Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now, as the government forges ahead with legislative reform aimed
at reducing crime in the Northern Territory, many have really
been questioning where those who break the law are going
to go. We know the Northern territories correctional facilities are
already overflowing. Last week we had a whistleblower in contact
with us telling us about well some of the pretty
(00:21):
frightening situations that unfold in there on a daily basis,
but about one assault in particular, and also about the
impact that those high prison numbers are having when it
comes to staff safety. Well, the government has now unveiled
its plan to deliver up to one thousand beds over
the next four years. The Chief Minister, Lea Fanocchiaro joins
(00:43):
me in the studio. Good morning to you, Leah.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Good morning Cadians, your listeners.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
Now this is a massive plan.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
I know you talk a little bit more short term,
of course, those thousand beds over the next four years.
Then you talk longer term in terms of about three
thousand beds. But first off, where are the one thousand
extra beds going to be coming from over the next
four years?
Speaker 4 (01:04):
Yeah, thank you, Katie, And we're really Proud in just
eight weeks to be able to deliver a full master
plan for corrections right across the territory for all level
of offender. And this is significant because for eight years
Labor have done nothing and in eight weeks we have
a plan to move forward. So this is about increasing capacity.
Obviously I eat more beds, but it's also about having
(01:27):
the right beds for the right category of prisoner. So
we will be bringing back online the Bremo Correctional Facility,
the old adult prison out at Berrima.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
The current don Dale.
Speaker 4 (01:38):
What we need to do is get those young people
out of don Dale into the new purpose of facility
at Holts. We will then put fifty low risk mail
prisoners in that Behrama facility temporarily, moving that up to
two hundred over the course of next year.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
We are making substantial changes.
Speaker 4 (01:59):
For example, in Alice Springs we are turning that new
repurposed Alice Springs Youth Detention Center into a women's prison
and we will move the youth up to Darwin temporarily
and have that Use Justice facility as the main youth
prison in the territory, and then we will repurpose in
Alice Springs at the old Alcohol and other Drug Center
(02:21):
into a youth remand and youth boot camp facility. So
there's lots going on and we're pressing go all at once,
while we also increase capacity in our male prisons by
removing getting the women out of those male prisons means
we can put more male prisoners in.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
So a lot going on. The boot camps will, the
work camps.
Speaker 4 (02:44):
Will start being construct constructed in both Holtz and Catherine.
But it's many moving pieces and it's going to meet
prisoners out of our watchhouses and watchhouses back to police.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Well, which absolutely needs to happen.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
Just on the kids from the Alice Springs youth facility,
so they're going to be moved up here to Darwin
for what period of time, So we're.
Speaker 4 (03:07):
Going to continue to have that new purpose built youth
dissension facility as the primary facility. In other states like
South Australia, they have one youth prison and one women's
prison for their whole state. It's much more efficient, you
get better levels of care able to deliver better services.
So we will move those youths out of the prison
in Alice Springs move them up to Darwin. But what
(03:28):
we will have in Alice Springs is still a youth footprint.
So we want to have a sixteen bed boot camp
and bow facility in Alice Springs and so that work
will start. That should be up and running by the
end of this year, Katie. So there will still be
a correctional presence for young people in Alice Springs. But
where use the sentence for the long term or perhaps
(03:50):
they're high risk, they'll be up here in Darwin.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
I can hear people going, hang on, this is not
the right thing for those youth. It means that they're
going to be moved away from their family. Potentially kids said,
maybe in a vulnerable situation, being moved far away from
their family in Central Australia.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
Is that a worry to you.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Well, unfortunately we've been left with no choice.
Speaker 4 (04:10):
The system is in total crisis and at the end
of the day, we know that our laws are being
strengthened right now. We need more capacity in our prisons
and the numbers of youth are actually incredibly small.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
I believe it's about eleven.
Speaker 4 (04:23):
In Alice Springs at the moment, and we've even done
the deep dive on how many of these kids are
getting visits Katie. And it's sad to say, but they're
just not getting by their families as much as people
would love to think they are.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
Right, So what do you mean like how well?
Speaker 4 (04:39):
So I think some of the argument is, oh, well,
we can't move the us because their parents won't be
able to visit them. But the reality is the visitation
just isn't there. So it's you know, a much more
efficient way to deliver correctional services is to have that
key facility. We will, of course facilitate visits for those
(04:59):
kids who do have family who want to support them,
but it's a much more cost effective and efficient way
to be able to do this, which is what we
just we just have to get on.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
We're doing Elia In terms of the down Dale or
the old adult prison that's now the current don Dale
for youth offenders. How quickly are you going to get
those youth offenders out of there and into the new
purpose built facility.
Speaker 4 (05:24):
So November we want the young ones out and in
that new one hundred plus million dollar monstrosity out at Holts.
