (18:21):
Getting projects going.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
It's not a good track record to have for the
government at this point when you look at some of
the major projects that we are reliant on, and then
when you look at the gas and you talk about
that analogy of having a mortgage on your home and
having to pay it off and needing that income, you know,
that analogy being about our level of debt and needing
that owned source revenue or that income coming in. We
(18:45):
don't have a great track record right now on delivering
on major projects in the Northern Territory.
Speaker 5 (18:52):
Look, Katie, every major project is different. There are different
considerations that you need to take in. There's negotiations and
work with traditional owner groups, with local councils, with the
commercial partners, with the industry around using accessing the equipment
or the infrastructure or.
Speaker 8 (19:09):
The project that it is.
Speaker 5 (19:11):
So every project is different and you need to take
a different approach and the considered approach for all of
those projects.
Speaker 3 (19:17):
Is that what's happened with the ship lift or.
Speaker 5 (19:19):
Look, there are various aspects of that particular project that
have been considered that need to be going through further
negotiations with partners around the delivery of that project.
Speaker 3 (19:33):
All right, sorry, Robin, what was it?
Speaker 6 (19:34):
No, I'm just taking it all listening.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
The reality is, I think the real question is how
many of these major projects have actually been delivered over
the last eight years. And I think I can't even
remember what it was, but I think the Chief Minister
quoted one one major project off the major project list
has been delivered over the last eight years. And here
we are constantly talking about this and that's why we'd
(20:01):
be looking at to reducing all of this by fifty percent, which.
Speaker 8 (20:04):
Is actually really worrying because what the leader of the.
Speaker 5 (20:07):
Opposition said in Parliament this week was that she would
have a panel that could intervene and override decisions that
were taking too.
Speaker 8 (20:16):
Long, and that's really worrying.
Speaker 5 (20:18):
When you're working with major projects that is based on evidence,
which is based on research and data and seas.
Speaker 8 (20:24):
That worrying.
Speaker 5 (20:27):
And that's why we have a territory fan places, coming
in and making decisions and not taking into account any
inspected around the environment or the economy.
Speaker 2 (20:38):
Job for at the moment is that the job. There's
no coordination to the government. This is why it's failing.
We'll bring in a territory coordinator to take control of
these major projects and make sure they're delivered for territory.
Speaker 1 (20:53):
Is that actually something that you're committing to the.
Speaker 4 (21:00):
Chance Keys come and.
Speaker 5 (21:03):
Take my job?
Speaker 1 (21:03):
All right, We aren't about to take a very quick break.
Speaker 3 (21:06):
You are listening to Mix one O four nine's three sixty.
It is the week that was, well, what a busy
week it has been. If you've just joined us, We've got.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
Chancey Paig, Kathleen Gazola, Robin Lamley and Steve Edgington in
the studio this morning. Now, curfew legislation. The Northern Territory
government say that they're continuing their common sense plan to
reduce crime and anti social behavior by unveiling new legislation
that will enable curfews to be enacted more flexibly to
(21:34):
protect communities in the territory. So the Northern Territory Police
Force is going to administer this new curfew legislation and
any use of a curfew in the territory is going
to depend on operational assessments made by police. Formally declaring
curfews will require steps to be taken by the Commissioner
of Police, and any extensions to a curfew would require
(21:55):
the Minister of Police to sign off on at the
positive outcomes the government sees achieved through the Alla Springs
Youth curfew in March, so that curfews can be an
effective community safety tool. Now, I know not everybody thinks
that this is a good idea. The Children's Commissioner had
come out yesterday and made some comments around it, as
(22:16):
had I believed Naja, Who've got some concerns around this. Look,
I do think it's quite a common sense approach. I
questioned the timing because I'd ask the Police Minister, Brent
Potter about this, or I'd ask him earlier in the
week whether there was going to be other legislation this
week in an effort to reduce crime, and was told
that there wouldn't be aside from what was already on
the agenda.
Speaker 3 (22:38):
So I did question the timing of this.
Speaker 7 (22:40):
Yeah, I think that's a very good point. I was
just thinking about the timing of it as well, because
usually when the government hands down their budget, they go
on this big budget road show, sales pitch, you know.
The Treasurer chief is always out talking to different groups
and usually travels the breadth of the territory to sell it.
So the fact that the exact day after they were
talking about this legislation that was going to be introduced
(23:02):
and then debated on urgency is very interesting that they're
not out really in the terms of media strategy, talking
about the budget per se, and instead this legislation.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
Because we saw the.
Speaker 7 (23:12):
Colp out talking about their new housing policy. So I
was very intrigued by that tact.
Speaker 6 (23:18):
Well, they think they obviously know that they are onto
a winner because people now know there's evidence. There always
has been evidence, but there's now Northern Territory evidence to
indicate that curfews can work. They can be enormously effective. Look,
it makes me wonder about communities like what and pepper
(23:40):
Manardi that are regularly under siege. The people of pepper
Minardi are now suing the government for not providing safety.
They've been exposed to terrible trauma and assaults from allegedly
by that gang of kids, the Jovi Gang. This is
(24:00):
where curfews could be brought in and used extremely effectively.
Now the fact the only problem I have with any
of this is that it wasn't done sooner.
Speaker 4 (24:11):
It should have been.
Speaker 6 (24:12):
We should have been talking about this five or six
years ago, and here we are. It's another example of
chances backflips. He now stated in Parliament just the other
day that he supports curfews. This is a man that
belittled me and mocked me and anyone else who talked
about because what.
Speaker 5 (24:29):
You were proposing was stupid, indefinitely different, definite.
Speaker 4 (24:34):
Ever proposed.
Speaker 1 (24:39):
Of Parliament, had proposed before was stupid.
Speaker 3 (24:49):
How is what the Chief.
Speaker 5 (24:50):
Minister interim circuit breaks.
Speaker 3 (24:57):
That's not true.
Speaker 1 (25:00):
I interviewed about this before and she actually had as
an interim measure.
Speaker 8 (25:05):
General Business Motions talked about targeting.
Speaker 6 (25:13):
You in questioned, you are the government.
Speaker 3 (25:18):
So you do support curfews.
Speaker 5 (25:20):
Now the legislation that we are proposing around curfew legislation
brings in interim curfews to a label us to work
with social services.
Speaker 4 (25:30):
To what do you actually stand for?
Speaker 2 (25:35):
Robin?
Speaker 3 (25:36):
Do you say I just want to at all.
Speaker 1 (25:38):
I just want to ask what do you say to
the children's Commissioner, who yesterday said that she's deeply concerned
that this legislation increases the likelihood of declarations that will
target and harm valuable, vulnerable, sorry and marginalized groups such
as Aboriginal children and young people.
Speaker 5 (25:54):
So the measures that are being introduced or that are
before the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly at the moment, measures
that are around interim curfews to enable government.
Speaker 8 (26:05):
To work with service providers.
Speaker 5 (26:07):
And agencies around standing out traditional resources and support to
come in some.
Speaker 8 (26:14):
Break up. We've seen in Alice Springs.
Speaker 5 (26:17):
We've seen in Alice Springs that when we brought in
that interm short term curfew, we got out with.
Speaker 1 (26:23):
The legislation say that the curfew can only go for
a short period of time or how long can it
go for?
Speaker 5 (26:29):
It is a maximum of seventy two hours, and then
an extension needs to be approved by the Police Minister
and the Ombudsman has to review those periods.
Speaker 1 (26:38):
And so what makes that different to what Robin has
called for in the past, Because Robin said to me
in the past on this on this very show in
years gone by that she thought that an interim curfew,
a temporary interim curfew, would you know, would solve or
certainly calm things down with some of the issues that
you guys have experienced in Alice Springs before. So I
(26:59):
just I don't understand what you mean or how are
you're saying that you know that what she called for
in the past is different to what the legislation is
now that that you guys are enacting, because.
Speaker 5 (27:09):
What we have in front of us is actual legislation.
It's not just coming in on the floor of Parliament
something this is actually saying. This is saying that we're
bringing in this legislation. It's got the checks and balances,
it's got the review period with the Ombudsman, decisions of
police extensions by the Police Minister.
Speaker 8 (27:28):
We've worked with the sector.
Speaker 5 (27:30):
The Chief Minister's been out, she's met with people, She's
heard from people on the ground in Central Australia and
circum that.
Speaker 7 (27:37):
They're made to do in terms of introducing legislation. Robin's
an independent member, she can't do those things Government brings
in legislation. So she's been calling for a cur years
and then all of a sudden it's.
Speaker 5 (27:50):
Just as an independent or as an opposition you can
actually bring legislation. Let's let's remember six hundred and thirty
days ago the CELP tried to bring in a fuel bill.
Speaker 1 (28:03):
Let's also remember that when Robin has tried to actually,
you know, ask you guys to introduce a curfew, you've
told her it was stupid, but now you guys are
prepared to do it.
