Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, what we know is today a coalition of NT
community leaders and frontline services are calling for all sides
of politics to sign on to a detailed set of
policy measures that they say address community safety and combat
the cycle of prison and reoffending. Now, amongst the calls
for the Aboriginal Peak Organization's Northern Territory, the Human Rights
(00:24):
Law Center, the Northern Territory Council of Social Services, and others,
they've penned this open letter saying that the Northern Territory
is too reliant on incarceration and its entrenching disadvantage. So
joining me on the line right now is the Chief Minister,
Evia Laula. Good morning to your Chief Minister, Kat Chief Minister.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
This coalition of.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
Northern Territory, community leaders and frontline services, they are calling
for all sides of politics to sign on to this
detailed set of policy measures which they say addresses community
safety and also combats the cycle of prison and re offending.
I mean, among some of the things that they're calling
for is the raising of age of criminal responsibility to fourteen,
(01:08):
committing to fully implementing the Aboriginal Justice Agreement programs not prisons.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Is this something that you're going to.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
Sign Katie, No, we won't be signing it. And there
are some things in there that we agree with. There
are some things obviously that we don't agree with, and
that's usual when you get a group that has a
particular or a very strong interest in one area. But
as I said, we'll work through and I think we're
up to about eighty letters that we've got around election
(01:37):
commitments and policy commitments that my staff continue to work through.
But you know, we do know the incust and incarceration
rates are higher, but we have got more police. This
is what territorians want. That territorians want to feel safe
and if you're doing the wrong thing, you will get
locked up. That's the fact in the Northern Territory now
with me as Chief Minister, and I think that's what
(01:59):
territorians want. But that said, we don't want to see
a revolving door either in our prison system. And there
was an announcement probably about four or five months ago
around having CDU now providing the training in jail, so
that's a yes thing. And there's some really practical things
that we've got on foot, particularly around for example, making
(02:21):
sure that all prisoners can get a driving get their
driver's license, those sorts of really practical things that we're
working to make sure, as I said, we don't have
a revolving door, and that we also address some of
the key issues that we see. But we've also got
those other custody options. I was on Grout Island. We've
seen what they've got Norlan Boy. There's lots of things
(02:42):
that we're doing. The Alice Springs announcement around having that
detention facility specifically for DV. People have committed DV, so
we're doing a lot of work in that area. I
know there'll be groups that think we're not doing enough,
but we'll continue to work through those issues.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
So Chief Minister, at this point in time, the government's
not going to be signing signing on to that. I
mean the letters calling for the reducing of imprisonment of
Aboriginal Territorians, addressing the drivers of crime, raising the age
of criminal responsibility to fourteen, I mean, are you looking
at raising the age to fourteen?
Speaker 3 (03:16):
No, we're not looking at raising the age to fourteen.
We as I said, we've raised the age to twelve
with there's a lot of work that needs to happen
and we're continuing to do just around that, are making
sure that those young people in that age group from
ten to twelve have specific programs that their families are engaged.
So you know, that's a big step to then go
to fourteen. So, as I said, we get lots of
(03:39):
these sorts of approaches, Katie, this isn't the only one, literally,
and there is a lot that do you agree with?
Speaker 1 (03:44):
So whether it's a chamber, I guess the big one
though at the moment is, you know, like the tough
thing right now is that you've obviously got sort of
this juggle of what many will see as some will
see them as quite the ideological views it comes to
these issues of crime and how you deal with the
issues of crime, and then what many in the community want,
(04:07):
which is a reduction in crime and that if somebody,
no matter where they come from or what their background is,
if they are breaking the law, that there's a consequence
to that.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
Yes, I think we all, I think all Territorians, even
if you have ideologies around this issue. Nobody wants their
house broken into, nobody wants a rock throw on at
their car. Everybody wants to see a reduction in antisocial behavior.
In crime in the territory. I don't think even as
I said, even the most ideological people would agree with that.
(04:37):
And this isn't new though, Katie. This issue is one
that governments have had to work through for a very
long time. As I said, the five hundred and seventy
more million dollars going into police, the absolute fight that
I've had for years to get full funding for education.
The education one is the long term, but you have
to have that immediacy, the residential youth justice facility that
(04:59):
we've put in which provide that mid step as well
before you get young people into a detention facility. Absolutely,
we know this is hard work, but I'm you know,
this is the work that I'm doing to drive down
crime in the territory. There is no simple solution, but Katie,
probably every single person that writes to me and says
(05:21):
what they want, you know, either money or policy wise,
there will be things we disagree with, some things we
agree with there some and that's what we work through
here well.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
And this is a thing it's a juggle for whoever
forms government to listen to the needs of territorians as
well and also take into account those views of different
different groups.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
But look, I want to move along.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
The North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency NAJA has lost its
fifth Chief Executive in as months, as the upper management
of that organization really continues to be gripped by chaos.
We know that Phil Brown has stepped down in what
many have seen as a shock departure from his position
as acting CEO, having only been in that job for
(06:01):
four months now. Naje's sent a statement saying that the
acting CEO, Phil Brown, has advised the Board and the
Attorney General's Department of his decision to not renew his
contract next month due to family reasons. Mister Brown intends
to continue in that role until a replacement is appointed
to ensure that there is an orderly transition. At what
(06:23):
point does this organization really get pulled apart and you
start over? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (06:31):
I agree, Katie. I think we're all sick and tired
of what's been going on at NIJERA. And there's I said,
Phil Brown's a good man, He's obviously done his best.