It's the taj Mahal out there, Katie is the new one,
new one, yes.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
So the young it's a lot you're real happy with.
Speaker 4 (05:37):
Well, it's a disgraceful overspend of taxpayer dollars, Katie, absolutely atrocious.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
But it will be finished by November.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
We will get the young people out into that by
December then, so just within a month of that, we
will have fifty low security men at the Berrima facility,
moving that up to two hundred by quarter one next year.
But by December twenty twenty six, that facility will close forever.
Because we recognize that there is no future for correctional
(06:06):
services out at Berrima. We want to really co locate everything,
so pushing back into holts, which is why the new
work camp with one hundred and fifty beds will be
built out yere.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
Do you reckon that there's going to be pushed back
from people in the likes of North christ with you
utilizing don Dale.
Speaker 4 (06:21):
Look, I'm sure some people will be concerned, but this
is a temporary emergency measure and we have a crisis
situation that requires a crisis response. If people want me
to make the streets safer, we need more places to
put prisoners.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
That that is a purpose built prison.
Speaker 4 (06:37):
It is suitable for that category of prisoner and Ultimately
it gives us some breathing room in the system to
give watchhouses back to our police so that we can
then go ahead and build these other facilities we need,
which will then create that additional space and we can
shut it down for good.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
So is this acknowledgment that with the legislative changes that
you're pushing ahead with it, we could see up to
a thousand additional prisoners.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
No, No, not from our changes, but just on the
trajectory that prison numbers are going right now, We're going
to need these beds, and what we want to try
and do is future proof the system. We don't want
in five years or ten years territories to be in
the same situation we are now, so we need to
continuously have a buffer and capacity to be able to
(07:22):
move those numbers around depending on what's happening now. Then
you put in place all of the programs we want
to deliver inside prison. But at this very early stage,
eight weeks in, this is about more beds, more spaces,
and the right people in the right place.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
Leah, a big question from our listeners, when are these
new youth justice boot camps going to kick into action?
Speaker 2 (07:44):
So the new Boo.
Speaker 4 (07:46):
Boot camp in Alice Springs will be done by December,
so that's very very promising and we're looking forward to that.
We will also have one in Tenant Creek out in
the Barklay. I'm just there's a million notes on this, Katie. Sorry,
I'm just trying to find my notes.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
Though, we're trying to get through them.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
Quarter one twenty twenty five will be the boot camp
in Alice Springs, so that's fantastic, and then in quarter
four to twenty twenty five will have one up and
running in Catherine, so that's fantastic that those youth boot
camps will be coming online as soon as possible. And
as I said, we've got that brand new youth detention
facility here at Holds which can take very serious levels
(08:25):
of it.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
Lea, how much is all of this going to cost?
Speaker 4 (08:29):
So right now there is actually not much additional required
to deliver this. It's corrections are able to do it
from within budget, which is fantastic because we're reprioritizing what
they need to do and now that they have a
master plan they can work to it. But of course,
going forward, when we talk about building the new purpose
built women's prison out at Holts for example, that is
(08:51):
going to require additional budget allocation, so that will all
go through the budget process and Territorians can expect to
see that in May next year.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
Chief Minister.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
Last week we had a whistleblower get in contact with
us here at the station, a corrections whistleblower who told
us about a horrendous assault on a corrections officer within
the last month where he'd been kicked in the head,
he'd been knocked out. He also the correctional officer who
had spoken to us. The whistleblower had concerns with middle
management really not passing up some of the horrendous issues
(09:23):
that are going on when it comes to their safety
up to the.
Speaker 3 (09:26):
Big bosses, and.
Speaker 1 (09:29):
Really some plans or behavioral change plans not being put
into place. But at the center of this is the
fact that the prison's absolutely overcrowded and that there's not
enough staff. How are you going to staff all of
these changes?
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Yeah, great question.
Speaker 4 (09:45):
And of course any assaults on our workers they learned
frontline workers, is abhorrent and should be condemned. And that's
why this week in Parliament, Katie, we will be legislating
minimum mandatory sentencing, so again delivering on the community's expectation
around laws and what community standards should be. We know
that our prisons are absolutely bursting to the seats.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
It's not ideal for prisoners.
Speaker 4 (10:06):
It's certainly not ideal for staff, which is why we
are moving as urgently as possible and have put everything
on the table to be able to give this reprieve
in the system that Labor ignored for eight years in
terms of additional staffing. It will actually help by having
more space and better spaces for prisoners, it actually drives
down a bit of that demand on our corrections offices
(10:28):
because you're able to control people in a much more
you know, in a more appropriate way. Equally, we've got
corrections officers standing at Dawn Watchhouse right now, Katie, in
what is not a prison, It should be a watchhouse,
and those situations just aren't ideal.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
We will continue to recruit.