Speaker 3 (28:13):
So that's where.
Speaker 1 (28:15):
I think we're kind of all shaking our heads a
little bit and going, well, hang on a sec is
the government is the timing of this because it's a
vote winner more than anything else.
Speaker 7 (28:22):
And absolute vote Well that's absolutely not true, Cadie.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
Sorry, yes, guys, Dan, we haven't given you a chance. Mate.
Speaker 2 (28:31):
Look, Katie, the cop will be supporting this legislation. But
you know, it really stuns me that the Deputy Chief
Minister says that this is an opportunity to work with
other agencies. Now, this is core business that police work
with other agencies on a daily basis. So to have
to say that a curfew is going to bring these
(28:51):
agencies together and work together is just constantly an admission
of failure. You know, we've seen that the curfew did
work in Alice Springs, but this is another admission of
failure that the legislation that they used previously was simply
the wrong legislation. This type of legislation should have been
brought in a long, long time ago. So we'll be
supporting it. But what we want to see is that
(29:12):
there are proper measures in place for people that are
breaching that curfew. You know, if young people are out
there breaching curfews, then there needs to be consequences. There
needs to be programs, there needs to be boot camps,
all of those sorts of things need to be in place,
but they're simply not in place at the moment.
Speaker 1 (29:28):
Look, I do want to just point out as well
that for our listeners in Alice Springs this morning, they
might be feeling pretty fired up because there's actually been
a couple of pretty serious incidents from overnight. So Northern
Territory Police calling for information after an aggravated assault that
occurred on I think it's called sicone in Alice Springs,
Ye Siconi and Ola Springs. So just before nine pm,
(29:48):
police received that report of an assault involving two residents
at a property on Foggetty Street. A large group of
offenders allegedly entered the yard of the property and confronted
the pair. The offenders assaulted the victims before fleeing that
location in a white Toyota troop carrier. The male victim,
age twenty seven, sustained significant facial injuries and was taken
(30:08):
to Alice Springs Hospital for further treatment. The female victim,
age thirty three, sustained minor injuries and did not seek
medical treatment. In addition to that, the police have also
arrested a man in relation to an aggravated assault that
occurred in Alice Springs overnight. About seven point thirty, police
were flagged down by a woman on Todd Street suffering
lacerations to her face and head. She was conveyed to
(30:30):
Alice Springs Hospital for treatment while police began investigations. Now
CCTV operators tracked her movements back to the vehicle parked
on Gregory Terrace where police believe and assault may have
taken place. A short time later, police received a report
that the victim's partner of thirty one year old man
was present at the hospital. Police attended the scene and
after a short footchase, that man was arrested without incident,
(30:54):
so he remains in custody. He's assisting police with their inquiries.
But look, anyone within foe that canisis the police. One three, one,
triple four is the number. So I do I mean,
I want to just point out we are still receiving
reports like that, you know, daily.
Speaker 4 (31:08):
Our crime realisis continues.
Speaker 8 (31:10):
Kay.
Speaker 4 (31:11):
Really, there is no doubt if you.
Speaker 6 (31:13):
Took some pressure out of the system, the curfew you
ended a month ago, and you can see things sliding
back again. That's the reality here.
Speaker 2 (31:21):
We're seeing some of the most serious crimes over the
last eight years, and it's getting worse and worse and worse.
So we're seeing increases in alcohol rel outd of assaults,
domestic violence, assaults, these robbery type offenses, home invasions have
increased in the severity of the violence involved has just
increased over the years. And simply the police need better powers.
(31:42):
There needs to be stronger laws around bail. You know,
we've constantly called for serious vile and offenders to have
a presumption against bail, but the government, the Labor government,
has constantly resisted any opportunity to bring in stronger laws
that might make a difference in the community.
Speaker 7 (31:58):
And I think the mayor had said that it was
that presence of police had been the big part of
the curfew in particular, that had made people feel a
lot safer because it was seeing those officers walking the
streets and being around and that included having the essay
police come and assist. But as I understand that they've
now finished our bodings.
Speaker 5 (32:16):
Yeah, and look, but Katie, I think let's be clear
the curfew is an extra item for the tool in
their tool and their toolbox to use to activate when
they need to. You know, Minister Potter has made it
clear that we've got the Territory Safety Division starting up
and opening up in Central Australia.
Speaker 8 (32:34):
As well till July.
Speaker 5 (32:35):
We've had this Reportory, you've got to make sure that
you are providing opportunities for training and up skilling of
the forces.
Speaker 1 (32:42):
Well, because I asked this of the Chief Minister earlier
in the week as well, you know what's been the
turning point for you that you, as the Deputy Chief
Minister have decided well, hang on, we actually need to
take this more seriously than what we have been in
the past, because you know, while the Government was acknowledging
that we had a cry issue before Evil Laula became
the Chief Minister. She seems to have been the only
(33:04):
one from your cabinet that's really had the guts to
do something that's outside the box, that takes on you know,
other other groups that are you know, that are saying
what she's doing is wrong.
Speaker 3 (33:16):
So what's been the turning point for you?
Speaker 5 (33:18):
I think having the Chief continuing to work with all
of the cabinet and looking at and being very open
about continuing to look at innovative ways and working with
the community and going back out and talking to community
around the chief.
Speaker 3 (33:31):
It was a captain's call.
Speaker 8 (33:34):
No, it wasn't a captain.
Speaker 3 (33:35):
She said it. She has said it on camera that it.
Speaker 8 (33:39):
Was her, the team and absolutely everybody else.
Speaker 5 (33:45):
It's a measure that is an intra measure. It's a
circuit breaker, you know, Katie. There's work to do in
all areas.
Speaker 8 (33:52):
In our life.
Speaker 3 (33:53):
It's safe to say if she wasn't the Chief Minister,
it would not have happened.
Speaker 6 (33:55):
You know, you'd go a long way, Chancey by just
telling the truth, you would be consistent lies that you've
been constantly. You're doing yourself over.
Speaker 2 (34:06):
It's interesting that we hear about this Territory Safety Division
Alice Springs because it was only what a week or
two ago. The Police Association came out and said that
since the Prime Minister visited back in what twenty three,
they're actually twenty five to twenty eight police down. But
in the same breath they're sayingly going to create a
Territory Safety Division with eighteen extra coppers. But over all
(34:26):
the Police Reviews says that we're over two hundred down
at the moment. So where are these police coming from?
Speaker 1 (34:32):
Is that we are to have I believe we were
due to have quite a large contingent or about sixty
odd graduate I think June or July. But look, we're
going to take a really quick break with fast running
out of time in here, and there's still lots to discuss.
You are listening to Mix one O four nine's three sixty.
It is the week that was has been a massive week.
We know the Country Liberal Party new polling release has
(34:53):
shown that it shows that it has a hold, a
strong hold or a strong lead I should say, August
Northern Territory election. That's what this new poll has revealed.
In a report by Matt Cullingham from Sky News, it
also showed though that Labours clawed back some significant ground
after the leadership of new Chief Minister Eva Lawler. Now,
(35:14):
the poll by Freshwater Strategy on behalf of Australian Energy
Producers NT shows the COLP is ahead fifty four to
forty six on a two party preferred basis. The survey
of one thousand voters, with a margin of era of
three percent, shows that more than a quarter of voters
are still undecided ahead of the election on August twenty four,
(35:34):
So just seventeen percent of respondents said that they'd vote
for Labor when they were first asked, thirty three percent
said they'd vote for the COLP, seventeen percent said that
they were undecided, oh sorry, seventeen percent said independent, and
seven percent would vote for the Greens. Now when they
were pushed, Labour's primary vote improved to twenty nine percent,
(35:58):
behind the COLP on tho twy nine percent, an independent
on twenty two percent and the Greens on nine percent.
Speaker 2 (36:07):
What do you make of us, Well, I think at
this stage, Katie, look, we're focused on it's an interesting poll,
no doubt about it, and there's people that are interested
in looking at the poll. But look, as a CORP
team we've got a good, strong team. We're out and
about at the moment talking to people on the ground,
and we're implementing the policies that people are raising with us.
So that's why we've brought in the home build scheme,
(36:28):
that's why we've reduced the payroll tax. We've released our
crime policy, and we've released our corrections policy. This is
what people are telling us on the ground. Over the
next one hundred odd days or ninety nine days or
ninety eight whatever it is. At the moment, we're going
to be out there constantly talking to territorians to find
out what matters most to them, and that's what we're
focused on at the moment.
Speaker 6 (36:50):
What did you make of the polling, Robin, Well, it's
certainly going to be a contest, isn't it. I remember
in the lead up to the last election in twenty twenty,
the polling suggested an outcome that was very different from
what actually happens. So I'm very mindful that these things
can change. I think even Lawler is starting to resonate,
(37:12):
but I think it's all too little, too late. I
personally feel that a change of government is absolutely essential
for Central Australia. For my part of the world, we
cannot survive another four years of this.
