Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's been an incredibly busy night. I think you'd have
(00:02):
to say possibly busy early morning as well in Parliament
and the Northern Territory Treasurer Bill Yan joins me on
the line, good morning to your bill.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Good morning, Kay, and good morning the people in the
top end.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
Now bill the government earlier this morning passing the Territory
Coordinator Bill in Parliament. The Chief Minister leofanocchi Aro welcoming
the passage of that bill, highlighting its significance and redefining
the way business is done. In the Northern Territory Treasurer,
the discussion went well into the night. What time did
you finish up and what do you think the passing
(00:37):
of this legislation means.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Yeah, Look, I think we finished in the chamber about
one thirty kyerd about quarters, so I think by the
time we got out of probably got out of Parliament House.
It was a pretty epic session. Hats offs and Chief mints.
I think nearly six and a half hours in the
chair during consideration in detail. But Kay, this is a
turning portant at the end of the day for the
(01:01):
territory and for our economic development. It provides that certainly,
I think the proponents who are looking to come and
invest here in the territory. We've seen that the blockages
and the difficulties of doing business and the shuffling between
departments of proponents who are looking to develop significant projects.
And this will be now one stop shop through the
(01:22):
Territory Coordinator. They'll be able to course go out and
find and start to drive those projects and then work
with those proponents and government to deliver those projects. And
we need that investment here in the territory. Cade we
know what our budget's like, it's in a bit of
a whole major oles. We need those proponents. We need
(01:43):
that outside investment in the territory to start to drive
our economoon, start to produce those royalsies and that other
income for territory and so we can do the things
that we want to do.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
Treasure. There were a number of amendments which the Crossbench
attempted to make. Why did the government choose to knock
back many of those changes which were proposed by the
Scrutiny Committee as well?
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Yeah, well look Okatie, there was a lot of amendments
come through, But what the Territory Coordinator Bill was always
about is cutting through that rotape and making processes easier
to actually get projects off the ground and get the moving.
And a lot of the amendments were brought forward actually
wound back what the bill was actually about. So it
(02:28):
was about putting more bureaucratic processes into the bill to actually,
funny enough, slow things down, and that's the opposite to
what we're trying to achieve. We're trying to remove bureaucratic
processes and speed of those timelines up because we've lost
so many projects in the territory because of the timeiness
on delivering the timeliness of making decisions. So the bill
(02:50):
is about changing that. So anything that was going to
actually create more bureaucratic process for the sake of bureaucratic
process defeats what the purpose of the bill was. But
there are a number of things that were raised by
the Scrutiny Committee, Katie, that were changed in the bill,
some of the reporting, some stuff coming back to Parliament
for reviews. So there was some stuff that actually made
(03:14):
good sense for that transparency that was brought through. But
anything that was actually changing what the makeup of the
bill was about and actually slowing things down and adding
bureaucratic processes certainly wasn't supported by us.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
Well, look it's forged ahead. It is happening and you know,
time will tell what kind of difference it does make
in terms of getting projects moving in the Northern Territory Treasurer.
A large focus for the opposition yesterday in Parliament was
indeed the Ikach Report operation of POLO. We now know
that the Chief Minister obviously announced late yesterday that the
(03:52):
termination of the former Police Commissioner Michael Murphy on the
recommendation of the Executive Council contract was indeed terminated. In
terms of the discussion yesterday in question Time, the Opposition
was saying that the Chief Minister could have come out
publicly with the report sooner. Do you think that the
(04:14):
Chief Minister has acted quickly enough? Oh?
Speaker 2 (04:18):
Absolutely, Okay, It's interesting the opposition's tactics yesterday in relation
to this. Now we know that in the Ikak Report
it said that the report could be the Chief Minister
could table that report in parliament. So yesterday it was
the first day of parliament since the report was given
(04:38):
to the Chief Minister, and the first action of government.
The first piece of business today yesterday was to actually
table that report. So I don't understand how the opposition
can say that she could have come out and discussed
it earlier, because there's very strict rules. As we're all
around I CAAC. If I'm involved in an I CAAC mat,
(05:00):
I can't discuss it with my cabinet colleagues, I can't
discuss it with anyone. So the Chief Minister got the
report and said yes it can be table in parliament.
That doesn't mean that you can actually go out and
discussed the contents of that report publicly before parliament. It's
just I always wondered where that I were going with this.
It just didn't make a lot of sense.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
I mean, do you support the way that she has
handled this whole situation.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Absolutely, Katie, I said, I think we spoke about this
last week. I was in dunment for eighteen years, so
I understand how the process has worked and sometimes as
a methodical approach that you have to go through when
dealing with these matters. And of course there's natural disasters
are afforded to both sides, so getting the report and
(05:44):
working methodically through that decision process has to be done
otherwise we end up with what the previous government done.
With Murphy. They missed the process up and we all
know what happened there. It become an absolute debarkle. So
oh you mean to work through the process.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
Sorry do you mean with Jamie Chalker? I think you
said Murphy there?
Speaker 2 (06:04):
Oh sorry, mom, mind mistake. The yeah Jamie Chalker is yeah, ye.
The previous government jumped the gun on that and didn't
do the process correctly as it and it left us
with a bit of a dog's breakfast and of course
a huge payout.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
Well, look, we're going to catch up with the Deputy
Opposition Leader, Duran Young in a couple of minutes, so
i'll hear what he's got to say about the situation. Treasurer,
I know that yesterday the government launched its Rebuilding the
Economy Strategy for twenty twenty five to twenty eight. It's
been described as an action plan to drive economic growth,
create jobs and restore confidence in the territory's future. I'm
(06:42):
sure that they're certainly your main objectives as the Treasurer.
