Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Plenty happening around the place today. If you've got something
on your mind, love to hear from you. Now, yesterday
marked one hundred days so that the Leofanocchiaro led CLP
government has been in power and Territorians have been largely
supportive of the new government's approach to crime and law
and order changes. There has been some concerns raised about
the plans to abolish the minimum flaw price and the
(00:21):
government not rushing out to outline how they're going to
spend the one hundred and eighty million dollars to be
invested into domestic violence prevention. The opposition leader Selena Ubo
joins me in the studio.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Good morning to you, Selena, Good.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Morning Katie, and good morning to your listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
Good to have you in the studio now. I know
it's always a bit of a precarious line for the opposition,
particularly right now when you are critical of the government.
You know there's always people messaging going Katie, hang on
a second. They had eight years to try and sort
this out. But how do you feel the first one
hundred days has gone for the government.
Speaker 4 (00:56):
Thanks Katie, And we know yesterday did mark that hundred
days lif and the CLP government since the territory election.
And look, I've said alongside my labor colleagues that we're
not going to be in opposition for opposition's sake, So
PAI dues where they are absolutely due in respect the
timing and the way they've done that, and some of
the processes along the way have been what we've been
(01:17):
mostly critical about. But they did promise territory in certain things.
They have delivered on some of those things, so you know,
I congratulate Lee and her team on that. There are
some areas of concern of course, that will continue to raise,
which we know that the territory community is very keen
to have on the radar for the COLP government. So
I will continue to do our job in opposition and
(01:37):
voice those concerns, Katie. But overall, I think the big
thing is crime, anti social behavior and reducing that we
haven't seen the reductions under the first hundred days, which
I believe ly if Nokiaio before she was Chief Minister
promise I think it was on this show here Katie.
We've quoted her from you here on your show, which
we know a lot of listeners across the territory have
(01:58):
interest in so, you know, were to keep them to account.
They promised to do a job for territorians. They're not
there yet, but you know they have delivered on some
of those commitments.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
And look, you know, the crime and the antisocial behavior
is the number one issue and it has been for
quite some time and we all, you know, we all
knew that and the lead into the election. I mean,
do you regret the fact that Labor maybe didn't do
enough in that space when in power.
Speaker 4 (02:21):
I think we could always do more in that space, Katie,
when we know that there's.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Harm in our community.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
When then we know that we've got these shocking rates
of family, domestic and sexual violence in the territory, how
do we really work as the whole of community to
make sure everyone's safe, whether it's in their home, whether
it's in their business, whether it's in the work that
they do, whether it's in their schools. So we want
to make sure that work continues regardless of what government
is in power.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
But we want to.
Speaker 4 (02:47):
Really see medium and long term changes as well, not
just quick fixes. We want to see obviously crime reduced
and antisocial behavior reduces well, Katie, but we really want
to see what are the plan around those long term
changes that are going to make all of us safe
in the territory.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Really keen to see a bit more from the government
about that.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
What do you reckon are going to be the key markets?
Speaker 1 (03:08):
Like, what are you going to be keeping an eye
on to see whether it does reduce, you know, the
level of crime that we've been experiencing.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Is it going to be the crime stats?
Speaker 1 (03:16):
I mean, I reckon we're probably going to be seeing
a spike in the crime stats over you know, the
coming months as some of those legislative changes come into play.
But for you, as the opposition leader, what will you
sort of be keeping an eye on to see whether
things are working or if you feel like they're not.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
Yeah, Katie, it's a great question because we do look
at crime stats, but also the severity and what crime
is happening. We know when we've seen spikes across the
territory around property crime, a lot more residential property crime
as opposed to commercial crime. Not saying it doesn't exist either, Katie,
but in terms of what are you comparing to what
are your markers? You know, personal violence and assaults is
(03:52):
always a very shocking and horrendous part of crime. That's
experienced here in the territory, So what are the levels
of that and make sure that there's those measures in
order to reduce it, I think is the big one.
So you've got your data, you've got your stats, but
what's going to make a difference and then how do
we measure that? And of course obviously the sentiment and
the stories across the communities that we all represent here
(04:15):
in the territory and hearing what's working well, hearing localized plans.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
I know Ala.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
Springs communities a bit up in arms at the moment
because they feel like they're not seeing from the COLP
government from Lea's Chief Minister specialized Alice Springs and Centralian
plan as they go into that summer season, which is traditionally,
unfortunately quite a spike in eddy social behavior and crime.