Speaker 3 (37:26):
Chelsea, what did you make of it?
Speaker 8 (37:28):
Ah?
Speaker 5 (37:28):
Look, I think just following on from what Robin has said,
polls can say things and the outcome can be very different.
I think the poll that matters is the poll on
the twenty fourth of August, when you know territories go
to the polls. I think, certainly, when we look at
what we've done, we're getting on with the business of
doing and delivering in the territory.
Speaker 8 (37:48):
And certainly I disagree with Robin.
Speaker 5 (37:51):
I think that you know, Labor is certainly the best
party for the territory. And when I look at the Bush,
I see the significant investment that we've seen, and we
know that when the CELP were in government they built
one house in the last two years of their term
in the Bush, which has had disastrous consequences.
Speaker 1 (38:08):
Is that where the Labor Party is really hoping to
win the next election in the Bush.
Speaker 5 (38:13):
Every seat matters to the Labor Party and every territory
in matters and will certainly be out there. There's three
months until the election and as Robin said, it'll be
a tight contest.
Speaker 1 (38:23):
Are there any seats that you guys see as being
sort of quiet. I mean, how are you looking at it, Kathleen, Like,
are you kind of looking at it and going, oh, well,
you know, this seat's really tight. I mean, I can
think of a few just off the top of my
head that I think are going to be really interesting,
you know, the like support Darwin for example, fong Lim
I think is going to be very interesting. I think
the seats out in Palmerston as well are going to
be ones to keep an eye on. I also believe
(38:46):
Karama is going to be a really interesting one to
keep an eye on. There are just a few that
I can think of off the top of my head,
and I'll be really blunt. I don't have as good
an understanding of the issues out in those remote communities
or in those more remote areas as to how the
those bush seats could change. But what I do know is,
and all of our listeners know this, is that I
worked for Rob Knight several years ago when he was
(39:09):
a member for Daily And what I know is that
those bush seats can also.
Speaker 3 (39:12):
Turn on a dime.
Speaker 1 (39:14):
So it's really interesting, you know, It's always a very
interesting thing to keep an eye on, and that polling
really doesn't look very often at those bush areas.
Speaker 7 (39:24):
And I think a lot of people wouldn't be surprised
by the polling, just given that the issues that we've
seen and you know a lot of the callers and
sentiments that you get to your show, in particular at Katie,
but of course in the Northern territory, I think you
do have to drill it down to those individual electorates.
It is so different to you know, a federal election
that you know overall people are unhappy potentially with whatever
(39:46):
party is in power, and you know governments lose elections
rather than the other way around. But when you do
drill it down into those individual seats, it becomes a
very different game.
Speaker 1 (39:56):
Well, particularly when you look at local issues, right and
even in somewhere like for the seat of Johnson, also
Nightcliff and even Oh I can't think oh, and Fanny
Bay and then also fong Limb, there's an issue there
that's that seems like a small issue, which is the
moving of Osmond House. And you know there's Saint Vinnie's
(40:18):
into another electorate that will have a lot of people
very concerned like.
Speaker 7 (40:21):
Thes and you touched on the seats in Palmerstan And
with that polling that Matt revealed was that you know
that polling had gotten better from Labor because Eva had
come in and taken the leadership because of the way
that I think she has come out and been very upfront,
and you know, she she says she doesn't care if
she's made a backflip. She had to make a captain's call,
(40:42):
Radi Radi ra. But her seat is definitely up for
grabs in Palmestan, so it's not a guarantee if they
do win power that she's still rouster building them.
Speaker 5 (40:52):
From what Cat's talked about, there's a whole bunch of consideration.
Speaker 8 (40:55):
So every four years, Steve.
Speaker 5 (40:57):
Robin and me and every member of the Assembly has
boundary redistribution. Yep, we've got electorates here in the territory
of just over six thousand people. So you know, every
there's no such thing in the territory as a safe seat.
Everyone takes their seat seriously and voters absolutely are across
the issues and every election, either party, there are always
(41:20):
those wow factors that no one even thinks that happened.
That happened, so it's really hard to gate.
Speaker 3 (41:28):
Yeah, you go seat.
Speaker 2 (41:29):
I was going to say, and I think you know,
Robin touched on a few issues there, but you know,
the reality is, and I think you know, on one hand,
chances saying that they've delivered in the Bush, but you've
only got to look at my electorate at the moment.
We've got schools closing. We've had a police station closed
at our perroom, so the Corella Creek school is closed.
I was up in Bora Lula the other week. The
high school is closed. So there's a whole range of
(41:50):
things going on out the Bush at the moment. You've
got the government talking about record investment, but the reality
is on the ground, particularly in the Bush where I
amnumber of projects that haven't been delivered. In Tenant Creek,
I've estimated that around about seventy million dollars that has
been forgotten about by the labor government hasn't been delivered
over the eight years. School's closing, police stations closing, and
(42:12):
there's still people living in the crowded house.
Speaker 1 (42:14):
I do want to just go to both you Steve
and also you Chancey, I mean for both of the
parties at this point in time, like what would a
scenario look like if out in a seat in Palmerston
like evil lawlers. I mean, she is very busy doing
the job of the Chief Minister at the moment and
rightly so, all the while her opponent Clinton how you know,
(42:34):
if you look at his Facebook, he's draw knocked every
house out there from what he sees. I mean, what
would a what would a Labor government look like if
Eva is not the chief Minister?
Speaker 3 (42:44):
Is it you stepping in?
Speaker 8 (42:45):
Look?
Speaker 5 (42:46):
That is a matters like for any party that your
party and very great would look And I mean the
CLP would never have Robin back, that's what they say.
But yet they don't have a candidate for Arah Luin.
Speaker 4 (42:58):
So he like.
Speaker 5 (43:08):
A great She is a great chief Minister and she'll
continue to be a great chief minister.
Speaker 8 (43:12):
And you know they are.
Speaker 5 (43:13):
Matters for the caucus. But you know, like again, elections
are tight. Steve Edgington only won by five votes and
we're looking to get those.
Speaker 8 (43:22):
Five votes back.
Speaker 5 (43:23):
And we absolutely got a candidate for every seat and
they'll be announced as we get closer to the election,
not just one yet. We've got a candidate one I
haven't been announced.
Speaker 8 (43:35):
Yet, Steve.
Speaker 1 (43:35):
I mean for you, you did only by by five
seats and for some people there touting you as the
next CELP leader, look.
Speaker 2 (43:43):
Was it was a type margin. Look, the reality was
that the first references I want about about two undred votes.
You know, there was an independent in Boro Lula that
took a number of first preferences and preference Labor. So look,
there was a few issues there, but the reality is
that the COLP took that seat after thirty years of
inaction by the Labor government. So that's why I'm in
(44:04):
the position because of all of the inaction by the
Labor government. I've been out and about talking to people
on the ground. I understand what the issues are that
they're facing, and they've had it worse and worse and
worse over the last four years. And I've just highlighted
the schools that are closing, police station closing, still overcrowded houses,
and important infrastructure in and look, stay tuned to my
(44:30):
budget refined.
Speaker 8 (44:31):
Next week because.
Speaker 2 (44:34):
I'll be pointing out morally because there's simply not enough
money coming into the Barkley. There's been a few announcements
even a look. Look, the government announced a new school
for Ali Krunk, but it won't even take place till
the second quarter.
Speaker 8 (44:46):
In twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (44:48):
It will just never be delivered.
Speaker 1 (44:50):
We're gonna have to take a really quick break because
I know Robin and Chelsey need to catch a plane.
You are listening to Mix one O four nine's three sixty.
We will be back to wrap things up. Well, we
have just about run out of time and in the
studio I'm massive. Thank you of course to all of
our guests. Steve Edgington, thank you so much for your
time this morning representing the COLP.
Speaker 2 (45:08):
Thanks Coty. Great morning and we've gone another week. Apartment
next week so we'll still be here for another week. But
good morning to all the listeners out there.
Speaker 1 (45:15):
Thank you, thanks for your time this morning. Steve Robin Lamley,
the independent member for our lun thank you for your
time this morning.
Speaker 4 (45:21):
Thank you for having me Katie.
Speaker 3 (45:22):
Anytime you're in Darwin.
Speaker 1 (45:24):
Kathleen Gazola nine News Darwin, thank you, thank you. And
Chancey Paig the Attorney General and Labor Rep for this morning.
Speaker 3 (45:30):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (45:31):
And the deputy checkin so I always go the Attorney
General first and forget the deputy checking.
Speaker 5 (45:35):
Thanks Katie, Thanks to all your listeners. Have an amazing
weekend right across the territory. The weather is perfect at
the moment and there's so much on and as Stephen
Robins said last week, next week is the last week
of the fourteenth Legislative Assembly before we go into estimates
and then before we head to the polls on the
twenty fourth of August.