Speaker 4 (10:46):
Of course, but by having better facilities and a better system,
it will provide a better workplace for our hard working
correctional offices and hopefully then that allows us to recruit
more as well, because people can see the conditions are
much better.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
All right, There is a lot to discuss this morning.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
So I'm going to move along and we will continue
to talk about these changes when it comes to additional
beds at our correctional facilities. I'll take our listeners through
some further detail throughout the morning. But Chief Minister, we
know that police say over the weekend they believe a
twenty year old female was assaulted with a weapon by
a male who is known to her.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
Suffering serious injuries.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
It's alleged that she has dropped off at the Alice
Springs Hospital and has since been airlifted to Adelaide for treatment.
Now this is now being investigated, as I understand it,
by the Domestic Violence Command in Central Australia. It follows
the deaths of seven women since June.
Speaker 3 (11:41):
There is no.
Speaker 1 (11:42):
Doubt that we need some really urgent action when it
comes to domestic violence. I know that your government and
also the former government had both committed a substantial amount
of money towards this. But what urgent action are you
taking at the moment in this space.
Speaker 4 (11:58):
So last week Passlo's Bow Laws, Katie, and I'm very
confident that that will have an impact on family and
domestic violence because what we see is repeat offenders consistently
being allowed to get back out and reperpetrate, particularly against
someone that they're meant to love. So this is a
(12:18):
critical issue. You're right, we have had an extraordinary number
of women lose their lives. We continue to try work
very hard with the Commonwealth to understand the situation. The
territories in quite distinct from the rest of this country, Katie,
our numbers are absolutely shocking, absolutely shocking. And so while
so I wasn't successful at coming back from canber with
(12:40):
more money and needs based funding, we continue to put
up that fight to the federal government, particularly going into
this federal election. But at the end of the day,
this is about better resources and powers for our police,
better support for people fleeing family and domestic violence, which
is where that additional one hundred and eighty million will
really come into playing.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
When exactly is that one hundred and eighty million dollars
going to be delivered in a practical sense, you know,
for people like the YWCA for example, or other groups
that are really trying to help, yes, victim survivors for example.
Speaker 4 (13:14):
So the Minister for Domestic Violence, Minister Karl, is working
very hard on that action plan. I suppose you could
call it and we really want to make sure that
money gets to where it's needed. What we've seen for
far too long in the territory is big announcements on
dollar figures and then no accountability for the spend. Now,
we cannot waste that money. Not only is this a
(13:36):
tragic situation we've got to get on top of, but
also we just don't have the money to throw it
into the air and hope that something comes out of it.
So we're working really closely, just like we have with
our corrections plan, with our home build scheme, with our
law reform over the last two weeks. This is a
pivotal piece of work that we're doing right now to
(13:57):
make sure that that money is actually going to make
a different trends.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
Chief Finister, you mentioned before those bail laws passing through
parliament last week. It's obviously not the only bit of
legislation that passed through parliament last week. In fact, there's
quite a raft of changes that passed through parliament last week.
But when we were discussing these changes on the week
that was on Friday, the Opposition leader Selena Rubo said
that the legislation's not actually going to come into effect
(14:24):
until January, is that right?
Speaker 4 (14:26):
So there's two parts to it. Declan's law was knife
crime and it was also Boo reform. The bow reform
component will kick in in January. The knife crime should
happen in the next week or two. And the reason
we had to split that up is largely because we
had to purchase a significant number of electronic monitoring bracelets.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
Right, So that's holding up.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
Yeah, so we need that.
Speaker 4 (14:49):
We also need to make sure all of the new
processes and procedures are in place, because it doesn't just
impact our police, it actually impacts our courts and the entire.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
I suppose you could say.
Speaker 4 (15:01):
So we were very conscious of making sure that these
reforms are successful and so understand that we need that time.
But the urgency around passing it is because we didn't
want to wait till November, for example, and then start
this process. We had to do it as soon as possible,
so that January is the earliest possible date.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
How many electronic monitoring bracelets have you had to purchase? Oh?
Speaker 4 (15:24):
Testing man out that, yeah, we do have some, but
just not enough because of our changes. Our change is
meant that if you're a repeat offender, you have to
have an electronic monitoring bracelet if in those lesser circumstances
that the courts still bail you. So I think we
ordered another couple of hundred, Katie, I'm going to guess
three about three hundred more.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
And so when are you expecting those to write?
Speaker 4 (15:47):
Oh, it should be soon. It should be in the
next week or two, I believe. And so that's one
part of it, and then the rest of it is
obviously that justice system being ready for it.