So it will be supporting community and making sure that
(04:40):
where we can advocate for things to happen in a
better way, that we do that.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
In opposition, Yeah, that is one of the things that
people were quite critical of of the labor governments.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
When you're in power, is it. They did feel as
though it reached a.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
Point where you guys maybe weren't listening anymore to the
way in which you should have been. Is that something
for you now as the leader of the opposition that
you think to yourself, do you know what, even if
I don't like the message people are giving me, I'm
gonna have to sit back and listen because we do
need to, you know, to make sure that we're advocating
for the community. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (05:12):
Absolutely, And it's been such an interesting journey for me
being in opposition of eight years as a member of government,
as a backbencher and as a labor minister, and now
the opportunity to learn and to grow in a different
way in the opposition, I think is I feel very
humbled and privileged to be in this role.
Speaker 3 (05:31):
But a lot of that.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
Hurt from the community is very much articulated well to
me and my team. We definitely take that on board,
but we want to make sure that we can be
constructive with that. It's no good just to listen. You
also need to act and provide action, and that's what
we want to make sure we keep the new government account.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
Now. I know that some of that swift and decisive
action the government's taking a bit of a hit on well.
Certainly a group of community health and Research and Aboriginal
community controlled organizations have renewed calls for the Northern Territory
government to walk back on their plan to scrap the
alcohol floor price. We know that we spoke about this
last week. We spoke about it on the week that was,
(06:11):
but we'd also spoken to doctor John Boffer, and as
we know, on Thursday, the government then introduced that legislation
to repeal the minimum unit price. Why are you concerned
about that floor price being scrapped.
Speaker 4 (06:23):
Yeah, Katie, it's a great question and it has been
a really important conversation over the particularly with that domestic
violence in quest that was released and the findings and
the recommendations from the Northern Territory Coroner, Elizabeth Armitage.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
So when we're talking about.
Speaker 4 (06:38):
Alcohol fueled violence and crime in the Northern Territory, there
has to be more than just one measure.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
You know.
Speaker 4 (06:43):
There's unfortunately no quick fixes in this area. It is
a health related issue, but it also creates harm and
impacts on all of our community, on our businesses, on
our safety in the community. So I found it very
and my team and I found it very concerning that
when we have experts in the field, when we've got
people who know a lot more than I do in politics, Katie,
(07:03):
who are the experts in alcohol harm reduction and those
health measures calling for the CLP not to take forward
this process of reducing and changing some of those alcohol
availability measures. We found it very concerning that the Sealpic
government didn't actually sit down and listen and really talked
(07:24):
about ignoring those stats. And when you're in government, you
really have to not just the stories, Katie, you also
have to look at the data and the background and
make sure that the decisions that you are making on
behalf of all territories, not just your friends and not
just those who may have donated to you in the campaign,
but making sure that those decisions are very structured and
are backed up by stats and data. And that's what
(07:46):
the health professionals have provided and it's just been ignored,
which is what we're mostly concerned about.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
What do you say to.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
The people listening this morning who are like, do you
know what I drink responsibly? Why do I have to
pay more to get a bottle of wine or to
you know, to a cheaper, cheaper alcohol, Because there are
some people that aren't behaving when they drink.
Speaker 4 (08:06):
Yeah, definitely Katie, and that's come across as a concern
from community members, to myself as the leader, and also
to my teammates in opposition. And I think the big
thing is the collective push around. If we're doing things
together in the community to make sure that we can
unburden the stress and the trauma of alcohol related violence,
(08:28):
then you know, unfortunately we do have to see you know,
Territorians work away to.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
Collectively have that process.
Speaker 4 (08:36):
Would be great if we didn't have to do, you
know what I mean, Like it'd be great if alcohol
wasn't an issue and everyone drink responsibly. No, a lot
of listeners definitely do and please do over the Christmas period.
It's always my big message. But in terms of being
able to create policy and processes that affect all Territorians,
I mean that's the government's responsibility and I just I
(08:57):
honestly think, Katie, we're not going to see any benefit
from this measure being removed by the Colp government.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
Again, like I said last week, very happy to be
proven wrong.