Speaker 8 (45:53):
So lot's happening.
Speaker 1 (45:54):
Exciting times for me and Kathleen, Busy times for absolutely
every year.
Speaker 5 (45:59):
But you know, leading up, you know we'll have the
obviously heading up, we'll have the last speeches for the member.
Speaker 8 (46:04):
For Goidi and Port Darwin as they finish their terms.
Speaker 3 (46:09):
Yeap, Yeah, it's going to be a busy time.
Speaker 8 (46:11):
I don't know you what are you doing.
Speaker 3 (46:12):
To thank you all so much for your time this morning?
And is mixed one O four nine's three sixty.
Speaker 4 (46:20):
That was the week that was
We might need a weather update for the whole of
the Northern Territory because we've got Central Australia representing this morning.
Steve Edgington, the Member for Barkley and Opposition spokesperson for
various portfolios, Good morning to you day.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Good morning Katy, and good morning to all the listeners
here in Darwin and Central Australia. I hope they're out
there listening, but yeah, perfect weather in Tenant Creek, beautiful
Borla at the moment.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
Yeah, I bet it is well.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Robin Lambley, the Independent Member for Arrah Luhn, joins us
as well from Alice Springs this morning.
Speaker 4 (00:28):
Good morning to you morning Katie.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Lovely to have you in the studio and well also
well we've got from from Central Australia as well. Chancey Paik,
the Attorney General, Good morning to you and Deputy Chief
and is it.
Speaker 5 (00:40):
Good morning Katy, and good morning to everyone across the
Northern Territory.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
And Kathleen Gazola from nine years Darwin from Darwin, good
morning to your.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
We most certainly are this morning.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
And do you know what, I love it when there's
a Central Australian focus because there is so much to
discuss this morning.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Right across the Northern Territory. It has been an absolutely
huge week.
Speaker 6 (01:02):
We know.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
The Northern Territory budget was handed down earlier in the
week by the Chief Minister, Evil Lawler.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
It's been described as a pre election.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
Big spending budget, one which is really aimed at winning
votes and trying to win back the confidence of the
people when it comes to crime and law and order.
Delivering the budget in Parliament, the Chief Minister said it's
a common sense budget, a budget that acknowledges our two
highest priorities, keeping Territorians safe and making sure Territorians have
(01:30):
the skills to achieve and enjoy the best work life
balance that Australia has to offer.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
But I tell you what, it comes at a price.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
Territorians are going to be paying almost twice as much
interest on debt in coming years due to a surge
in net debt on the back of record government spending,
with debt forecast to hit a historic high of eleven
billion dollars by the end of the next financial year.
It's a massive amount of money. I mean, it's hard
to wrap your head around really.
Speaker 6 (02:01):
Indeed, and I just heard earlier that the way the governments.
This government is traveling that they will be breaching their
debt ceiling of fifteen billion dollars almost certainly by twenty thirty.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
So it still exists.
Speaker 4 (02:17):
It does, it's legislated.
Speaker 6 (02:18):
It's in this Fiscal Integrity and Transparency Act two thousand
and one. It was it was actually legislated at fifteen
billion dollars and if you look at the forward estimates,
we come within a whisker of that within the next
four years.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
Wow, frightening figure.
Speaker 7 (02:35):
I think what was the the interest of payments were
one point one point three million a day. It's three
point six increases every day, one point six million dollars.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
G It's a lot of money.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
And look, I understand the argument that money does need
to be invested into our Northern Territory police. We know
that money does need to be invested into corrections, into
a number of portfolios, and that is indeed what we've
heard from the Northern tierrate government this week. On the
flip side, we've got the opposition saying that if the
legislation was different, we wouldn't be in the situation that
we are right now. When it comes to the issues
(03:09):
of crime and law and order. Nonetheless, I'm pleased that
we are finally at a point where the government is
taking the issue of crime as seriously as it needs
to be taken. I mean, Chancey, the big question from
a lot of Territorians is, you know we're spending all
this additional money on jails and just you know, not
(03:30):
that long ago your photograph with a shirt on saying
Jalen is failing. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (03:33):
Look, Katie, I think let's first of all acknowledge this
is the Treasurer and the Chief as her role being
the Chief Minister's first budget, it's a common sense budget.
Speaker 8 (03:43):
She's absolutely said.
Speaker 5 (03:44):
And made it very clear that she's investing in those
core areas that matter to Territorians. And certainly we've seen
that record investment in the police and certainly standing up
those additional facilities for women to get women out of
the current correctional centers, and and that obviously frees up
more room within those facilities. But you know, let's make
(04:04):
no mistake as well that the celp Leo Fernocchiaro came
out with an additional two hundred million dollars worth of
expenditure over the forward estimates and hasn't said how she
was going to pay for that, which would be further
debt if they were elected.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
Yeah, look, I get that, and I totally get the argument,
and that's been a criticism of the COLP that you
know that it's big spending from them as well, and
they've got to be able to outline how that's going
to be paid off. But the fact is, you guys
are actually in government right absolutely, and you're at the
point where you're eleven billion dollars in debt, you know.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
So that's the like, that's the realting.
Speaker 5 (04:39):
You don't most people don't sell their house to pay
off their mortgage because they don't have a house.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
It's so expensive that they can't afford to pay it
off and then rely on getting a job that they
don't quite have yet to be able to pay that mortgage.
Speaker 4 (04:55):
You know.
Speaker 5 (04:55):
The territory obviously has a small population and has a
high need, so the work needs to continue on multiple levels.
They work with the Commonwealth around looking at needs based
funding for particular areas, but it's also about diversifying the
economy and that's where natural resources like gas, like these
major projects are critical to bringing in that enownment.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
The government has got a bit of an issue on
their hands in the sense that previously, you know, you've
said not too long ago that that you don't support gas.
I understand as well that one of the one of
the candidates for Alas Springs had also recently said on
ABC radio that she didn't support gas. So have we
(05:38):
got an element within the Labor Party that don't support
gas all the while it is certainly a revenue source
that the Northern Territory Chief Ministers relying Adie.
Speaker 8 (05:47):
The Labour Party is a broad church.
Speaker 5 (05:49):
People have views and opinions, but the Territory Labor Government
is absolutely committed and we're working with the gas industry.
I know answered questions yesterday from the opposition as a government.
We're absolutely continuing our investments and working with that industry,
supporting the growth in that sector because that is revenue
that can help pay for critical infrastructure in the Northern Territory.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
Can I put it this one? Look? I know that
you'll say, you know, there's a lot of variables there.
I'm sure and there is.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
But you know, what would the situation be if we
went back to Evil Laula not being the Chief finester.
I mean, would the Labor Caucus and would the Labor
Cabinet still be supporting and pushing for gas in the
way that she currently is because she came out, you know,
sort of a day after becoming the Chief Minister saying
that she is the one that wants to get this
going on.
Speaker 8 (06:37):
She's a situation, a huge advocate.
Speaker 5 (06:40):
But remember our government under Michael Gunner, our government under
Natasha Files has always supported that industry and will.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
Support it into state tracking.
Speaker 5 (06:51):
I don't think that's a fair assessment. I think she
did her event at the press at the Press Club
absolutely saying about this industry. The Chief Minister's made it
really clear and under Chief Minister Lawla will continue to
insists not under Chief under as a government, our government
(07:11):
supports that industry.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
Even the other day when we had Well and even
the other other week when we had Joel Baden, he
wouldn't say that he personally supported gas. He was saying
we support gas. I mean, do you personally support gas
and support fracking?
Speaker 8 (07:25):
Katie? Our government support are you.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
Talking about, mister? Do you support gas and do you
support fracking?
Speaker 5 (07:37):
As Deputy Chief Minister, I absolutely support our government's position.
Speaker 8 (07:41):
I'm supporting in.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
Do you personally support gas and fracking.
Speaker 5 (07:46):
Okay, we've done a lot of environmental we've introduced those
measures to enable those practices and iron satisfy all of the.
Speaker 8 (07:56):
Work that our government has done in this industry.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
Yes, no question, it's as.
Speaker 5 (08:06):
Katie has just said, there are important variables which need
to be considered, and absolutely our government supports the industry.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
You're not prepared to say that you personally support gas and.
Speaker 8 (08:16):
Tracking, Katie.
Speaker 5 (08:17):
Our government's made a decision and I back our government's decision.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
So you don't, though, but you support your chief minister
and the government.
Speaker 5 (08:24):
I support my chief minister, I support our government, and
I support the gas industry to be able to grow,
to be able to then invest in critical infrastructure support gas.
Speaker 8 (08:36):
I just said, I support gas.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
Excellent, there we go. All right, let's Steve, what do
you make of it?
Speaker 6 (08:41):
All?