Speaker 1 (15:56):
Now, last week we saw up to twenty people from
the West Region, so up to twenty youths and adults,
traveled to Adelaide River where they allegedly broke into a school,
they stole a bus. They then headed to Darwin on
Tuesday night they ran amok, basically stole a number of cars,
Ramda car at the Northern Territory Police. Allegedly they targeted
(16:18):
businesses in Winnelli, you know. And they also filmed themselves
on that bus. Right, So that vision we all saw
it on nine News Darwin and good on them for
obtaining that vision. But it really just demonstrated, I think
to so many people some of the horrendous issues that
we're experiencing in the Northern Territory. The fact you've got
a whole group of people that are then prepared to
(16:39):
film themselves, share it far and wide and gloat about
what they're doing. Now, from a real practical sense, how
are some of those legislative changes that you then implemented
or that you introduced and passed through parliament last week going.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
To help in a situation like that one.
Speaker 4 (16:56):
Yeah, so not speaking exactly on that one, but similar
So for example, you know, in crimes like this often
people are repeat offenders. So if they are a repeat offender,
their luck is running out. Under the Colp government, Katie,
they will not have as many chances to be baud.
Then there is the Post and post laws which give
our police the powers now to be able to charge
(17:18):
and prosecute someone for you know, notarizing a crime, for
thinking they're a hero, videoing the crime and posting it
all over social media. So that's another tool for our police.
And equally ram raids, that standalone ram raid legislation means
that our police can charge, make that direct charge.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
It is a very serious offense.
Speaker 4 (17:38):
And so it's just in just last week alone we've
been able to pass those three laws that are going
to have an impact on people's ability to continue this
lawlessness that they've known for too long. And the reality
is we have to change behavior. It's not just I
can pass the law today, make it a lad tomorrow.
That's easy at my end, but the reality is we're
(17:58):
trying to change people's in grain behavior which they've been
undertaking for a decade.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
How long do you think it's going to take before
territory and start to see some of that change on
the ground.
Speaker 4 (18:09):
Well, I've had a lot of good feedback from the
community saying then, mate, noticing already, But I think probably
into next year is when we really start to see it.
Once we've got the systems in place, once all our
police are obviously retrained on the new laws and the
criminals start to understand that deterrent effect kicks in, then
I think we'll start to see serious change going into
(18:31):
next year's that's certainly our hope. But as I've said
this last week and this week in Parliament, is really
about stemming the bleed when it comes to these issues,
in giving police some immediate tools now, but the work
around reducing crime has to continue over the next four years.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
It's a big, big, task.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
Chief Minister. I know that you're a busy woman. You've
got to get back to the office, but just a
quick one. We know the Christian Lobby group table to
petition into the Parliament last week. As I stand at
Robin Lanmdley table that petition for them. She stepped away
from being the Speaker for a couple of minutes to
be able to do that. It's calling for the removal
(19:09):
of gender affirming care.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
Do you support this?
Speaker 4 (19:14):
I don't know a lot about it, Katie. I do
recall the petition being tabled and the process now, which
we're very proud to have delivered as a government, is
that is it.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
We're allowing double the amount.
Speaker 4 (19:25):
Of time for debating petitions, so that petition will now
go to a bipartisan committee of the Parliament. They will
determine whether it should come back into the House for debate,
and then it will be scheduled for debate, which means plenty.
I think it's about six members of Parliament will then
be able to speak to that petition put forward by
the Christian Lobby.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
Do you think there should be an age where this
kind of care should be accessible or do you think
that it is something that should be accessible for all children.
Speaker 4 (19:52):
I think a lot of people are really concerned about
this direction. And obviously young people are still forming, you know,
their understanding of the world and life and themselves. So
I think great care does need to be taken in
this space. Again, not knowing much about any of it, Katie,
to be honest, it's certainly something that we as a
government will respond.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
To as part of the petition.
Speaker 4 (20:15):
But one thing that's different, or there's many things that
it's different, Katie, But a big point of difference between
us and Labor is that we respect people's right and
views to have a view. You know, we can't just
jump on people because their voice is different. So the
parliamentary process is something that belongs to the people. And
if people feel they have a petition they want put
into parliament, we are not going to stop people from
(20:37):
raising their concerns.
Speaker 3 (20:39):
Chief Finister, what else is on the agenda this week.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
In Parliament so very exciting.
Speaker 4 (20:43):
We continue with our reducing crime package, so this week
we will see better powers for police being debated and
hopefully passed around. Sorry, better powers of police around alcohol
so public drinking problem drunks and minimum mandatory sentencing for
assaults on workers. Will complete the package and we're very
prapped to be delivering that for Territorians.
Speaker 3 (21:05):
Chief Minister Leah Finocchio. We better leave it there.
Speaker 1 (21:07):
Thanks so much for your time this morning. Really appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (21:09):
Thank you, Take care everyone.