But I think they've got an AGM today or maybe
it's tomorrow. I've got an AGM and this is the
opportunity for them to really have a real good look
at what they're doing and sorted out.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
But they're in a situation though, you know, like this
is an organization that they receive so much in the
way of federal and I'm assuming Northern Territory government funding
that then when they're you know, these people that have
worked there before that have told the Australian newspapers that
they really believe that things need to be shut down
and started over. Who is in a position that can like,
(07:10):
you know, are we waiting for the federal government? Can
the Northern Territory government? Who needs to step in here
and go hang on, they're not doing the job that
they're supposed to be.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
Yeah, so they are as I said, listed company, So
you know, the Commonwealth are the ones that are their
major funders, but Northern Territory. So the Attorney General and
Justice Department is working with the Commonwall's government around what
needs to happen with NAGA. It is it would be
a big move to completely wipe them and start again,
but so you know, they've had a lot of chances
(07:39):
and I think the NAGER deal with our most vulnerable people.
It's part of this equation when you're talking about crime.
This is where we need NAGA to be fully functioning,
top quality organization to be able to look after and
support and do what they're as you said, what they're
funded to do. So yeah, it has gone on far
too long, and as I said, I think we're all
(08:01):
frustrated to see what continues.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
But what would you do if you were the federal
Like if you were the federal Attorney general at this point,
what would you do?
Speaker 3 (08:10):
I mean, I think it's you know, they do need
to have the opportunity to rebuild. Starting things from scratch
provides that big lag. So if you know, there are
probably plenty of good people who work in that organization.
You know, there are some very committed lawyers I'm sure
working through NAJA. So I think it's you that chance
to really get some clear leadership on clearly you need
(08:34):
a quality CEO. But then the board, I think the
board needs to have people that can actually that know
the business and can rather than a rep rather than
a board that's you know, a community board, I think
they have to be people that can actually lead the
organization out of that. So have somebody that knows governance
very well, somebody who has a background in accounting, somebody
(08:56):
who's has that legal background as well, somebody who obviously
understands community organizations, has expertise around the issue of dealing
with young people. So I think they're the things that
need to happen around Nigel. But it's easy being an
expert and looking in. I have people doing it I
should be doing so absolutely I want to be telling
(09:17):
people what to do who.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
I totally understand that. I totally understand that.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
But I think when we're talking about you know, Territorian's
funding and Australian funding, and people wanting outcomes and the
most vulnerable in our community needing that representation, and people
worrying that the organization is not working in the way
that it is supposed to be and the way in
which it's intended, you know, like that's when people start
(09:44):
to go, well, hang on a second, what is the
role of the government if not to pull this up
when it's reached this point?
Speaker 3 (09:50):
Yeah, yea, so and then that's what's happening. As I said,
you know, there is work, Absolutely, there is work around that.
As I said, this next step was, you know Phil
had been in that role. He's now stepped aside. So
it is up to any board now to find a
new CEO. But yeah, it is. I think we're all
frustrated a bit to.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
Get through this morning, Chief Minister. I want to ask
you in terms of Alice Springs, there has been you know,
there's been a lot going on in Alice Springs, but
from what you can see, has there been much success
with the return to country program that the government announced
was underway last week? Do we know how many people
have been returned to community?
Speaker 3 (10:27):
So the last update I got, and as I said,
I will also say, you know, put some praise and
he praised on Michael Murphy, the Commissioner, because I think
he flew down to Alice on Sunday and only got
back yesterday, and so he has been down on the
ground working with you, his department, his police officers on
the ground in Alice Springs. There has been a coordinated
(10:50):
approach through Durrell Anderson as well. Last figures I saw
was that there had been about twelve hundred people that
had had conversations with whether that was territory families or
department Chief Minister's staff, and there had been at least
one hundred and fourteen or one hundred and twenty that
had returned to country, so that a lot of people
(11:10):
have returned themselves, are ready to get their kids back
to school. So I think it's been there's been a
strong emphasis there around that we do these things anyway.
We know when there's a Melbourne football club are in town,
when there are big events like the show in town
in Nawa Springs, there are things in place. We've just
escalated it this time to try and get more people
(11:33):
back to their communities. And I've said previously they're not
all territory people as well, by the way, some of
them are from the apy Lands as well.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
Now, what work's been done to ensure that there are
not issues like this in Catherine as the show gets underway.
We know that in Catherine over recent days they've had
some terrible incidents. I mean, one in particular that I
think is a shocker is ten urths allegedly breaking into
the home where two women were threatening them allegedly with
(12:00):
an aedged weapon and then both being indecently assaulted. I mean,
that's happened in recent days. The commander had confirmed to
this yesterday that those ten mudes.
Speaker 2 (12:09):
Were still at large.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
What work is underway to make sure in Catherine that
as the show gets underway, we don't see even more
of a flare up of these kinds of incidents.
Speaker 3 (12:20):
Yes, so you know, and this is probably Michael Murphy
can provide or the police can provide more detail. But
there has been a group of police officers that have
moved up the highway, so they were in Tenant Creek,
and the reports I got on Monday morning from Tenant
Creek was that Tenant Creek had been very settled during
their show period. So those officers now moving to Catherine,
(12:42):
and so there will be continue to be a larger
presence over the next few days in Catherine, so that
I think they've got the horses. I think they've got
some of the dogs. There, more police officers. I think
they even have some Territory Safety Division officers. So I
think that's been the They already had that plan to
have more officers in Tenant and Catherine. I'm in Children
(13:04):
tomorrow for the show, so I'll be able to have
a good look around.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
I mean, when you hear of incidents like that one
that I just spoke about, those two women that were
inside the home ten Yudes allegedly getting in armed with
weapons like you know, obviously your reaction is going to
be well, that's horrible. But do you think to yourself,
all right, what do we need to change here so
that this kind of thing is not happening? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (13:27):
Yeah, so absolutely so I get briefed on those. Obviously
I'm not the police minister, but I still get information around,
particularly those highly escalated or highly concerning incidences. You know,
we have a you know, and Brent Potter also will
come and see me and make you call me and say,
you know, this is happening. You know, it is operational
for police, but we you know, we continue to also
(13:50):
have discussions around you know, what more can we do
to address these issues? You know, is it alcohol related?