Speaker 1 (08:41):
I mean, look, and we will get to the Celpeace
budget replied.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
You know, let's get back to the budget. But I
suppose you know, at one point six million dollars a
day in interest, you know, we're talking what over what
We're talking half a billion dollars being wasted on interest
at the moment. And as Robin said, it's not going
to be long before we face debt ceiling. But I
think when you look at the budget overall, there's three
point four billion dollars worth of revotes in there, So
(09:06):
that's three point four billion dollars worth of infrastructure that
hasn't been delivered, not only last year but to previous
years as well. And I often rattle off for some
of the ongoing projects in the Barklay that announced over
the last six seven years, what are you cutting and
they still haven't been delivered. So here we are constantly
(09:27):
rolling over money. It's high time that the government got
on with and delivered some of these projects because what
we're seeing is a greater debt, nothing to show for it,
no revenue being generated by this government, and at the
same time.
Speaker 8 (09:39):
People in the because at the moment.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Suffering because of the incompetence of this that's just simply
called infrastructure in the northern we see at the moment,
we see the moment there is a whole lot of
smoke and mirrors around the police budget as well.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
Well. The interesting thing at the moment is I actually
think it's a really interesting tact for the Labour Party
to now be having a crack still at the colp
over the spending. When you're in a situation where you're
eleven billion dollars in dick like that, I think is
an interesting tac to continue.
Speaker 7 (10:11):
On Tuesday night, we've had even lawl alive on air
as well, and we asked the Chief Minister where she
would make her savings measures, because that is a debt
situation that is not sustainable and is continuing to grow.
She also couldn't say exactly where it was because a
we're relying on increased GST funding, which again will make
up what eighty five percent or whatever the astronomical figure
(10:34):
is of our budget, plus the major projects which is
basically solely relying on gas at the moment, Fracking and
Barossa because the other major projects still haven't got final
investment decisions. So neither side is saying where they're going
to make.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
The Neighbor's prepared to the Public Service PA.
Speaker 8 (10:53):
That's not true.
Speaker 5 (10:54):
We have our budget is costed. We've got plenty of
time to cost ourdle to tell Territorians where they're going
to play for this additional two hundred million dollars. We
know that Shane Stone is pulling the strings, and he's
got a history of singing the strings and the swing
TI on the What was he doing before with Shane
(11:23):
doing at the moment, what was he hanging around the
fifth terrible this week was going?
Speaker 1 (11:29):
And look, I will say because I think it's again
it's somewhere where Labor is being a bit tricky at
the moment by saying that that the SEALP is not
costing their plan because they do have until what day
is it, Cathleen, it's a little bit later in the
year to obviously do that.
Speaker 3 (11:40):
It's a couple of days before the problem.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
Look, Katie, I just want to make the point that
our plan will be fully costed by Treasury. And at
this stage we've committed to twenty twenty million to the
Home Start program and we said that there will be
forty three million dollar cost to the payroll tax. So
that's all we've announced at this stage. So I'm not
sure where the Deputy chiefment.
Speaker 8 (12:01):
Is coming from. People, And here we go. We've got
plenty of time.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
We've got budget estimates coming up just next month. So
what we'll be doing is scrutinizing what the got on
offer at the moment. So we're on there every day
of the budget estimates. But what we will do during
budget estimates is find out where the waste is. And
there's been plenty of waste over the years. You've only
got to look at the boundless possible straight. Fifty million
dollars wasted on boundless possible over the last six or
(12:28):
seven years and the last we ever saw of it
was advertising on a rocket being flown out of Queensland.
Forty thousand dollars wasted on boundless possible. But here we
have about savings. Fifty million dollars wasted on boundless possible
and we've got nothing to show for.
Speaker 1 (12:44):
Look, I will say that hundred people people are quite
concerned about with the celpay at this point. Is that
I did think it was really good earlier in the
week to get a better understanding of really the colp's
election platform, with Leafcio delivering her replied and obviously the
Northern Territory Chief Minister delivering the budget, it gave everybody
a bit of a better understanding I think of the
(13:06):
election platforms and where that line in the sand has
realistically now been drawn.
Speaker 3 (13:11):
But the fact is, Steve, you know there are some big.
Speaker 1 (13:13):
Spending items there in that budget reply and the question,
I mean, the question does still remain, how is it
going to be afforded when we've got a massive level
of debt.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
As I said, all of our costings will be costed
by treasury. We've got, you know, just under one hundred
days now to the election. As I said, budget estimates
coming up in June. What we will be doing is
going through all of these commitments.
Speaker 8 (13:35):
By the Northern Church and government.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
Second, looking at to where money can be better spent.
And as I said, the classic example over the years
is you know, we've seen a shade structure on Kavanagh
Street that costs two point seven million dollars and it's
costing over one hundred thousand dollars a year just to
maintain it because they won't change the vines on there.
So look at all this wastage game.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
To me one from the CLP or change the vines, I.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
Think we probably someone's going to have to at the
end of the.
Speaker 8 (14:06):
Day to anything.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
What we will be doing is going through all of
this during estimates. We've got plenty of time. All of
our election commitments will be fully costed by treasury and
we'll be happy to release that to publicly.
Speaker 8 (14:21):
Is that a yes or no answer? On the shade
structure Steve what replacing the vines? Well, I'd love to
see him replaced.
Speaker 4 (14:28):
I'm saying government, I'll get rid of.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Maintain, grow some vines because there's none growing on these.
Speaker 8 (14:40):
Lines growing there now. But is that a community not
very well?
Speaker 3 (14:43):
Unfortunately, get rid of the shade structure.
Speaker 4 (14:49):
Don't worry about the vines.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
What did you make you know you have? You've obviously.
Speaker 8 (14:56):
Changed the whole election.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
What did you make of the budget speech and also
the budget reply then from the seal pag.
Speaker 6 (15:04):
Well, I thought the budget was really a statement of
defeat by the government. The fact that there are two
biggest platforms, biggest points if you like, were around policing
and prisons, and admission that crime is out of control.
It doesn't need to be restated. We all know it,
we experience it. The fact that we had the Minister
(15:27):
for Police in Parliament yesterday spooking about his astronomical police budget.
Why because this government's allowed crime to get out of control.
So I can't say I was impressed by that. And
in terms of Alice Springs, there really wasn't much to
get excited about it, or as Steve said, most of
the infrastructure projects in Alice Springs haven't been delivered by
(15:50):
this government. They've over promised and underdelivered. And I think
that's the point that people need to really keep in mind,
that it's very easy to make promises but almost impossible
to deliver when those promises are unrealistic. The Order to
General came out with her report this week. I haven't
read it, but I was a part of the Public
(16:10):
Accounts Committee and were briefed on it yesterday, and I've
heard some snippets from people talking about it. One thing
that she found pretty well across the areas that she
ordered is that there isn't a lot of information available
to measure where the money is going and what's being delivered,
(16:31):
particularly when it comes to closing the gap strategies within
the Northern Territory government, and interestingly with the ship lift.
The order she did of the ship lift, she said
that normally she doesn't have access to Cabinet papers, but
normally the information that they preside over is provided to
her upon request. When it came to the ship lift,
(16:51):
this government closed down and wouldn't provide her with any
information which only spells one thing that there's a lot
of suspicious activity around that a project that hasn't been
delivered for many, many years. It was announced by the
former CELP government back in twenty fifteen, and here we
are in twenty twenty four. This government's closed the book
(17:12):
to allowing the Order to General to have a look
at what's been going on.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
Jase, why is it with the shiplifted so policy piece.
Speaker 5 (17:19):
I was obviously something behind something at the CLP committed
to and they couldn't build. And you know we've obviously
times month before work is certainly happening in this space
to open obviously with any type of agreement that there
are you know, those matters that need to be worked
(17:41):
through with legal teams, with you know, commercial interests and
so forth. So you know there is a process that
is being undertaken and we're going to commit it to
delivering that project and that's going to happen.
Speaker 1 (17:52):
It is taking an awfully long time, though I guess
when announced forty times perceptions, I'm not one hundred percent sure,
But what I do know is it does seem to
be taking an awfully long time, and I know like
it is a massive project. I totally understand that, but
a little bit like when we go back to sort
of right from the get go, the discussion that we're
having about the projections in terms of you know, in
(18:16):
terms of major projects, in terms of bringing that debt
level down by owned source revenue and.
Speaker 3 (18:21):
Getting projects going.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
It's not a good track record to have for the
government at this point when you look at some of
the major projects that we are reliant on, and then
when you look at the gas and you talk about
that analogy of having a mortgage on your home and
having to pay it off and needing that income, you know,
that analogy being about our level of debt and needing
that owned source revenue or that income coming in. We
(18:45):
don't have a great track record right now on delivering
on major projects in the Northern Territory.
Speaker 5 (18:52):
Look, Katie, every major project is different. There are different
considerations that you need to take in. There's negotiations and
work with traditional owner groups, with local councils, with the
commercial partners, with the industry around using accessing the equipment
or the infrastructure or.
Speaker 8 (19:09):
The project that it is.