Speaker 3 (21:11):
Thank you,
Now, as the government forges ahead with legislative reform aimed
at reducing crime in the Northern Territory, many have really
been questioning where those who break the law are going
to go. We know the Northern territories correctional facilities are
already overflowing. Last week we had a whistleblower in contact
with us telling us about well some of the pretty
(00:21):
frightening situations that unfold in there on a daily basis,
but about one assault in particular, and also about the
impact that those high prison numbers are having when it
comes to staff safety. Well, the government has now unveiled
its plan to deliver up to one thousand beds over
the next four years. The Chief Minister, Lea Fanocchiaro joins
(00:43):
me in the studio. Good morning to you, Leah.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Good morning Cadians, your listeners.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
Now this is a massive plan.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
I know you talk a little bit more short term,
of course, those thousand beds over the next four years.
Then you talk longer term in terms of about three
thousand beds. But first off, where are the one thousand
extra beds going to be coming from over the next
four years?
Speaker 4 (01:04):
Yeah, thank you, Katie, And we're really Proud in just
eight weeks to be able to deliver a full master
plan for corrections right across the territory for all level
of offender. And this is significant because for eight years
Labor have done nothing and in eight weeks we have
a plan to move forward. So this is about increasing capacity.
Obviously I eat more beds, but it's also about having
(01:27):
the right beds for the right category of prisoner. So
we will be bringing back online the Bremo Correctional Facility,
the old adult prison out at Berrima.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
The current don Dale.
Speaker 4 (01:38):
What we need to do is get those young people
out of don Dale into the new purpose of facility
at Holts. We will then put fifty low risk mail
prisoners in that Behrama facility temporarily, moving that up to
two hundred over the course of next year.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
We are making substantial changes.
Speaker 4 (01:59):
For example, in Alice Springs we are turning that new
repurposed Alice Springs Youth Detention Center into a women's prison
and we will move the youth up to Darwin temporarily
and have that Use Justice facility as the main youth
prison in the territory, and then we will repurpose in
Alice Springs at the old Alcohol and other Drug Center
(02:21):
into a youth remand and youth boot camp facility. So
there's lots going on and we're pressing go all at once,
while we also increase capacity in our male prisons by
removing getting the women out of those male prisons means
we can put more male prisoners in.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
So a lot going on. The boot camps will, the
work camps.
Speaker 4 (02:44):
Will start being construct constructed in both Holtz and Catherine.
But it's many moving pieces and it's going to meet
prisoners out of our watchhouses and watchhouses back to police.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Well, which absolutely needs to happen.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
Just on the kids from the Alice Springs youth facility,
so they're going to be moved up here to Darwin
for what period of time, So we're.
Speaker 4 (03:07):
Going to continue to have that new purpose built youth
dissension facility as the primary facility. In other states like
South Australia, they have one youth prison and one women's
prison for their whole state. It's much more efficient, you
get better levels of care able to deliver better services.
So we will move those youths out of the prison
in Alice Springs move them up to Darwin. But what
(03:28):
we will have in Alice Springs is still a youth footprint.
So we want to have a sixteen bed boot camp
and bow facility in Alice Springs and so that work
will start. That should be up and running by the
end of this year, Katie. So there will still be
a correctional presence for young people in Alice Springs. But
where use the sentence for the long term or perhaps
(03:50):
they're high risk, they'll be up here in Darwin.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
I can hear people going, hang on, this is not
the right thing for those youth. It means that they're
going to be moved away from their family. Potentially kids said,
maybe in a vulnerable situation, being moved far away from
their family in Central Australia.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
Is that a worry to you.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Well, unfortunately we've been left with no choice.
Speaker 4 (04:10):
The system is in total crisis and at the end
of the day, we know that our laws are being
strengthened right now. We need more capacity in our prisons
and the numbers of youth are actually incredibly small.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
I believe it's about eleven.
Speaker 4 (04:23):
In Alice Springs at the moment, and we've even done
the deep dive on how many of these kids are
getting visits Katie. And it's sad to say, but they're
just not getting by their families as much as people
would love to think they are.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
Right, So what do you mean like how well?
Speaker 4 (04:39):
So I think some of the argument is, oh, well,
we can't move the us because their parents won't be
able to visit them. But the reality is the visitation
just isn't there. So it's you know, a much more
efficient way to deliver correctional services is to have that
key facility. We will, of course facilitate visits for those
(04:59):
kids who do have family who want to support them,
but it's a much more cost effective and efficient way
to be able to do this, which is what we
just we just have to get on.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
We're doing Elia In terms of the down Dale or
the old adult prison that's now the current don Dale
for youth offenders. How quickly are you going to get
those youth offenders out of there and into the new
purpose built facility.
Speaker 4 (05:24):
So November we want the young ones out and in
that new one hundred plus million dollar monstrosity out at Holts.