Does it do we need to connect with you know,
the alcohol policy area, with his friends? Is it young people?
What do we need to do with territory family? So
we're always looking at these It's not just the police
response always around these things. You know, police are the
(14:10):
ones that are at the front line. We absolutely understand that,
but you know, always looking to talk to people on
the ground, try to find out your other solutions around it.
And you know, one that's also is at the front
and center at the moment is around road deaths. So
we've seen, you know, just a shocking number, particularly over
the last literally last two or three weeks around road
(14:33):
death So a few weeks ago I called for the
Road Safety Executive Group to get together, so that's you know, police, Dipple,
motor accident Compensation to get together their CEOs and say,
you know, what can we do to address the road toll.
We've got to the stage where it's the last year's
full road toll. We've got to in the middle of
(14:53):
this year, So how can we reduce for the next
six months? Is there a targeted campaign that needs to
be done in our particularly remote and aboriginal media outlets
like poor Media, come, what can we do to drive
down the road toll?
Speaker 1 (15:07):
Because I've got even for me, like even last night, right,
I was driving with my children to go and get
some dinner at sort of six point thirty in the
evening in you know, around that busy area of Stuart Park.
A woman, an intoxicated woman, walked in front of vehicles
on that road when we had a green light to
go through the traffic lights. She walked onto the roads
(15:29):
when people then beaped and pulled up, she started putting
her fingers up and you know, if.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
You basically to those drivers.
Speaker 1 (15:37):
So I mean, these are that like we're sort of
dealing with, you know, with some issues right now. We're
you know where this level of intoxication and the level
of criminality that is, you know that we are seeing
from some people is it's quite heartbreaking, I think to Laura,
abiding citizens of the Northern Territory, and we're sort of
(15:59):
hearing all the right worlds from both you and from
the opposition, but at this point in time, people are like,
we're feeling really frustrated.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
To be blunt, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (16:07):
Yeah, Katie, I mean and I mean literally, you know,
my again, in my electorate, I have issues around campus,
people who are rough sleeping in one of my areas.
You know, my staff and I we're literally on the ground,
you know, finding out where they're from, connecting to services,
you know, trying to get these people to return home.
But then they tell us that they're having you know,
(16:29):
clashes with family at home. So I understand the frustration
as much as anybody because literally, you know, I'm their
hands on trying to resolve issues in my own particular electorate,
let alone as across the Northern Territory as Chief Minister.
But I mean the one, as you say, alcohol is
behind most of these issues that we face in the territory.
(16:50):
And it is a tough call because as soon as
we you know, people don't there's a whole group of
people who don't like the BDR. There's people who don't
like us putting more restrictions on around the sale of
our There are so many things that we continue to do.
And as I said, but it impacts the average territori
and who just wants to go and buy a bottle
of wine or grab some beers after work and sit
(17:11):
in their lounge room and watch the footy or something.
So it is a really tough one because we know
they are chronic alcoholics who come into town and cause
trouble when they're drunk, and probably when they're not drunk.
They're probably reasonably good people in their own communities, but
their own communities I think at times are driving them
out because of course trouble in their communities. But will
(17:33):
continue to work with the experts around these things.
Speaker 1 (17:35):
All right, I'll move along to just a couple of
other ones quickly. We know that there was an announcement
yesterday by the Labor Party for free or for pre
school to be expanded.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
How exactly is this going to work?
Speaker 1 (17:47):
Because I thought the preschool is obviously free already, or
it was when my kids went through pre school, but
only for a few hours a day. So are you
saying that people will be able to send their children
there for the whole day.
Speaker 3 (17:58):
Yes, So this is a really important announcement, and I
don't know, as you said, I think it was a
bit confusing for people, particularly if you don't have preschool
aged children. So if you've had preschool age children and
you know, it might have thirty years old, but it's
the actual way that preschool's work has not changed in
probably fifty years, so that you have half days. So
kids in preschool four year olds in the Northern Territory
(18:20):
get fifteen hours of preschool, so sometimes that means it's
a half day, or some schools have changed theirs to
two day two and a half days one week, and
then you know two and a half days, so it's Monday, Tuesday,
Wednesday one week, Thursday Friday the next. I hear loadly
and clearly from so many people that that's so difficult
for mums to go back to our dads to go
(18:41):
back to work because they're having to either organize a
pickup or then the child's going to childcare. So the
poor little kids in two different places at times, you know,
and being busted or picked up and moved or you
have got to get grandmar to pick them up from preschool.
So this is then making four year olds have the
same hours as a primary school a kid in transition,
(19:03):
a five year old in transition, so they will get
a full time at four year olds will get a
full time around that. So it's good for post of
living which school. Let me just keep going through this
a bit because it is important. So it is that
thirty hours will be full time. The positive things are
also research shows that this is the best thing for
(19:25):
young brains, is to have that fully full stimulus learning
at four years old. So research shows this is a
really good thing. So we're starting We're going to roll
it out bit by bit because it is going to
be really you know, well complicated and complex because you
need to identify the student numbers, which schools have the
(19:46):
infrastructure to be able to do that, and then it's
around you know, making sure we have early childhood teachers.