Speaker 5 (19:11):
So every project is different and you need to take
a different approach and the considered approach for all of
those projects.
Speaker 3 (19:17):
Is that what's happened with the ship lift or.
Speaker 5 (19:19):
Look, there are various aspects of that particular project that
have been considered that need to be going through further
negotiations with partners around the delivery of that project.
Speaker 3 (19:33):
All right, sorry, Robin, what was it?
Speaker 6 (19:34):
No, I'm just taking it all listening.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
The reality is, I think the real question is how
many of these major projects have actually been delivered over
the last eight years. And I think I can't even
remember what it was, but I think the Chief Minister
quoted one one major project off the major project list
has been delivered over the last eight years. And here
we are constantly talking about this and that's why we'd
(20:01):
be looking at to reducing all of this by fifty percent, which.
Speaker 8 (20:04):
Is actually really worrying because what the leader of the.
Speaker 5 (20:07):
Opposition said in Parliament this week was that she would
have a panel that could intervene and override decisions that
were taking too.
Speaker 8 (20:16):
Long, and that's really worrying.
Speaker 5 (20:18):
When you're working with major projects that is based on evidence,
which is based on research and data and seas.
Speaker 8 (20:24):
That worrying.
Speaker 5 (20:27):
And that's why we have a territory fan places, coming
in and making decisions and not taking into account any
inspected around the environment or the economy.
Speaker 2 (20:38):
Job for at the moment is that the job. There's
no coordination to the government. This is why it's failing.
We'll bring in a territory coordinator to take control of
these major projects and make sure they're delivered for territory.
Speaker 1 (20:53):
Is that actually something that you're committing to the.
Speaker 4 (21:00):
Chance Keys come and.
Speaker 5 (21:03):
Take my job?
Speaker 1 (21:03):
All right, We aren't about to take a very quick break.
Speaker 3 (21:06):
You are listening to Mix one O four nine's three sixty.
It is the week that was, well, what a busy
week it has been. If you've just joined us, We've got.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
Chancey Paig, Kathleen Gazola, Robin Lamley and Steve Edgington in
the studio this morning. Now, curfew legislation. The Northern Territory
government say that they're continuing their common sense plan to
reduce crime and anti social behavior by unveiling new legislation
that will enable curfews to be enacted more flexibly to
(21:34):
protect communities in the territory. So the Northern Territory Police
Force is going to administer this new curfew legislation and
any use of a curfew in the territory is going
to depend on operational assessments made by police. Formally declaring
curfews will require steps to be taken by the Commissioner
of Police, and any extensions to a curfew would require
(21:55):
the Minister of Police to sign off on at the
positive outcomes the government sees achieved through the Alla Springs
Youth curfew in March, so that curfews can be an
effective community safety tool. Now, I know not everybody thinks
that this is a good idea. The Children's Commissioner had
come out yesterday and made some comments around it, as
(22:16):
had I believed Naja, Who've got some concerns around this. Look,
I do think it's quite a common sense approach. I
questioned the timing because I'd ask the Police Minister, Brent
Potter about this, or I'd ask him earlier in the
week whether there was going to be other legislation this
week in an effort to reduce crime, and was told
that there wouldn't be aside from what was already on
the agenda.
Speaker 3 (22:38):
So I did question the timing of this.
Speaker 7 (22:40):
Yeah, I think that's a very good point. I was
just thinking about the timing of it as well, because
usually when the government hands down their budget, they go
on this big budget road show, sales pitch, you know.
The Treasurer chief is always out talking to different groups
and usually travels the breadth of the territory to sell it.
So the fact that the exact day after they were
talking about this legislation that was going to be introduced
(23:02):
and then debated on urgency is very interesting that they're
not out really in the terms of media strategy, talking
about the budget per se, and instead this legislation.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
Because we saw the.
Speaker 7 (23:12):
Colp out talking about their new housing policy. So I
was very intrigued by that tact.
Speaker 6 (23:18):
Well, they think they obviously know that they are onto
a winner because people now know there's evidence. There always
has been evidence, but there's now Northern Territory evidence to
indicate that curfews can work. They can be enormously effective. Look,
it makes me wonder about communities like what and pepper
(23:40):
Manardi that are regularly under siege. The people of pepper
Minardi are now suing the government for not providing safety.
They've been exposed to terrible trauma and assaults from allegedly
by that gang of kids, the Jovi Gang. This is
(24:00):
where curfews could be brought in and used extremely effectively.
Now the fact the only problem I have with any
of this is that it wasn't done sooner.
Speaker 4 (24:11):
It should have been.
Speaker 6 (24:12):
We should have been talking about this five or six
years ago, and here we are. It's another example of
chances backflips. He now stated in Parliament just the other
day that he supports curfews. This is a man that
belittled me and mocked me and anyone else who talked
about because what.
Speaker 5 (24:29):
You were proposing was stupid, indefinitely different, definite.
Speaker 4 (24:34):
Ever proposed.
Speaker 1 (24:39):
Of Parliament, had proposed before was stupid.
Speaker 3 (24:49):
How is what the Chief.
Speaker 5 (24:50):
Minister interim circuit breaks.
Speaker 3 (24:57):
That's not true.
Speaker 1 (25:00):
I interviewed about this before and she actually had as
an interim measure.
Speaker 8 (25:05):
General Business Motions talked about targeting.
Speaker 6 (25:13):
You in questioned, you are the government.
Speaker 3 (25:18):
So you do support curfews.
Speaker 5 (25:20):
Now the legislation that we are proposing around curfew legislation
brings in interim curfews to a label us to work
with social services.
Speaker 4 (25:30):
To what do you actually stand for?
Speaker 2 (25:35):
Robin?
Speaker 3 (25:36):
Do you say I just want to at all.
Speaker 1 (25:38):
I just want to ask what do you say to
the children's Commissioner, who yesterday said that she's deeply concerned
that this legislation increases the likelihood of declarations that will
target and harm valuable, vulnerable, sorry and marginalized groups such
as Aboriginal children and young people.
Speaker 5 (25:54):
So the measures that are being introduced or that are
before the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly at the moment, measures
that are around interim curfews to enable government.
Speaker 8 (26:05):
To work with service providers.
Speaker 5 (26:07):
And agencies around standing out traditional resources and support to
come in some.
Speaker 8 (26:14):
Break up. We've seen in Alice Springs.
Speaker 5 (26:17):
We've seen in Alice Springs that when we brought in
that interm short term curfew, we got out with.
Speaker 1 (26:23):
The legislation say that the curfew can only go for
a short period of time or how long can it
go for?
Speaker 5 (26:29):
It is a maximum of seventy two hours, and then
an extension needs to be approved by the Police Minister
and the Ombudsman has to review those periods.
Speaker 1 (26:38):
And so what makes that different to what Robin has
called for in the past, Because Robin said to me
in the past on this on this very show in
years gone by that she thought that an interim curfew,
a temporary interim curfew, would you know, would solve or
certainly calm things down with some of the issues that
you guys have experienced in Alice Springs before. So I
(26:59):
just I don't understand what you mean or how are
you're saying that you know that what she called for
in the past is different to what the legislation is
now that that you guys are enacting, because.
Speaker 5 (27:09):
What we have in front of us is actual legislation.
It's not just coming in on the floor of Parliament
something this is actually saying. This is saying that we're
bringing in this legislation. It's got the checks and balances,
it's got the review period with the Ombudsman, decisions of
police extensions by the Police Minister.
Speaker 8 (27:28):
We've worked with the sector.
Speaker 5 (27:30):
The Chief Minister's been out, she's met with people, She's
heard from people on the ground in Central Australia and
circum that.
Speaker 7 (27:37):
They're made to do in terms of introducing legislation. Robin's
an independent member, she can't do those things Government brings
in legislation. So she's been calling for a cur years
and then all of a sudden it's.
Speaker 5 (27:50):
Just as an independent or as an opposition you can
actually bring legislation. Let's let's remember six hundred and thirty
days ago the CELP tried to bring in a fuel bill.
Speaker 1 (28:03):
Let's also remember that when Robin has tried to actually,
you know, ask you guys to introduce a curfew, you've
told her it was stupid, but now you guys are
prepared to do it.
Speaker 3 (28:13):
So that's where.
Speaker 1 (28:15):
I think we're kind of all shaking our heads a
little bit and going, well, hang on a sec is
the government is the timing of this because it's a
vote winner more than anything else.
Speaker 7 (28:22):
And absolute vote Well that's absolutely not true, Cadie.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
Sorry, yes, guys, Dan, we haven't given you a chance. Mate.