It's the taj Mahal out there, Katie is the new one,
new one, yes.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
So the young it's a lot you're real happy with.
Speaker 4 (05:37):
Well, it's a disgraceful overspend of taxpayer dollars, Katie, absolutely atrocious.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
But it will be finished by November.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
We will get the young people out into that by
December then, so just within a month of that, we
will have fifty low security men at the Berrima facility,
moving that up to two hundred by quarter one next year.
But by December twenty twenty six, that facility will close forever.
Because we recognize that there is no future for correctional
(06:06):
services out at Berrima. We want to really co locate everything,
so pushing back into holts, which is why the new
work camp with one hundred and fifty beds will be
built out yere.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
Do you reckon that there's going to be pushed back
from people in the likes of North christ with you
utilizing don Dale.
Speaker 4 (06:21):
Look, I'm sure some people will be concerned, but this
is a temporary emergency measure and we have a crisis
situation that requires a crisis response. If people want me
to make the streets safer, we need more places to
put prisoners.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
That that is a purpose built prison.
Speaker 4 (06:37):
It is suitable for that category of prisoner and Ultimately
it gives us some breathing room in the system to
give watchhouses back to our police so that we can
then go ahead and build these other facilities we need,
which will then create that additional space and we can
shut it down for good.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
So is this acknowledgment that with the legislative changes that
you're pushing ahead with it, we could see up to
a thousand additional prisoners.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
No, No, not from our changes, but just on the
trajectory that prison numbers are going right now, We're going
to need these beds, and what we want to try
and do is future proof the system. We don't want
in five years or ten years territories to be in
the same situation we are now, so we need to
continuously have a buffer and capacity to be able to
(07:22):
move those numbers around depending on what's happening now. Then
you put in place all of the programs we want
to deliver inside prison. But at this very early stage,
eight weeks in, this is about more beds, more spaces,
and the right people in the right place.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
Leah, a big question from our listeners, when are these
new youth justice boot camps going to kick into action?
Speaker 2 (07:44):
So the new Boo.
Speaker 4 (07:46):
Boot camp in Alice Springs will be done by December,
so that's very very promising and we're looking forward to that.
We will also have one in Tenant Creek out in
the Barklay. I'm just there's a million notes on this, Katie. Sorry,
I'm just trying to find my notes.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
Though, we're trying to get through them.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
Quarter one twenty twenty five will be the boot camp
in Alice Springs, so that's fantastic, and then in quarter
four to twenty twenty five will have one up and
running in Catherine, so that's fantastic that those youth boot
camps will be coming online as soon as possible. And
as I said, we've got that brand new youth detention
facility here at Holds which can take very serious levels
(08:25):
of it.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
Lea, how much is all of this going to cost?
Speaker 4 (08:29):
So right now there is actually not much additional required
to deliver this. It's corrections are able to do it
from within budget, which is fantastic because we're reprioritizing what
they need to do and now that they have a
master plan they can work to it. But of course,
going forward, when we talk about building the new purpose
built women's prison out at Holts for example, that is
(08:51):
going to require additional budget allocation, so that will all
go through the budget process and Territorians can expect to
see that in May next year.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
Chief Minister.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
Last week we had a whistleblower get in contact with
us here at the station, a corrections whistleblower who told
us about a horrendous assault on a corrections officer within
the last month where he'd been kicked in the head,
he'd been knocked out. He also the correctional officer who
had spoken to us. The whistleblower had concerns with middle
management really not passing up some of the horrendous issues
(09:23):
that are going on when it comes to their safety
up to the.
Speaker 3 (09:26):
Big bosses, and.
Speaker 1 (09:29):
Really some plans or behavioral change plans not being put
into place. But at the center of this is the
fact that the prison's absolutely overcrowded and that there's not
enough staff. How are you going to staff all of
these changes?
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Yeah, great question.
Speaker 4 (09:45):
And of course any assaults on our workers they learned
frontline workers, is abhorrent and should be condemned. And that's
why this week in Parliament, Katie, we will be legislating
minimum mandatory sentencing, so again delivering on the community's expectation
around laws and what community standards should be. We know
that our prisons are absolutely bursting to the seats.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
It's not ideal for prisoners.
Speaker 4 (10:06):
It's certainly not ideal for staff, which is why we
are moving as urgently as possible and have put everything
on the table to be able to give this reprieve
in the system that Labor ignored for eight years in
terms of additional staffing. It will actually help by having
more space and better spaces for prisoners, it actually drives
down a bit of that demand on our corrections offices
(10:28):
because you're able to control people in a much more
you know, in a more appropriate way. Equally, we've got
corrections officers standing at Dawn Watchhouse right now, Katie, in
what is not a prison, It should be a watchhouse,
and those situations just aren't ideal.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
We will continue to recruit.