So we'll do it step by step. And as I said,
it's ten schools. I want to make sure that those
schools are some in Darwin, Palmerston and Alice Springs in particular,
but also some in our remote So the department, I'll
let them work through that so it's not seen as
(20:08):
being political. You know, it's not going to be in
Grade Driver Molden my area. We'll let the department work
through it, but we will do twenty five schools by
twenty twenty seven and then keep working our way through
it with other states, Victoria and South Wales. When I
was Education minister, they had committed to doing this, but
it's sort of they'd committed quite a few years ahead
(20:30):
because research shows this is the best thing that we
can do, you know, to literally our it's called our
peas are and our tim's results, our results when we
get assessed and measured on other countries around the world,
that we will see that, you know, we're way down
in some of those lists. I think we're fifteen or
twenty these All the research shows that these things, working
with kids when their brains are developing, will make the
(20:53):
biggest difference to the future of Australia. So it's a
really and in the middle.
Speaker 2 (20:57):
I don't have a huge issue with it.
Speaker 1 (20:59):
I think it probably like when my kids were little,
it would have been a good thing. Look and you know,
obviously I would have seen it as a good thing.
But I guess the big question is where are we
going to get the staff to be able to do it,
and how we're going to make sure we got the
places because I know at the preschool that my kids
went to in Nightcliffe, you know, they would have a
class in the morning that went for you know, for
(21:20):
four hours or whatever it was. Then they would have lunchtime,
then they would have a class in the afternoon, but
the same classroom teacher was in that class throughout the
whole day, taking two different groups of kids. So how
are we going to find the places, How we're going
to have the infrastructure, how we're going to have the
teachers for it, which is but you know, you have.
Speaker 3 (21:38):
To start somewhere around something that's really positive. And so
that's the work that the department will do now to
roll this out, but it is otherwise we do nothing.
And Victoria and New South Wales South Australia did a
big review of their early childhood education. The Northern Territory
will be left behind, and as I said, I don't
want to see that, and I want to make sure
that all children in the territory reach their full potential.
(22:01):
That is how you dress the issues we see around poverty,
crime and so. Yeah, yeah, there are some tough things
to work through, but they're not insurmountable, that's for sure.
Speaker 2 (22:10):
Casey, Chief Finister.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
A quick one that people are pretty fired up about
is the molden oval. Now, we were contacted a couple
of weeks ago about mold and oval at the school
there being brown and then somebody on Territory Day letting
off fireworks, basically lighting it up. That oval, we're told
by the two footy clubs, is not usable. They were
concerned that it may not be able to be used
(22:34):
for their sevens, their junior sevens program for rugby union.
I mean, how on earth are we in a situation
where we can't even use the school oval.
Speaker 3 (22:43):
So one of the first issue is that thet You've
probably have all these facts, but the ball had been
damaged or had not been damaged. I think it needed
to be redone. So the boar now has gone to Diple,
So from the first of July the ball was with
the council. The boar now is under the care of DIPPLE,
so DIPPLE now will have maintained that bore and be
(23:05):
able to provide the water. The oval actually is the
Education department oval, so Education now will work to rectify
do the work that's needed. The issue with this is
a difficult issue. So the school Molden School gets funding
to maintain their oval from the Education Department. Obviously, now
this is you know, substantial work that needs to be done.
(23:27):
So DIPPLE will work with Education to get that oval
up to up to scratch.
Speaker 1 (23:32):
Can you see how people are just shaking their heads,
like going, how we in a situation where you know
where this has happened. And I get what you're saying
that there's all different levels of responsibility, but it kind
of points to exactly what people see as being bureaucracy
gone mad well.
Speaker 3 (23:49):
But this is the issue. If Palmerson Council would take
Parmason Council don't want to take over a whole heap
of ovals across you know school ovals. They it means
more costs. They would have to put up their palms
and people's rates, so that the oval men remained with
the school. Neither crocs or the Northern Sharks have the
(24:11):
money to be able to maintain an oval.
Speaker 2 (24:14):
No, they're volunteer based.
Speaker 3 (24:15):
No, that's right exactly, and don't have the funds, and
so it remains with the school. The school obviously wants
to spend more money on education rather than a facility
that's for that.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
But then doesn't that show you that they don't have
enough money? Like, doesn't that then show you a school
just don't have the budget to water and oval. Like
to me that that points to again they're not being
a budget for us.
Speaker 3 (24:37):
No, no, no, no, So let's it was the this.
They do have the money. The issue was the boar.
The boar was with the council. The boar broke down.
So it was just a you know a number of things.
The boar is repaired, dipple have the boar. You know,
the water from the boar is I mean, you're paying
the power bill, but the water is not. You're not
paying a water bill for a bollwater. So it was
(24:57):
just this thing that you know, the holes and the
cheese pretty much lined up.
Speaker 1 (25:01):
How soon do you reckon it'll be fixed and ready
to be used again.
Speaker 3 (25:04):
Well, as I said, that works happening. Now, I wouldn't
put a timeline, but as I said, it is happening.
It needs to be greened up, so it needs to
be watered, it needs to be probably top dressed as well,
but that works underway. But all right, I mean we
of course, in an area like Molden, you want to
see and I love to see both that oval being
used year round. So with the Northern Sharks and Crocs,
(25:27):
it's two very very good teams that support Junior Sport.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
Chief Finesta. We better leave it there. Thank you for
your time this morning. We'll talk to you again sooner.
Thanks for catching up with us on a different day
after I was sick on Monday.