Speaker 2 (28:31):
Look, Katie, the cop will be supporting this legislation. But
you know, it really stuns me that the Deputy Chief
Minister says that this is an opportunity to work with
other agencies. Now, this is core business that police work
with other agencies on a daily basis. So to have
to say that a curfew is going to bring these
(28:51):
agencies together and work together is just constantly an admission
of failure. You know, we've seen that the curfew did
work in Alice Springs, but this is another admission of
failure that the legislation that they used previously was simply
the wrong legislation. This type of legislation should have been
brought in a long, long time ago. So we'll be
supporting it. But what we want to see is that
(29:12):
there are proper measures in place for people that are
breaching that curfew. You know, if young people are out
there breaching curfews, then there needs to be consequences. There
needs to be programs, there needs to be boot camps,
all of those sorts of things need to be in place,
but they're simply not in place at the moment.
Speaker 1 (29:28):
Look, I do want to just point out as well
that for our listeners in Alice Springs this morning, they
might be feeling pretty fired up because there's actually been
a couple of pretty serious incidents from overnight. So Northern
Territory Police calling for information after an aggravated assault that
occurred on I think it's called sicone in Alice Springs,
Ye Siconi and Ola Springs. So just before nine pm,
(29:48):
police received that report of an assault involving two residents
at a property on Foggetty Street. A large group of
offenders allegedly entered the yard of the property and confronted
the pair. The offenders assaulted the victims before fleeing that
location in a white Toyota troop carrier. The male victim,
age twenty seven, sustained significant facial injuries and was taken
(30:08):
to Alice Springs Hospital for further treatment. The female victim,
age thirty three, sustained minor injuries and did not seek
medical treatment. In addition to that, the police have also
arrested a man in relation to an aggravated assault that
occurred in Alice Springs overnight. About seven point thirty, police
were flagged down by a woman on Todd Street suffering
lacerations to her face and head. She was conveyed to
(30:30):
Alice Springs Hospital for treatment while police began investigations. Now
CCTV operators tracked her movements back to the vehicle parked
on Gregory Terrace where police believe and assault may have
taken place. A short time later, police received a report
that the victim's partner of thirty one year old man
was present at the hospital. Police attended the scene and
after a short footchase, that man was arrested without incident,
(30:54):
so he remains in custody. He's assisting police with their inquiries.
But look, anyone within foe that canisis the police. One three, one,
triple four is the number. So I do I mean,
I want to just point out we are still receiving
reports like that, you know, daily.
Speaker 4 (31:08):
Our crime realisis continues.
Speaker 8 (31:10):
Kay.
Speaker 4 (31:11):
Really, there is no doubt if you.
Speaker 6 (31:13):
Took some pressure out of the system, the curfew you
ended a month ago, and you can see things sliding
back again. That's the reality here.
Speaker 2 (31:21):
We're seeing some of the most serious crimes over the
last eight years, and it's getting worse and worse and worse.
So we're seeing increases in alcohol rel outd of assaults,
domestic violence, assaults, these robbery type offenses, home invasions have
increased in the severity of the violence involved has just
increased over the years. And simply the police need better powers.
(31:42):
There needs to be stronger laws around bail. You know,
we've constantly called for serious vile and offenders to have
a presumption against bail, but the government, the Labor government,
has constantly resisted any opportunity to bring in stronger laws
that might make a difference in the community.
Speaker 7 (31:58):
And I think the mayor had said that it was
that presence of police had been the big part of
the curfew in particular, that had made people feel a
lot safer because it was seeing those officers walking the
streets and being around and that included having the essay
police come and assist. But as I understand that they've
now finished our bodings.
Speaker 5 (32:16):
Yeah, and look, but Katie, I think let's be clear
the curfew is an extra item for the tool in
their tool and their toolbox to use to activate when
they need to. You know, Minister Potter has made it
clear that we've got the Territory Safety Division starting up
and opening up in Central Australia.
Speaker 8 (32:34):
As well till July.
Speaker 5 (32:35):
We've had this Reportory, you've got to make sure that
you are providing opportunities for training and up skilling of
the forces.
Speaker 1 (32:42):
Well, because I asked this of the Chief Minister earlier
in the week as well, you know what's been the
turning point for you that you, as the Deputy Chief
Minister have decided well, hang on, we actually need to
take this more seriously than what we have been in
the past, because you know, while the Government was acknowledging
that we had a cry issue before Evil Laula became
the Chief Minister. She seems to have been the only
(33:04):
one from your cabinet that's really had the guts to
do something that's outside the box, that takes on you know,
other other groups that are you know, that are saying
what she's doing is wrong.
Speaker 3 (33:16):
So what's been the turning point for you?
Speaker 5 (33:18):
I think having the Chief continuing to work with all
of the cabinet and looking at and being very open
about continuing to look at innovative ways and working with
the community and going back out and talking to community
around the chief.
Speaker 3 (33:31):
It was a captain's call.
Speaker 8 (33:34):
No, it wasn't a captain.
Speaker 3 (33:35):
She said it. She has said it on camera that it.
Speaker 8 (33:39):
Was her, the team and absolutely everybody else.
Speaker 5 (33:45):
It's a measure that is an intra measure. It's a
circuit breaker, you know, Katie. There's work to do in
all areas.
Speaker 8 (33:52):
In our life.
Speaker 3 (33:53):
It's safe to say if she wasn't the Chief Minister,
it would not have happened.
Speaker 6 (33:55):
You know, you'd go a long way, Chancey by just
telling the truth, you would be consistent lies that you've
been constantly. You're doing yourself over.
Speaker 2 (34:06):
It's interesting that we hear about this Territory Safety Division
Alice Springs because it was only what a week or
two ago. The Police Association came out and said that
since the Prime Minister visited back in what twenty three,
they're actually twenty five to twenty eight police down. But
in the same breath they're sayingly going to create a
Territory Safety Division with eighteen extra coppers. But over all
(34:26):
the Police Reviews says that we're over two hundred down
at the moment. So where are these police coming from?
Speaker 1 (34:32):
Is that we are to have I believe we were
due to have quite a large contingent or about sixty
odd graduate I think June or July. But look, we're
going to take a really quick break with fast running
out of time in here, and there's still lots to discuss.
You are listening to Mix one O four nine's three sixty.
It is the week that was has been a massive week.
We know the Country Liberal Party new polling release has
(34:53):
shown that it shows that it has a hold, a
strong hold or a strong lead I should say, August
Northern Territory election. That's what this new poll has revealed.
In a report by Matt Cullingham from Sky News, it
also showed though that Labours clawed back some significant ground
after the leadership of new Chief Minister Eva Lawler. Now,
(35:14):
the poll by Freshwater Strategy on behalf of Australian Energy
Producers NT shows the COLP is ahead fifty four to
forty six on a two party preferred basis. The survey
of one thousand voters, with a margin of era of
three percent, shows that more than a quarter of voters
are still undecided ahead of the election on August twenty four,
(35:34):
So just seventeen percent of respondents said that they'd vote
for Labor when they were first asked, thirty three percent
said they'd vote for the COLP, seventeen percent said that
they were undecided, oh sorry, seventeen percent said independent, and
seven percent would vote for the Greens. Now when they
were pushed, Labour's primary vote improved to twenty nine percent,
(35:58):
behind the COLP on tho twy nine percent, an independent
on twenty two percent and the Greens on nine percent.
Speaker 2 (36:07):
What do you make of us, Well, I think at
this stage, Katie, look, we're focused on it's an interesting poll,
no doubt about it, and there's people that are interested
in looking at the poll. But look, as a CORP
team we've got a good, strong team. We're out and
about at the moment talking to people on the ground,
and we're implementing the policies that people are raising with us.
So that's why we've brought in the home build scheme,
(36:28):
that's why we've reduced the payroll tax. We've released our
crime policy, and we've released our corrections policy. This is
what people are telling us on the ground. Over the
next one hundred odd days or ninety nine days or
ninety eight whatever it is. At the moment, we're going
to be out there constantly talking to territorians to find
out what matters most to them, and that's what we're
focused on at the moment.
Speaker 6 (36:50):
What did you make of the polling, Robin, Well, it's
certainly going to be a contest, isn't it. I remember
in the lead up to the last election in twenty twenty,
the polling suggested an outcome that was very different from
what actually happens. So I'm very mindful that these things
can change. I think even Lawler is starting to resonate,
(37:12):
but I think it's all too little, too late. I
personally feel that a change of government is absolutely essential
for Central Australia. For my part of the world, we
cannot survive another four years of this.
Speaker 3 (37:26):
Chelsea, what did you make of it?
Speaker 8 (37:28):
Ah?
Speaker 5 (37:28):
Look, I think just following on from what Robin has said,
polls can say things and the outcome can be very different.
I think the poll that matters is the poll on
the twenty fourth of August, when you know territories go
to the polls. I think, certainly, when we look at
what we've done, we're getting on with the business of
doing and delivering in the territory.
Speaker 8 (37:48):
And certainly I disagree with Robin.
Speaker 5 (37:51):
I think that you know, Labor is certainly the best
party for the territory. And when I look at the Bush,
I see the significant investment that we've seen, and we
know that when the CELP were in government they built
one house in the last two years of their term
in the Bush, which has had disastrous consequences.