Speaker 4 (10:46):
Of course, but by having better facilities and a better system,
it will provide a better workplace for our hard working
correctional offices and hopefully then that allows us to recruit
more as well, because people can see the conditions are
much better.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
All right, There is a lot to discuss this morning.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
So I'm going to move along and we will continue
to talk about these changes when it comes to additional
beds at our correctional facilities. I'll take our listeners through
some further detail throughout the morning. But Chief Minister, we
know that police say over the weekend they believe a
twenty year old female was assaulted with a weapon by
a male who is known to her.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
Suffering serious injuries.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
It's alleged that she has dropped off at the Alice
Springs Hospital and has since been airlifted to Adelaide for treatment.
Now this is now being investigated, as I understand it,
by the Domestic Violence Command in Central Australia. It follows
the deaths of seven women since June.
Speaker 3 (11:41):
There is no.
Speaker 1 (11:42):
Doubt that we need some really urgent action when it
comes to domestic violence. I know that your government and
also the former government had both committed a substantial amount
of money towards this. But what urgent action are you
taking at the moment in this space.
Speaker 4 (11:58):
So last week Passlo's Bow Laws, Katie, and I'm very
confident that that will have an impact on family and
domestic violence because what we see is repeat offenders consistently
being allowed to get back out and reperpetrate, particularly against
someone that they're meant to love. So this is a
(12:18):
critical issue. You're right, we have had an extraordinary number
of women lose their lives. We continue to try work
very hard with the Commonwealth to understand the situation. The
territories in quite distinct from the rest of this country, Katie,
our numbers are absolutely shocking, absolutely shocking. And so while
so I wasn't successful at coming back from canber with
(12:40):
more money and needs based funding, we continue to put
up that fight to the federal government, particularly going into
this federal election. But at the end of the day,
this is about better resources and powers for our police,
better support for people fleeing family and domestic violence, which
is where that additional one hundred and eighty million will
really come into playing.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
When exactly is that one hundred and eighty million dollars
going to be delivered in a practical sense, you know,
for people like the YWCA for example, or other groups
that are really trying to help, yes, victim survivors for example.
Speaker 4 (13:14):
So the Minister for Domestic Violence, Minister Karl, is working
very hard on that action plan. I suppose you could
call it and we really want to make sure that
money gets to where it's needed. What we've seen for
far too long in the territory is big announcements on
dollar figures and then no accountability for the spend. Now,
we cannot waste that money. Not only is this a
(13:36):
tragic situation we've got to get on top of, but
also we just don't have the money to throw it
into the air and hope that something comes out of it.
So we're working really closely, just like we have with
our corrections plan, with our home build scheme, with our
law reform over the last two weeks. This is a
pivotal piece of work that we're doing right now to
(13:57):
make sure that that money is actually going to make
a different trends.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
Chief Finister, you mentioned before those bail laws passing through
parliament last week. It's obviously not the only bit of
legislation that passed through parliament last week. In fact, there's
quite a raft of changes that passed through parliament last week.
But when we were discussing these changes on the week
that was on Friday, the Opposition leader Selena Rubo said
that the legislation's not actually going to come into effect
(14:24):
until January, is that right?
Speaker 4 (14:26):
So there's two parts to it. Declan's law was knife
crime and it was also Boo reform. The bow reform
component will kick in in January. The knife crime should
happen in the next week or two. And the reason
we had to split that up is largely because we
had to purchase a significant number of electronic monitoring bracelets.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
Right, So that's holding up.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
Yeah, so we need that.
Speaker 4 (14:49):
We also need to make sure all of the new
processes and procedures are in place, because it doesn't just
impact our police, it actually impacts our courts and the entire.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
I suppose you could say.
Speaker 4 (15:01):
So we were very conscious of making sure that these
reforms are successful and so understand that we need that time.
But the urgency around passing it is because we didn't
want to wait till November, for example, and then start
this process. We had to do it as soon as possible,
so that January is the earliest possible date.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
How many electronic monitoring bracelets have you had to purchase? Oh?
Speaker 4 (15:24):
Testing man out that, yeah, we do have some, but
just not enough because of our changes. Our change is
meant that if you're a repeat offender, you have to
have an electronic monitoring bracelet if in those lesser circumstances
that the courts still bail you. So I think we
ordered another couple of hundred, Katie, I'm going to guess
three about three hundred more.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
And so when are you expecting those to write?
Speaker 4 (15:47):
Oh, it should be soon. It should be in the
next week or two, I believe. And so that's one
part of it, and then the rest of it is
obviously that justice system being ready for it.