Speaker 2 (25:38):
Thank you, Thanks very much,
Well, what we know is today a coalition of NT
community leaders and frontline services are calling for all sides
of politics to sign on to a detailed set of
policy measures that they say address community safety and combat
the cycle of prison and reoffending. Now, amongst the calls
for the Aboriginal Peak Organization's Northern Territory, the Human Rights
(00:24):
Law Center, the Northern Territory Council of Social Services, and others,
they've penned this open letter saying that the Northern Territory
is too reliant on incarceration and its entrenching disadvantage. So
joining me on the line right now is the Chief Minister,
Evia Laula. Good morning to your Chief Minister, Kat Chief Minister.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
This coalition of.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
Northern Territory, community leaders and frontline services, they are calling
for all sides of politics to sign on to this
detailed set of policy measures which they say addresses community
safety and also combats the cycle of prison and re offending.
I mean, among some of the things that they're calling
for is the raising of age of criminal responsibility to fourteen,
(01:08):
committing to fully implementing the Aboriginal Justice Agreement programs not prisons.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Is this something that you're going to.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
Sign Katie, No, we won't be signing it. And there
are some things in there that we agree with. There
are some things obviously that we don't agree with, and
that's usual when you get a group that has a
particular or a very strong interest in one area. But
as I said, we'll work through and I think we're
up to about eighty letters that we've got around election
(01:37):
commitments and policy commitments that my staff continue to work through.
But you know, we do know the incust and incarceration
rates are higher, but we have got more police. This
is what territorians want. That territorians want to feel safe
and if you're doing the wrong thing, you will get
locked up. That's the fact in the Northern Territory now
with me as Chief Minister, and I think that's what
(01:59):
territorians want. But that said, we don't want to see
a revolving door either in our prison system. And there
was an announcement probably about four or five months ago
around having CDU now providing the training in jail, so
that's a yes thing. And there's some really practical things
that we've got on foot, particularly around for example, making
(02:21):
sure that all prisoners can get a driving get their
driver's license, those sorts of really practical things that we're
working to make sure, as I said, we don't have
a revolving door, and that we also address some of
the key issues that we see. But we've also got
those other custody options. I was on Grout Island. We've
seen what they've got Norlan Boy. There's lots of things
(02:42):
that we're doing. The Alice Springs announcement around having that
detention facility specifically for DV. People have committed DV, so
we're doing a lot of work in that area. I
know there'll be groups that think we're not doing enough,
but we'll continue to work through those issues.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
So Chief Minister, at this point in time, the government's
not going to be signing signing on to that. I
mean the letters calling for the reducing of imprisonment of
Aboriginal Territorians, addressing the drivers of crime, raising the age
of criminal responsibility to fourteen, I mean, are you looking
at raising the age to fourteen?
Speaker 3 (03:16):
No, we're not looking at raising the age to fourteen.
We as I said, we've raised the age to twelve
with there's a lot of work that needs to happen
and we're continuing to do just around that, are making
sure that those young people in that age group from
ten to twelve have specific programs that their families are engaged.
So you know, that's a big step to then go
to fourteen. So, as I said, we get lots of
(03:39):
these sorts of approaches, Katie, this isn't the only one, literally,
and there is a lot that do you agree with?
Speaker 1 (03:44):
So whether it's a chamber, I guess the big one
though at the moment is, you know, like the tough
thing right now is that you've obviously got sort of
this juggle of what many will see as some will
see them as quite the ideological views it comes to
these issues of crime and how you deal with the
issues of crime, and then what many in the community want,
(04:07):
which is a reduction in crime and that if somebody,
no matter where they come from or what their background is,
if they are breaking the law, that there's a consequence
to that.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
Yes, I think we all, I think all Territorians, even
if you have ideologies around this issue. Nobody wants their
house broken into, nobody wants a rock throw on at
their car. Everybody wants to see a reduction in antisocial behavior.
In crime in the territory. I don't think even as
I said, even the most ideological people would agree with that.
(04:37):
And this isn't new though, Katie. This issue is one
that governments have had to work through for a very
long time. As I said, the five hundred and seventy
more million dollars going into police, the absolute fight that
I've had for years to get full funding for education.
The education one is the long term, but you have
to have that immediacy, the residential youth justice facility that
(04:59):
we've put in which provide that mid step as well
before you get young people into a detention facility. Absolutely,
we know this is hard work, but I'm you know,
this is the work that I'm doing to drive down
crime in the territory. There is no simple solution, but Katie,
probably every single person that writes to me and says
(05:21):
what they want, you know, either money or policy wise,
there will be things we disagree with, some things we
agree with there some and that's what we work through
here well.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
And this is a thing it's a juggle for whoever
forms government to listen to the needs of territorians as
well and also take into account those views of different
different groups.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
But look, I want to move along.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
The North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency NAJA has lost its
fifth Chief Executive in as months, as the upper management
of that organization really continues to be gripped by chaos.
We know that Phil Brown has stepped down in what
many have seen as a shock departure from his position
as acting CEO, having only been in that job for
(06:01):
four months now. Naje's sent a statement saying that the
acting CEO, Phil Brown, has advised the Board and the
Attorney General's Department of his decision to not renew his
contract next month due to family reasons. Mister Brown intends
to continue in that role until a replacement is appointed
to ensure that there is an orderly transition. At what
(06:23):
point does this organization really get pulled apart and you
start over? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (06:31):
I agree, Katie. I think we're all sick and tired
of what's been going on at NIJERA. And there's I said,
Phil Brown's a good man, He's obviously done his best.