Speaker 4 (09:07):
But when we've got health experts who are leading the concerns,
then I'm going to be listening to them as well.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
Now I want to ask you the Colp. It was
reported yesterday in the Northern Territory News had tabled a
petition which was signed by more than two thousand people
calling for abortion rights to be replaced in the Northern Territory, sorry, repealed,
I should say in the Northern Territory. The petition organizer
and Baptist pastor Sharon Crook said that backbencher Andrew McKay
(09:33):
took the petition to Parliament at the direction of the
Deputy Chief Minister Jurrem Mayley. Now she'd said that that
petition was intentionally kept offline, instead circulated through Darwin's church
network and promoted on a Christian radio station. Now it's
looking to overturn the twenty twenty one reforms which bought
the Northern Territory in line with other jurisdictions by removing
(09:56):
the need for assessment by a second doctor up to
twenty four weeks gestation.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
Selena.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
We asked the Chief Minister about this yesterday. She said
that they've got no plans to repeal this legislation, but
they're not going to disallow petitions being brought to the Parliament.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
What are your concerns with this petition?
Speaker 4 (10:14):
Yeah, O Katie it's really important that Territorians have a
say and particularly in the parliamentary process, and petitions are
definitely a great way to present concerns from across you know,
a raft of issues for Territorians and we know non
Territorians also get involved in territory petitions, but in terms
of bringing you know, concerns from the community, it's a
(10:35):
really good process. What is a bit of a worry though, Katie,
is that Leah Finocchio, before she was Chief Minister, said
that abortion laws were not going to be an issue
in the Northern Territory. It was not part of her agenda,
it was not part of the CLP's movement. But we
saw a COLP member present that under the guidance of
the Deputy Chief Minister, Jared Mayley, who is the CELPS
(10:56):
you know, second in charge in terms of leadership. There's
two process just so listeners can understand. You can table
a petition and it's there everyone knows, you can see,
you can access, you can understand what the concern is
and it's been you know read in Parliament, you know
our lawmaking Institute in the Northern Territory. But what the
CLP has done, they've also referred it to what we
call the Public Accounts Committee to.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
Then say that yes, to then come back to then
be debated.
Speaker 4 (11:20):
So you know, the Public's account Community, Katie, is chaired
by a CLP member. It's also chaired by deputy CLP member,
and they have the numbers on the community.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
Worried that they're going to force this through. You worried
that they are going to repeal these rights for Northern
Territory women because like I know, yesterday the Chief Minister
had said that that was not within her plans. But
I know that for a lot of women listening to
the show, they'll be thinking, well, it's my body, it's
my choice, and anybody that has to go through that situation,
it's not an easy choice to make, you know, it
(11:51):
would not be something that's taken lightly. So, like, I
just fear that we're going to go backwards here.
Speaker 4 (11:58):
I'm one hundred percent with you, kat worried because the
moral issue around abortion is not what should be debated
in parliament. Like you said, women should have the choice
for women's bodies and women's rights. We should not be
entering in any type of debate about that in this
day and age, all of that has happened over decades.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
What we need to really.
Speaker 4 (12:17):
Focus on is why would something like this be coming
through a CLP member endorsed by or given direction by
the CLP Second in charge, to then go to a
COLP governed Committee of Parliament, to then come back to
a COLP dominated parliament.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
So and Onlia has said that it's.
Speaker 4 (12:34):
Not going to be an issue and she's got no agenda,
but the numbers tell differently and the actions are telled differently,
and this happened on the last day of parliament to Katie,
so that's also concerned. Now we don't have the extra
level of scrutiny until February next year.
Speaker 1 (12:46):
Can you tell us, I mean you obviously you were
the Health minister. What is the situation right now for
a woman you know, to go down this path if
it is a late term pregnancy, you know, what do
they have to do? So like, what's the you know,
what is the procedure sort of thing.
Speaker 4 (13:04):
Yeah, Unfortunately, Katie, as you said, it can be very difficult.
It could be for medical reasons not people think that
abortions are all about someone changing their mind and that's
sort of you know a bit of a myth. But
the idea is that you have that extra professional expertise.
Speaker 3 (13:20):
We talk about expertise on this show.