Speaker 1 (15:56):
Now, last week we saw up to twenty people from
the West Region, so up to twenty youths and adults,
traveled to Adelaide River where they allegedly broke into a school,
they stole a bus. They then headed to Darwin on
Tuesday night they ran amok, basically stole a number of cars,
Ramda car at the Northern Territory Police. Allegedly they targeted
(16:18):
businesses in Winnelli, you know. And they also filmed themselves
on that bus. Right, So that vision we all saw
it on nine News Darwin and good on them for
obtaining that vision. But it really just demonstrated, I think
to so many people some of the horrendous issues that
we're experiencing in the Northern Territory. The fact you've got
a whole group of people that are then prepared to
(16:39):
film themselves, share it far and wide and gloat about
what they're doing. Now, from a real practical sense, how
are some of those legislative changes that you then implemented
or that you introduced and passed through parliament last week going.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
To help in a situation like that one.
Speaker 4 (16:56):
Yeah, so not speaking exactly on that one, but similar
So for example, you know, in crimes like this often
people are repeat offenders. So if they are a repeat offender,
their luck is running out. Under the Colp government, Katie,
they will not have as many chances to be baud.
Then there is the Post and post laws which give
our police the powers now to be able to charge
(17:18):
and prosecute someone for you know, notarizing a crime, for
thinking they're a hero, videoing the crime and posting it
all over social media. So that's another tool for our police.
And equally ram raids, that standalone ram raid legislation means
that our police can charge, make that direct charge.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
It is a very serious offense.
Speaker 4 (17:38):
And so it's just in just last week alone we've
been able to pass those three laws that are going
to have an impact on people's ability to continue this
lawlessness that they've known for too long. And the reality
is we have to change behavior. It's not just I
can pass the law today, make it a lad tomorrow.
That's easy at my end, but the reality is we're
(17:58):
trying to change people's in grain behavior which they've been
undertaking for a decade.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
How long do you think it's going to take before
territory and start to see some of that change on
the ground.
Speaker 4 (18:09):
Well, I've had a lot of good feedback from the
community saying then, mate, noticing already, But I think probably
into next year is when we really start to see it.
Once we've got the systems in place, once all our
police are obviously retrained on the new laws and the
criminals start to understand that deterrent effect kicks in, then
I think we'll start to see serious change going into
(18:31):
next year's that's certainly our hope. But as I've said
this last week and this week in Parliament, is really
about stemming the bleed when it comes to these issues,
in giving police some immediate tools now, but the work
around reducing crime has to continue over the next four years.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
It's a big, big, task.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
Chief Minister. I know that you're a busy woman. You've
got to get back to the office, but just a
quick one. We know the Christian Lobby group table to
petition into the Parliament last week. As I stand at
Robin Lanmdley table that petition for them. She stepped away
from being the Speaker for a couple of minutes to
be able to do that. It's calling for the removal
(19:09):
of gender affirming care.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
Do you support this?
Speaker 4 (19:14):
I don't know a lot about it, Katie. I do
recall the petition being tabled and the process now, which
we're very proud to have delivered as a government, is
that is it.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
We're allowing double the amount.
Speaker 4 (19:25):
Of time for debating petitions, so that petition will now
go to a bipartisan committee of the Parliament. They will
determine whether it should come back into the House for debate,
and then it will be scheduled for debate, which means plenty.
I think it's about six members of Parliament will then
be able to speak to that petition put forward by
the Christian Lobby.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
Do you think there should be an age where this
kind of care should be accessible or do you think
that it is something that should be accessible for all children.
Speaker 4 (19:52):
I think a lot of people are really concerned about
this direction. And obviously young people are still forming, you know,
their understanding of the world and life and themselves. So
I think great care does need to be taken in
this space. Again, not knowing much about any of it, Katie,
to be honest, it's certainly something that we as a
government will respond.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
To as part of the petition.
Speaker 4 (20:15):
But one thing that's different, or there's many things that
it's different, Katie, But a big point of difference between
us and Labor is that we respect people's right and
views to have a view. You know, we can't just
jump on people because their voice is different. So the
parliamentary process is something that belongs to the people. And
if people feel they have a petition they want put
into parliament, we are not going to stop people from
(20:37):
raising their concerns.
Speaker 3 (20:39):
Chief Finister, what else is on the agenda this week.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
In Parliament so very exciting.
Speaker 4 (20:43):
We continue with our reducing crime package, so this week
we will see better powers for police being debated and
hopefully passed around. Sorry, better powers of police around alcohol
so public drinking problem drunks and minimum mandatory sentencing for
assaults on workers. Will complete the package and we're very
prapped to be delivering that for Territorians.
Speaker 3 (21:05):
Chief Minister Leah Finocchio. We better leave it there.
Speaker 1 (21:07):
Thanks so much for your time this morning. Really appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (21:09):
Thank you, Take care everyone.
Speaker 3 (21:11):
Thank you,
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