But I think they've got an AGM today or maybe
it's tomorrow. I've got an AGM and this is the
opportunity for them to really have a real good look
at what they're doing and sorted out.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
But they're in a situation though, you know, like this
is an organization that they receive so much in the
way of federal and I'm assuming Northern Territory government funding
that then when they're you know, these people that have
worked there before that have told the Australian newspapers that
they really believe that things need to be shut down
and started over. Who is in a position that can like,
(07:10):
you know, are we waiting for the federal government? Can
the Northern Territory government? Who needs to step in here
and go hang on, they're not doing the job that
they're supposed to be.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
Yeah, so they are as I said, listed company, So
you know, the Commonwealth are the ones that are their
major funders, but Northern Territory. So the Attorney General and
Justice Department is working with the Commonwall's government around what
needs to happen with NAGA. It is it would be
a big move to completely wipe them and start again,
but so you know, they've had a lot of chances
(07:39):
and I think the NAGER deal with our most vulnerable people.
It's part of this equation when you're talking about crime.
This is where we need NAGA to be fully functioning,
top quality organization to be able to look after and
support and do what they're as you said, what they're
funded to do. So yeah, it has gone on far
too long, and as I said, I think we're all
(08:01):
frustrated to see what continues.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
But what would you do if you were the federal
Like if you were the federal Attorney general at this point,
what would you do?
Speaker 3 (08:10):
I mean, I think it's you know, they do need
to have the opportunity to rebuild. Starting things from scratch
provides that big lag. So if you know, there are
probably plenty of good people who work in that organization.
You know, there are some very committed lawyers I'm sure
working through NAJA. So I think it's you that chance
to really get some clear leadership on clearly you need
(08:34):
a quality CEO. But then the board, I think the
board needs to have people that can actually that know
the business and can rather than a rep rather than
a board that's you know, a community board, I think
they have to be people that can actually lead the
organization out of that. So have somebody that knows governance
very well, somebody who has a background in accounting, somebody
(08:56):
who's has that legal background as well, somebody who obviously
understands community organizations, has expertise around the issue of dealing
with young people. So I think they're the things that
need to happen around Nigel. But it's easy being an
expert and looking in. I have people doing it I
should be doing so absolutely I want to be telling
(09:17):
people what to do who.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
I totally understand that. I totally understand that.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
But I think when we're talking about you know, Territorian's
funding and Australian funding, and people wanting outcomes and the
most vulnerable in our community needing that representation, and people
worrying that the organization is not working in the way
that it is supposed to be and the way in
which it's intended, you know, like that's when people start
(09:44):
to go, well, hang on a second, what is the
role of the government if not to pull this up
when it's reached this point?
Speaker 3 (09:50):
Yeah, yea, so and then that's what's happening. As I said,
you know, there is work, Absolutely, there is work around that.
As I said, this next step was, you know Phil
had been in that role. He's now stepped aside. So
it is up to any board now to find a
new CEO. But yeah, it is. I think we're all
frustrated a bit to.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
Get through this morning, Chief Minister. I want to ask
you in terms of Alice Springs, there has been you know,
there's been a lot going on in Alice Springs, but
from what you can see, has there been much success
with the return to country program that the government announced
was underway last week? Do we know how many people
have been returned to community?
Speaker 3 (10:27):
So the last update I got, and as I said,
I will also say, you know, put some praise and
he praised on Michael Murphy, the Commissioner, because I think
he flew down to Alice on Sunday and only got
back yesterday, and so he has been down on the
ground working with you, his department, his police officers on
the ground in Alice Springs. There has been a coordinated
(10:50):
approach through Durrell Anderson as well. Last figures I saw
was that there had been about twelve hundred people that
had had conversations with whether that was territory families or
department Chief Minister's staff, and there had been at least
one hundred and fourteen or one hundred and twenty that
had returned to country, so that a lot of people
(11:10):
have returned themselves, are ready to get their kids back
to school. So I think it's been there's been a
strong emphasis there around that we do these things anyway.
We know when there's a Melbourne football club are in town,
when there are big events like the show in town
in Nawa Springs, there are things in place. We've just
escalated it this time to try and get more people
(11:33):
back to their communities. And I've said previously they're not
all territory people as well, by the way, some of
them are from the apy Lands as well.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
Now, what work's been done to ensure that there are
not issues like this in Catherine as the show gets underway.
We know that in Catherine over recent days they've had
some terrible incidents. I mean, one in particular that I
think is a shocker is ten urths allegedly breaking into
the home where two women were threatening them allegedly with
(12:00):
an aedged weapon and then both being indecently assaulted. I mean,
that's happened in recent days. The commander had confirmed to
this yesterday that those ten mudes.
Speaker 2 (12:09):
Were still at large.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
What work is underway to make sure in Catherine that
as the show gets underway, we don't see even more
of a flare up of these kinds of incidents.
Speaker 3 (12:20):
Yes, so you know, and this is probably Michael Murphy
can provide or the police can provide more detail. But
there has been a group of police officers that have
moved up the highway, so they were in Tenant Creek,
and the reports I got on Monday morning from Tenant
Creek was that Tenant Creek had been very settled during
their show period. So those officers now moving to Catherine,
(12:42):
and so there will be continue to be a larger
presence over the next few days in Catherine, so that
I think they've got the horses. I think they've got
some of the dogs. There, more police officers. I think
they even have some Territory Safety Division officers. So I
think that's been the They already had that plan to
have more officers in Tenant and Catherine. I'm in Children
(13:04):
tomorrow for the show, so I'll be able to have
a good look around.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
I mean, when you hear of incidents like that one
that I just spoke about, those two women that were
inside the home ten Yudes allegedly getting in armed with
weapons like you know, obviously your reaction is going to
be well, that's horrible. But do you think to yourself,
all right, what do we need to change here so
that this kind of thing is not happening? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (13:27):
Yeah, so absolutely so I get briefed on those. Obviously
I'm not the police minister, but I still get information around,
particularly those highly escalated or highly concerning incidences. You know,
we have a you know, and Brent Potter also will
come and see me and make you call me and say,
you know, this is happening. You know, it is operational
for police, but we you know, we continue to also
(13:50):
have discussions around you know, what more can we do
to address these issues? You know, is it alcohol related?