Speaker 4 (13:23):
You have that extra level of support by an expert
in the field to get that if it is a
late term gestation abortion basically approved, and it often is
through unfortunately a surgical process. So having all that, there's
just not one person deciding that we have more than
one professional to be able to support those decisions. So again,
(13:45):
it's not a nice process for any woman or family
to go through, and it should be again related to
that individual their circumstances, and you know, their health and
safety is first and foremost, so it's not for Parliament
to debate whether this should happen or not. I don't
think that people should be pushing their own views onto
somebody else's body. And I think it's a big worry
(14:07):
when we've got some of the things that Leah has
said her team won't do and then they're starting to
do that. And also, Katie just remembering and reminding listeners
that last week the COLP changed the sessional orders to
remove the human Compatibility State Human Rights Compatibility statement out
of parliamentary process.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
So right, you did that back when you were in powers.
Speaker 3 (14:26):
It was yeah, that's correct, Katie.
Speaker 4 (14:28):
It was out of sessional orders, but we adopted it
as our standard and mandatory practice of cabinet.
Speaker 3 (14:33):
So it's up to the Cabinet of the day.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
They can do the same.
Speaker 4 (14:36):
They can do the same. We have not heard them
commit to that. We did ask the question when we
heard this, we said it was not part of the
fourteenth Legislative Assembly Rules to govern Parliament? Will this apply
to your cabinet? And they have not come out written statement.
They didn't reply. They didn't answer that question. We asked
it on the floor. We asked it to the one
of the new ministers as well, and we did not
(14:56):
get an answer.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
Selena a quick listener questions.
Speaker 1 (14:59):
Someone's messaged said, is Labor only going to table petitions
that they agree with?
Speaker 4 (15:04):
No, Katie, our job is to table those petitions to
make sure we have the voices of territorians. Obviously there
are different processes around how petitions come to any member
of Parliament, but we will be very open to tabling
those voices. The big thing around what's happened with their
COLP member is that they could have tabled the petition
(15:29):
and had the voices heard and done that part of Parliament.
They've now referred to it being coming back to Parliament
to then be debated, and that's what we don't agree
with for that particular petition.
Speaker 1 (15:39):
Selena Rubo or Position Leader, good to speak with you
this morning. Will will I speak to you again before Christmas?
Speaker 4 (15:44):
We might?
Speaker 1 (15:45):
Katy excellent, Thank you, thanks so much for your time
this morning.
Speaker 3 (15:48):
Thank you, thanks to your listeners.
Plenty happening around the place today. If you've got something
on your mind, love to hear from you. Now, yesterday
marked one hundred days so that the Leofanocchiaro led CLP
government has been in power and Territorians have been largely
supportive of the new government's approach to crime and law
and order changes. There has been some concerns raised about
the plans to abolish the minimum flaw price and the
(00:21):
government not rushing out to outline how they're going to
spend the one hundred and eighty million dollars to be
invested into domestic violence prevention. The opposition leader Selena Ubo
joins me in the studio.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Good morning to you, Selena, Good.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Morning Katie, and good morning to your listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
Good to have you in the studio now. I know
it's always a bit of a precarious line for the opposition,
particularly right now when you are critical of the government.
You know there's always people messaging going Katie, hang on
a second. They had eight years to try and sort
this out. But how do you feel the first one
hundred days has gone for the government.
Speaker 4 (00:56):
Thanks Katie, And we know yesterday did mark that hundred
days lif and the CLP government since the territory election.
And look, I've said alongside my labor colleagues that we're
not going to be in opposition for opposition's sake, So
PAI dues where they are absolutely due in respect the
timing and the way they've done that, and some of
the processes along the way have been what we've been
(01:17):
mostly critical about. But they did promise territory in certain things.
They have delivered on some of those things, so you know,
I congratulate Lee and her team on that. There are
some areas of concern of course, that will continue to raise,
which we know that the territory community is very keen
to have on the radar for the COLP government. So
I will continue to do our job in opposition and
(01:37):
voice those concerns, Katie. But overall, I think the big
thing is crime, anti social behavior and reducing that we
haven't seen the reductions under the first hundred days, which
I believe ly if Nokiaio before she was Chief Minister
promise I think it was on this show here Katie.
We've quoted her from you here on your show, which
we know a lot of listeners across the territory have
(01:58):
interest in so, you know, were to keep them to account.
They promised to do a job for territorians. They're not
there yet, but you know they have delivered on some
of those commitments.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
And look, you know, the crime and the antisocial behavior
is the number one issue and it has been for
quite some time and we all, you know, we all
knew that and the lead into the election. I mean,
do you regret the fact that Labor maybe didn't do
enough in that space when in power.