Speaker 1 (38:08):
Is that where the Labor Party is really hoping to
win the next election in the Bush.
Speaker 5 (38:13):
Every seat matters to the Labor Party and every territory
in matters and will certainly be out there. There's three
months until the election and as Robin said, it'll be
a tight contest.
Speaker 1 (38:23):
Are there any seats that you guys see as being
sort of quiet. I mean, how are you looking at it, Kathleen, Like,
are you kind of looking at it and going, oh, well,
you know, this seat's really tight. I mean, I can
think of a few just off the top of my
head that I think are going to be really interesting,
you know, the like support Darwin for example, fong Lim
I think is going to be very interesting. I think
the seats out in Palmerston as well are going to
be ones to keep an eye on. I also believe
(38:46):
Karama is going to be a really interesting one to
keep an eye on. There are just a few that
I can think of off the top of my head,
and I'll be really blunt. I don't have as good
an understanding of the issues out in those remote communities
or in those more remote areas as to how the
those bush seats could change. But what I do know is,
and all of our listeners know this, is that I
worked for Rob Knight several years ago when he was
(39:09):
a member for Daily And what I know is that
those bush seats can also.
Speaker 3 (39:12):
Turn on a dime.
Speaker 1 (39:14):
So it's really interesting, you know, It's always a very
interesting thing to keep an eye on, and that polling
really doesn't look very often at those bush areas.
Speaker 7 (39:24):
And I think a lot of people wouldn't be surprised
by the polling, just given that the issues that we've
seen and you know a lot of the callers and
sentiments that you get to your show, in particular at Katie,
but of course in the Northern territory, I think you
do have to drill it down to those individual electorates.
It is so different to you know, a federal election
that you know overall people are unhappy potentially with whatever
(39:46):
party is in power, and you know governments lose elections
rather than the other way around. But when you do
drill it down into those individual seats, it becomes a
very different game.
Speaker 1 (39:56):
Well, particularly when you look at local issues, right and
even in somewhere like for the seat of Johnson, also
Nightcliff and even Oh I can't think oh, and Fanny
Bay and then also fong Limb, there's an issue there
that's that seems like a small issue, which is the
moving of Osmond House. And you know there's Saint Vinnie's
(40:18):
into another electorate that will have a lot of people
very concerned like.
Speaker 7 (40:21):
Thes and you touched on the seats in Palmerstan And
with that polling that Matt revealed was that you know
that polling had gotten better from Labor because Eva had
come in and taken the leadership because of the way
that I think she has come out and been very upfront,
and you know, she she says she doesn't care if
she's made a backflip. She had to make a captain's call,
(40:42):
Radi Radi ra. But her seat is definitely up for
grabs in Palmestan, so it's not a guarantee if they
do win power that she's still rouster building them.
Speaker 5 (40:52):
From what Cat's talked about, there's a whole bunch of consideration.
Speaker 8 (40:55):
So every four years, Steve.
Speaker 5 (40:57):
Robin and me and every member of the Assembly has
boundary redistribution. Yep, we've got electorates here in the territory
of just over six thousand people. So you know, every
there's no such thing in the territory as a safe seat.
Everyone takes their seat seriously and voters absolutely are across
the issues and every election, either party, there are always
(41:20):
those wow factors that no one even thinks that happened.
That happened, so it's really hard to gate.
Speaker 3 (41:28):
Yeah, you go seat.
Speaker 2 (41:29):
I was going to say, and I think you know,
Robin touched on a few issues there, but you know,
the reality is, and I think you know, on one hand,
chances saying that they've delivered in the Bush, but you've
only got to look at my electorate at the moment.
We've got schools closing. We've had a police station closed
at our perroom, so the Corella Creek school is closed.
I was up in Bora Lula the other week. The
high school is closed. So there's a whole range of
(41:50):
things going on out the Bush at the moment. You've
got the government talking about record investment, but the reality
is on the ground, particularly in the Bush where I
amnumber of projects that haven't been delivered. In Tenant Creek,
I've estimated that around about seventy million dollars that has
been forgotten about by the labor government hasn't been delivered
over the eight years. School's closing, police stations closing, and
(42:12):
there's still people living in the crowded house.
Speaker 1 (42:14):
I do want to just go to both you Steve
and also you Chancey, I mean for both of the
parties at this point in time, like what would a
scenario look like if out in a seat in Palmerston
like evil lawlers. I mean, she is very busy doing
the job of the Chief Minister at the moment and
rightly so, all the while her opponent Clinton how you know,
(42:34):
if you look at his Facebook, he's draw knocked every
house out there from what he sees. I mean, what
would a what would a Labor government look like if
Eva is not the chief Minister?
Speaker 3 (42:44):
Is it you stepping in?
Speaker 8 (42:45):
Look?
Speaker 5 (42:46):
That is a matters like for any party that your
party and very great would look And I mean the
CLP would never have Robin back, that's what they say.
But yet they don't have a candidate for Arah Luin.
Speaker 4 (42:58):
So he like.
Speaker 5 (43:08):
A great She is a great chief Minister and she'll
continue to be a great chief minister.
Speaker 8 (43:12):
And you know they are.
Speaker 5 (43:13):
Matters for the caucus. But you know, like again, elections
are tight. Steve Edgington only won by five votes and
we're looking to get those.
Speaker 8 (43:22):
Five votes back.
Speaker 5 (43:23):
And we absolutely got a candidate for every seat and
they'll be announced as we get closer to the election,
not just one yet. We've got a candidate one I
haven't been announced.
Speaker 8 (43:35):
Yet, Steve.
Speaker 1 (43:35):
I mean for you, you did only by by five
seats and for some people there touting you as the
next CELP leader, look.
Speaker 2 (43:43):
Was it was a type margin. Look, the reality was
that the first references I want about about two undred votes.
You know, there was an independent in Boro Lula that
took a number of first preferences and preference Labor. So look,
there was a few issues there, but the reality is
that the COLP took that seat after thirty years of
inaction by the Labor government. So that's why I'm in
(44:04):
the position because of all of the inaction by the
Labor government. I've been out and about talking to people
on the ground. I understand what the issues are that
they're facing, and they've had it worse and worse and
worse over the last four years. And I've just highlighted
the schools that are closing, police station closing, still overcrowded houses,
and important infrastructure in and look, stay tuned to my
(44:30):
budget refined.
Speaker 8 (44:31):
Next week because.
Speaker 2 (44:34):
I'll be pointing out morally because there's simply not enough
money coming into the Barkley. There's been a few announcements
even a look. Look, the government announced a new school
for Ali Krunk, but it won't even take place till
the second quarter.
Speaker 8 (44:46):
In twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (44:48):
It will just never be delivered.
Speaker 1 (44:50):
We're gonna have to take a really quick break because
I know Robin and Chelsey need to catch a plane.
You are listening to Mix one O four nine's three sixty.
We will be back to wrap things up. Well, we
have just about run out of time and in the
studio I'm massive. Thank you of course to all of
our guests. Steve Edgington, thank you so much for your
time this morning representing the COLP.
Speaker 2 (45:08):
Thanks Coty. Great morning and we've gone another week. Apartment
next week so we'll still be here for another week. But
good morning to all the listeners out there.
Speaker 1 (45:15):
Thank you, thanks for your time this morning. Steve Robin Lamley,
the independent member for our lun thank you for your
time this morning.
Speaker 4 (45:21):
Thank you for having me Katie.
Speaker 3 (45:22):
Anytime you're in Darwin.
Speaker 1 (45:24):
Kathleen Gazola nine News Darwin, thank you, thank you. And
Chancey Paig the Attorney General and Labor Rep for this morning.
Speaker 3 (45:30):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (45:31):
And the deputy checkin so I always go the Attorney
General first and forget the deputy checking.
Speaker 5 (45:35):
Thanks Katie, Thanks to all your listeners. Have an amazing
weekend right across the territory. The weather is perfect at
the moment and there's so much on and as Stephen
Robins said last week, next week is the last week
of the fourteenth Legislative Assembly before we go into estimates
and then before we head to the polls on the
twenty fourth of August.
Speaker 8 (45:53):
So lot's happening.
Speaker 1 (45:54):
Exciting times for me and Kathleen, Busy times for absolutely
every year.
Speaker 5 (45:59):
But you know, leading up, you know we'll have the
obviously heading up, we'll have the last speeches for the member.
Speaker 8 (46:04):
For Goidi and Port Darwin as they finish their terms.
Speaker 3 (46:09):
Yeap, Yeah, it's going to be a busy time.
Speaker 8 (46:11):
I don't know you what are you doing.
Speaker 3 (46:12):
To thank you all so much for your time this morning?
And is mixed one O four nine's three sixty.
Speaker 4 (46:20):
That was the week that was
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