Does it do we need to connect with you know,
the alcohol policy area, with his friends? Is it young people?
What do we need to do with territory family? So
we're always looking at these It's not just the police
response always around these things. You know, police are the
(14:10):
ones that are at the front line. We absolutely understand that,
but you know, always looking to talk to people on
the ground, try to find out your other solutions around it.
And you know, one that's also is at the front
and center at the moment is around road deaths. So
we've seen, you know, just a shocking number, particularly over
the last literally last two or three weeks around road
(14:33):
death So a few weeks ago I called for the
Road Safety Executive Group to get together, so that's you know, police, Dipple,
motor accident Compensation to get together their CEOs and say,
you know, what can we do to address the road toll.
We've got to the stage where it's the last year's
full road toll. We've got to in the middle of
(14:53):
this year, So how can we reduce for the next
six months? Is there a targeted campaign that needs to
be done in our particularly remote and aboriginal media outlets
like poor Media, come, what can we do to drive
down the road toll?
Speaker 1 (15:07):
Because I've got even for me, like even last night, right,
I was driving with my children to go and get
some dinner at sort of six point thirty in the
evening in you know, around that busy area of Stuart Park.
A woman, an intoxicated woman, walked in front of vehicles
on that road when we had a green light to
go through the traffic lights. She walked onto the roads
(15:29):
when people then beaped and pulled up, she started putting
her fingers up and you know, if.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
You basically to those drivers.
Speaker 1 (15:37):
So I mean, these are that like we're sort of
dealing with, you know, with some issues right now. We're
you know where this level of intoxication and the level
of criminality that is, you know that we are seeing
from some people is it's quite heartbreaking, I think to Laura,
abiding citizens of the Northern Territory, and we're sort of
(15:59):
hearing all the right worlds from both you and from
the opposition, but at this point in time, people are like,
we're feeling really frustrated.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
To be blunt, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (16:07):
Yeah, Katie, I mean and I mean literally, you know,
my again, in my electorate, I have issues around campus,
people who are rough sleeping in one of my areas.
You know, my staff and I we're literally on the ground,
you know, finding out where they're from, connecting to services,
you know, trying to get these people to return home.
But then they tell us that they're having you know,
(16:29):
clashes with family at home. So I understand the frustration
as much as anybody because literally, you know, I'm their
hands on trying to resolve issues in my own particular electorate,
let alone as across the Northern Territory as Chief Minister.
But I mean the one, as you say, alcohol is
behind most of these issues that we face in the territory.
(16:50):
And it is a tough call because as soon as
we you know, people don't there's a whole group of
people who don't like the BDR. There's people who don't
like us putting more restrictions on around the sale of
our There are so many things that we continue to do.
And as I said, but it impacts the average territori
and who just wants to go and buy a bottle
of wine or grab some beers after work and sit
(17:11):
in their lounge room and watch the footy or something.
So it is a really tough one because we know
they are chronic alcoholics who come into town and cause
trouble when they're drunk, and probably when they're not drunk.
They're probably reasonably good people in their own communities, but
their own communities I think at times are driving them
out because of course trouble in their communities. But will
(17:33):
continue to work with the experts around these things.
Speaker 1 (17:35):
All right, I'll move along to just a couple of
other ones quickly. We know that there was an announcement
yesterday by the Labor Party for free or for pre
school to be expanded.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
How exactly is this going to work?
Speaker 1 (17:47):
Because I thought the preschool is obviously free already, or
it was when my kids went through pre school, but
only for a few hours a day. So are you
saying that people will be able to send their children
there for the whole day.
Speaker 3 (17:58):
Yes, So this is a really important announcement, and I
don't know, as you said, I think it was a
bit confusing for people, particularly if you don't have preschool
aged children. So if you've had preschool age children and
you know, it might have thirty years old, but it's
the actual way that preschool's work has not changed in
probably fifty years, so that you have half days. So
kids in preschool four year olds in the Northern Territory
(18:20):
get fifteen hours of preschool, so sometimes that means it's
a half day, or some schools have changed theirs to
two day two and a half days one week, and
then you know two and a half days, so it's Monday, Tuesday,
Wednesday one week, Thursday Friday the next. I hear loadly
and clearly from so many people that that's so difficult
for mums to go back to our dads to go
(18:41):
back to work because they're having to either organize a
pickup or then the child's going to childcare. So the
poor little kids in two different places at times, you know,
and being busted or picked up and moved or you
have got to get grandmar to pick them up from preschool.
So this is then making four year olds have the
same hours as a primary school a kid in transition,
(19:03):
a five year old in transition, so they will get
a full time at four year olds will get a
full time around that. So it's good for post of
living which school. Let me just keep going through this
a bit because it is important. So it is that
thirty hours will be full time. The positive things are
also research shows that this is the best thing for
(19:25):
young brains, is to have that fully full stimulus learning
at four years old. So research shows this is a
really good thing. So we're starting We're going to roll
it out bit by bit because it is going to
be really you know, well complicated and complex because you
need to identify the student numbers, which schools have the
(19:46):
infrastructure to be able to do that, and then it's
around you know, making sure we have early childhood teachers.