Speaker 4 (02:21):
I think we could always do more in that space, Katie,
when we know that there's.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Harm in our community.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
When then we know that we've got these shocking rates
of family, domestic and sexual violence in the territory, how
do we really work as the whole of community to
make sure everyone's safe, whether it's in their home, whether
it's in their business, whether it's in the work that
they do, whether it's in their schools. So we want
to make sure that work continues regardless of what government
is in power.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
But we want to.
Speaker 4 (02:47):
Really see medium and long term changes as well, not
just quick fixes. We want to see obviously crime reduced
and antisocial behavior reduces well, Katie, but we really want
to see what are the plan around those long term
changes that are going to make all of us safe
in the territory.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Really keen to see a bit more from the government
about that.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
What do you reckon are going to be the key markets?
Speaker 1 (03:08):
Like, what are you going to be keeping an eye
on to see whether it does reduce, you know, the
level of crime that we've been experiencing.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Is it going to be the crime stats?
Speaker 1 (03:16):
I mean, I reckon we're probably going to be seeing
a spike in the crime stats over you know, the
coming months as some of those legislative changes come into play.
But for you, as the opposition leader, what will you
sort of be keeping an eye on to see whether
things are working or if you feel like they're not.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
Yeah, Katie, it's a great question because we do look
at crime stats, but also the severity and what crime
is happening. We know when we've seen spikes across the
territory around property crime, a lot more residential property crime
as opposed to commercial crime. Not saying it doesn't exist either, Katie,
but in terms of what are you comparing to what
are your markers? You know, personal violence and assaults is
(03:52):
always a very shocking and horrendous part of crime. That's
experienced here in the territory, So what are the levels
of that and make sure that there's those measures in
order to reduce it, I think is the big one.
So you've got your data, you've got your stats, but
what's going to make a difference and then how do
we measure that? And of course obviously the sentiment and
the stories across the communities that we all represent here
(04:15):
in the territory and hearing what's working well, hearing localized plans.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
I know Ala.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
Springs communities a bit up in arms at the moment
because they feel like they're not seeing from the COLP
government from Lea's Chief Minister specialized Alice Springs and Centralian
plan as they go into that summer season, which is traditionally,
unfortunately quite a spike in eddy social behavior and crime.
So it will be supporting community and making sure that
(04:40):
where we can advocate for things to happen in a
better way, that we do that.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
In opposition, Yeah, that is one of the things that
people were quite critical of of the labor governments.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
When you're in power, is it. They did feel as
though it reached a.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
Point where you guys maybe weren't listening anymore to the
way in which you should have been. Is that something
for you now as the leader of the opposition that
you think to yourself, do you know what, even if
I don't like the message people are giving me, I'm
gonna have to sit back and listen because we do
need to, you know, to make sure that we're advocating
for the community. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (05:12):
Absolutely, And it's been such an interesting journey for me
being in opposition of eight years as a member of government,
as a backbencher and as a labor minister, and now
the opportunity to learn and to grow in a different
way in the opposition, I think is I feel very
humbled and privileged to be in this role.
Speaker 3 (05:31):
But a lot of that.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
Hurt from the community is very much articulated well to
me and my team. We definitely take that on board,
but we want to make sure that we can be
constructive with that. It's no good just to listen. You
also need to act and provide action, and that's what
we want to make sure we keep the new government account.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
Now. I know that some of that swift and decisive
action the government's taking a bit of a hit on well.
Certainly a group of community health and Research and Aboriginal
community controlled organizations have renewed calls for the Northern Territory
government to walk back on their plan to scrap the
alcohol floor price. We know that we spoke about this
last week. We spoke about it on the week that was,
(06:11):
but we'd also spoken to doctor John Boffer, and as
we know, on Thursday, the government then introduced that legislation
to repeal the minimum unit price. Why are you concerned
about that floor price being scrapped.
Speaker 4 (06:23):
Yeah, Katie, it's a great question and it has been
a really important conversation over the particularly with that domestic
violence in quest that was released and the findings and
the recommendations from the Northern Territory Coroner, Elizabeth Armitage.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
So when we're talking about.
Speaker 4 (06:38):
Alcohol fueled violence and crime in the Northern Territory, there
has to be more than just one measure.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
You know.