So we'll do it step by step. And as I said,
it's ten schools. I want to make sure that those
schools are some in Darwin, Palmerston and Alice Springs in particular,
but also some in our remote So the department, I'll
let them work through that so it's not seen as
(20:08):
being political. You know, it's not going to be in
Grade Driver Molden my area. We'll let the department work
through it, but we will do twenty five schools by
twenty twenty seven and then keep working our way through
it with other states, Victoria and South Wales. When I
was Education minister, they had committed to doing this, but
it's sort of they'd committed quite a few years ahead
(20:30):
because research shows this is the best thing that we
can do, you know, to literally our it's called our
peas are and our tim's results, our results when we
get assessed and measured on other countries around the world,
that we will see that, you know, we're way down
in some of those lists. I think we're fifteen or
twenty these All the research shows that these things, working
with kids when their brains are developing, will make the
(20:53):
biggest difference to the future of Australia. So it's a
really and in the middle.
Speaker 2 (20:57):
I don't have a huge issue with it.
Speaker 1 (20:59):
I think it probably like when my kids were little,
it would have been a good thing. Look and you know,
obviously I would have seen it as a good thing.
But I guess the big question is where are we
going to get the staff to be able to do it,
and how we're going to make sure we got the
places because I know at the preschool that my kids
went to in Nightcliffe, you know, they would have a
class in the morning that went for you know, for
(21:20):
four hours or whatever it was. Then they would have lunchtime,
then they would have a class in the afternoon, but
the same classroom teacher was in that class throughout the
whole day, taking two different groups of kids. So how
are we going to find the places, How we're going
to have the infrastructure, how we're going to have the
teachers for it, which is but you know, you have.
Speaker 3 (21:38):
To start somewhere around something that's really positive. And so
that's the work that the department will do now to
roll this out, but it is otherwise we do nothing.
And Victoria and New South Wales South Australia did a
big review of their early childhood education. The Northern Territory
will be left behind, and as I said, I don't
want to see that, and I want to make sure
that all children in the territory reach their full potential.
(22:01):
That is how you dress the issues we see around poverty,
crime and so. Yeah, yeah, there are some tough things
to work through, but they're not insurmountable, that's for sure.
Speaker 2 (22:10):
Casey, Chief Finister.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
A quick one that people are pretty fired up about
is the molden oval. Now, we were contacted a couple
of weeks ago about mold and oval at the school
there being brown and then somebody on Territory Day letting
off fireworks, basically lighting it up. That oval, we're told
by the two footy clubs, is not usable. They were
concerned that it may not be able to be used
(22:34):
for their sevens, their junior sevens program for rugby union.
I mean, how on earth are we in a situation
where we can't even use the school oval.
Speaker 3 (22:43):
So one of the first issue is that thet You've
probably have all these facts, but the ball had been
damaged or had not been damaged. I think it needed
to be redone. So the boar now has gone to Diple,
So from the first of July the ball was with
the council. The boar now is under the care of DIPPLE,
so DIPPLE now will have maintained that bore and be
(23:05):
able to provide the water. The oval actually is the
Education department oval, so Education now will work to rectify
do the work that's needed. The issue with this is
a difficult issue. So the school Molden School gets funding
to maintain their oval from the Education Department. Obviously, now
this is you know, substantial work that needs to be done.
(23:27):
So DIPPLE will work with Education to get that oval
up to up to scratch.
Speaker 1 (23:32):
Can you see how people are just shaking their heads,
like going, how we in a situation where you know
where this has happened. And I get what you're saying
that there's all different levels of responsibility, but it kind
of points to exactly what people see as being bureaucracy
gone mad well.
Speaker 3 (23:49):
But this is the issue. If Palmerson Council would take
Parmason Council don't want to take over a whole heap
of ovals across you know school ovals. They it means
more costs. They would have to put up their palms
and people's rates, so that the oval men remained with
the school. Neither crocs or the Northern Sharks have the
(24:11):
money to be able to maintain an oval.
Speaker 2 (24:14):
No, they're volunteer based.
Speaker 3 (24:15):
No, that's right exactly, and don't have the funds, and
so it remains with the school. The school obviously wants
to spend more money on education rather than a facility
that's for that.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
But then doesn't that show you that they don't have
enough money? Like, doesn't that then show you a school
just don't have the budget to water and oval. Like
to me that that points to again they're not being
a budget for us.
Speaker 3 (24:37):
No, no, no, no, So let's it was the this.
They do have the money. The issue was the boar.
The boar was with the council. The boar broke down.
So it was just a you know a number of things.
The boar is repaired, dipple have the boar. You know,
the water from the boar is I mean, you're paying
the power bill, but the water is not. You're not
paying a water bill for a bollwater. So it was
(24:57):
just this thing that you know, the holes and the
cheese pretty much lined up.
Speaker 1 (25:01):
How soon do you reckon it'll be fixed and ready
to be used again.
Speaker 3 (25:04):
Well, as I said, that works happening. Now, I wouldn't
put a timeline, but as I said, it is happening.
It needs to be greened up, so it needs to
be watered, it needs to be probably top dressed as well,
but that works underway. But all right, I mean we
of course, in an area like Molden, you want to
see and I love to see both that oval being
used year round. So with the Northern Sharks and Crocs,
(25:27):
it's two very very good teams that support Junior Sport.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
Chief Finesta. We better leave it there. Thank you for
your time this morning. We'll talk to you again sooner.
Thanks for catching up with us on a different day
after I was sick on Monday.
Speaker 2 (25:38):
Thank you, Thanks very much,
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