Speaker 4 (06:43):
There's unfortunately no quick fixes in this area. It is
a health related issue, but it also creates harm and
impacts on all of our community, on our businesses, on
our safety in the community. So I found it very
and my team and I found it very concerning that
when we have experts in the field, when we've got
people who know a lot more than I do in politics, Katie,
(07:03):
who are the experts in alcohol harm reduction and those
health measures calling for the CLP not to take forward
this process of reducing and changing some of those alcohol
availability measures. We found it very concerning that the Sealpic
government didn't actually sit down and listen and really talked
(07:24):
about ignoring those stats. And when you're in government, you
really have to not just the stories, Katie, you also
have to look at the data and the background and
make sure that the decisions that you are making on
behalf of all territories, not just your friends and not
just those who may have donated to you in the campaign,
but making sure that those decisions are very structured and
are backed up by stats and data. And that's what
(07:46):
the health professionals have provided and it's just been ignored,
which is what we're mostly concerned about.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
What do you say to.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
The people listening this morning who are like, do you
know what I drink responsibly? Why do I have to
pay more to get a bottle of wine or to
you know, to a cheaper, cheaper alcohol, Because there are
some people that aren't behaving when they drink.
Speaker 4 (08:06):
Yeah, definitely Katie, and that's come across as a concern
from community members, to myself as the leader, and also
to my teammates in opposition. And I think the big
thing is the collective push around. If we're doing things
together in the community to make sure that we can
unburden the stress and the trauma of alcohol related violence,
(08:28):
then you know, unfortunately we do have to see you know,
Territorians work away to.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
Collectively have that process.
Speaker 4 (08:36):
Would be great if we didn't have to do, you
know what I mean, Like it'd be great if alcohol
wasn't an issue and everyone drink responsibly. No, a lot
of listeners definitely do and please do over the Christmas period.
It's always my big message. But in terms of being
able to create policy and processes that affect all Territorians,
I mean that's the government's responsibility and I just I
(08:57):
honestly think, Katie, we're not going to see any benefit
from this measure being removed by the Colp government.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
Again, like I said last week, very happy to be
proven wrong.
Speaker 4 (09:07):
But when we've got health experts who are leading the concerns,
then I'm going to be listening to them as well.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
Now I want to ask you the Colp. It was
reported yesterday in the Northern Territory News had tabled a
petition which was signed by more than two thousand people
calling for abortion rights to be replaced in the Northern Territory, sorry, repealed,
I should say in the Northern Territory. The petition organizer
and Baptist pastor Sharon Crook said that backbencher Andrew McKay
(09:33):
took the petition to Parliament at the direction of the
Deputy Chief Minister Jurrem Mayley. Now she'd said that that
petition was intentionally kept offline, instead circulated through Darwin's church
network and promoted on a Christian radio station. Now it's
looking to overturn the twenty twenty one reforms which bought
the Northern Territory in line with other jurisdictions by removing
(09:56):
the need for assessment by a second doctor up to
twenty four weeks gestation.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
Selena.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
We asked the Chief Minister about this yesterday. She said
that they've got no plans to repeal this legislation, but
they're not going to disallow petitions being brought to the Parliament.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
What are your concerns with this petition?
Speaker 4 (10:14):
Yeah, O Katie it's really important that Territorians have a
say and particularly in the parliamentary process, and petitions are
definitely a great way to present concerns from across you know,
a raft of issues for Territorians and we know non
Territorians also get involved in territory petitions, but in terms
of bringing you know, concerns from the community, it's a
(10:35):
really good process. What is a bit of a worry though, Katie,
is that Leah Finocchio, before she was Chief Minister, said
that abortion laws were not going to be an issue
in the Northern Territory. It was not part of her agenda,
it was not part of the CLP's movement. But we
saw a COLP member present that under the guidance of
the Deputy Chief Minister, Jared Mayley, who is the CELPS
(10:56):
you know, second in charge in terms of leadership. There's
two process just so listeners can understand. You can table
a petition and it's there everyone knows, you can see,
you can access, you can understand what the concern is
and it's been you know read in Parliament, you know
our lawmaking Institute in the Northern Territory. But what the
CLP has done, they've also referred it to what we
call the Public Accounts Committee to.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
Then say that yes, to then come back to then
be debated.
Speaker 4 (11:20):
So you know, the Public's account Community, Katie, is chaired
by a CLP member. It's also chaired by deputy CLP member,
and they have the numbers on the community.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
Worried that they're going to force this through. You worried
that they are going to repeal these rights for Northern
Territory women because like I know, yesterday the Chief Minister
had said that that was not within her plans. But
I know that for a lot of women listening to
the show, they'll be thinking, well, it's my body, it's
my choice, and anybody that has to go through that situation,
it's not an easy choice to make, you know, it
(11:51):
would not be something that's taken lightly. So, like, I
just fear that we're going to go backwards here.
Speaker 4 (11:58):
I'm one hundred percent with you, kat worried because the
moral issue around abortion is not what should be debated
in parliament. Like you said, women should have the choice
for women's bodies and women's rights. We should not be
entering in any type of debate about that in this
day and age, all of that has happened over decades.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
What we need to really.
Speaker 4 (12:17):
Focus on is why would something like this be coming
through a CLP member endorsed by or given direction by
the CLP Second in charge, to then go to a
COLP governed Committee of Parliament, to then come back to
a COLP dominated parliament.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
So and Onlia has said that it's.
Speaker 4 (12:34):
Not going to be an issue and she's got no agenda,
but the numbers tell differently and the actions are telled differently,
and this happened on the last day of parliament to Katie,
so that's also concerned. Now we don't have the extra
level of scrutiny until February next year.
Speaker 1 (12:46):
Can you tell us, I mean you obviously you were
the Health minister. What is the situation right now for
a woman you know, to go down this path if
it is a late term pregnancy, you know, what do
they have to do? So like, what's the you know,
what is the procedure sort of thing.
Speaker 4 (13:04):
Yeah, Unfortunately, Katie, as you said, it can be very difficult.
It could be for medical reasons not people think that
abortions are all about someone changing their mind and that's
sort of you know a bit of a myth. But
the idea is that you have that extra professional expertise.
Speaker 3 (13:20):
We talk about expertise on this show.
Speaker 4 (13:23):
You have that extra level of support by an expert
in the field to get that if it is a
late term gestation abortion basically approved, and it often is
through unfortunately a surgical process. So having all that, there's
just not one person deciding that we have more than
one professional to be able to support those decisions. So again,
(13:45):
it's not a nice process for any woman or family
to go through, and it should be again related to
that individual their circumstances, and you know, their health and
safety is first and foremost, so it's not for Parliament
to debate whether this should happen or not. I don't
think that people should be pushing their own views onto
somebody else's body. And I think it's a big worry
(14:07):
when we've got some of the things that Leah has
said her team won't do and then they're starting to
do that. And also, Katie just remembering and reminding listeners
that last week the COLP changed the sessional orders to
remove the human Compatibility State Human Rights Compatibility statement out
of parliamentary process.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
So right, you did that back when you were in powers.
Speaker 3 (14:26):
It was yeah, that's correct, Katie.
Speaker 4 (14:28):
It was out of sessional orders, but we adopted it
as our standard and mandatory practice of cabinet.
Speaker 3 (14:33):
So it's up to the Cabinet of the day.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
They can do the same.
Speaker 4 (14:36):
They can do the same. We have not heard them
commit to that. We did ask the question when we
heard this, we said it was not part of the
fourteenth Legislative Assembly Rules to govern Parliament? Will this apply
to your cabinet? And they have not come out written statement.
They didn't reply. They didn't answer that question. We asked
it on the floor. We asked it to the one
of the new ministers as well, and we did not
(14:56):
get an answer.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
Selena a quick listener questions.
Speaker 1 (14:59):
Someone's messaged said, is Labor only going to table petitions
that they agree with?
Speaker 4 (15:04):
No, Katie, our job is to table those petitions to
make sure we have the voices of territorians. Obviously there
are different processes around how petitions come to any member
of Parliament, but we will be very open to tabling
those voices. The big thing around what's happened with their
COLP member is that they could have tabled the petition
(15:29):
and had the voices heard and done that part of Parliament.
They've now referred to it being coming back to Parliament
to then be debated, and that's what we don't agree
with for that particular petition.
Speaker 1 (15:39):
Selena Rubo or Position Leader, good to speak with you
this morning. Will will I speak to you again before Christmas?
Speaker 4 (15:44):
We might?
Speaker 1 (15:45):
Katy excellent, Thank you, thanks so much for your time
this morning.
Speaker 3 (15:48):
Thank you, thanks to your listeners.
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