You know some of the key priorities will five of
them making the Northern Territory the best place to do business,
building a bigger, better workforce, delivering for Australia unlocking regional growth,
connecting the Northern Territory Treasurer. We often hear slogans to
(07:05):
try and get things moving in the Northern Territory. I
mean boundless possible springs to mind. What exactly what exactly,
what exactly is this strategy going to do to get
things moving? Rather than just words?
Speaker 2 (07:18):
Yeah, and look, we put the strategy outkay, and it's
not just words. This is a signal to business. And
I said, a signal to investors that we're open to business.
And I suppose the first key part of that was
yesterday ka well actually early as this morning and passing
the Territory Coordinator Bill. So that is one part of
the best place to do business. And the second part
of that, of course is the Fast Track Approvals Task
(07:41):
Force and the work that they're doing. So we need
the territory to be the best place to do want
business to come to the territory because it's easy and
simple to do business here, and it hasn't been. So
that's one of the key things that we need to unlock.
We need to attract the business to the territory because
it is the best place to do business. It is
(08:01):
the best regulatory environment to do business. And I think
I said yesterday numerous times, is that we've got all
the resources natural resources that Western Australia has in some respects,
but we're too hard to do business. So we need
to unlock that and we can become the powerhouse of
the country. The good announcement today are supposed from the
(08:23):
federal government because we've been putting pressure on them ever
since we got into government about the dharma and attracting
overseas workers into the territory. So we're glad to see
that announcement. I said, we pressure on Robin Carl has
been doing a heap of work in that space to
increase that workforce. So there's another piece of that. And said,
(08:48):
through the resources that we have, we can deliver for
the country. We know we've got enough gas in the beadle,
I think the power the entire country for four hundred years.
We just need to unlock that potential and those benefits
then flow to territorians. But of course, strategically, if you
look at that, delivering for Australia is our of course
a strategic place within defense. We're seeing increased investment from
(09:12):
the defense in Australia. We're also seeing the US working
with us and now of course we have the Japanese
Self Defense Force coming to do work with us here
in a territory. So that is another piece of course
of delivering for Australia and our regional growth without communities
that's of course always going to be key because they've
(09:33):
got so much potential in the community is to be
part of part of this process and I think part
of the bigger picture moving forward. So it's pretty exciting, kay,
what we announced yesterday, and I said, we're working hard
now to make sure we deliver on those five key pillars.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
Well, look, I think that I, like many Territorians, hope
that we do start to see the economy turn around
here in the Northern Territory. And I will take our
listeners through that new five year agreement when it comes
to DARMA a little bit later. Bill, before I let
you go this morning, what's on the agenda for the
government today in Parliament.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
We're introducing a couple of bills this morning, Kay, that
will be debated next parliament. Of course, it's General Business Day,
so this is the opportunity for the opposition and Independence
to bring forward their business today. So we've got a
few things this morning or since weis are a procedural,
I said, introduce some bills, but this afternoon will be
(10:28):
I said, the opposition's day along with the independence. I
believe Yini Goala's got a motion that he's bringing on
this afternoon, and then I think if that if we
work through that one, I think there's a water security
from the opposition after that.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
So I'll catch up with you today. I'll catch up
with the opposition in just a couple of moments. Hey,
a very quick one before I let you go, Can
you clarify for me? Yesterday during question time Dorothy Dixon,
a question was asked of the government to Steve Edgington,
the Housing Minister, about rental areas and just how badly
(11:09):
those in public housing are in rental areas. Did I
hear correctly that we have got thirty nine million dollars
in rental areas when it comes to public housing.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
Yeah, unfortunate, Katie. You heard correctly. Previous government wrote off
nearly seventy million dollars in rental debt with the stroke
of a pen, and then, of course haven't done anything
since then to deal with those rental areas and already
since that debt we've written off, we're back up over
thirty million dollars. So there's a whole piece of work
(11:44):
to deal with recouping that money. But at the end
of the day, making sure that the people in public
house are actually paying rent.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
Well, look, we're going to try and catch up with
the Housing Minister. Hopefully we're able to get Steve Edgington
on the show tomorrow. Bill yea Treasurer for the Northern Territory,
Infrastructure Minister, Mister for Transport, various portfolios. Great to speak
with you this morning.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
Great to talk to you Katie, and I'll see you soon.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
Sounds good. Thank you,
It's been an incredibly busy night. I think you'd have
(00:02):
to say possibly busy early morning as well in Parliament
and the Northern Territory Treasurer Bill Yan joins me on
the line, good morning to your bill.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Good morning, Kay, and good morning the people in the
top end.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
Now bill the government earlier this morning passing the Territory
Coordinator Bill in Parliament. The Chief Minister leofanocchi Aro welcoming
the passage of that bill, highlighting its significance and redefining
the way business is done. In the Northern Territory Treasurer,
the discussion went well into the night. What time did
you finish up and what do you think the passing
(00:37):
of this legislation means.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Yeah, Look, I think we finished in the chamber about
one thirty kyerd about quarters, so I think by the
time we got out of probably got out of Parliament House.
It was a pretty epic session. Hats offs and Chief mints.
I think nearly six and a half hours in the
chair during consideration in detail. But Kay, this is a
turning portant at the end of the day for the
(01:01):
territory and for our economic development. It provides that certainly,
I think the proponents who are looking to come and
invest here in the territory. We've seen that the blockages
and the difficulties of doing business and the shuffling between
departments of proponents who are looking to develop significant projects.
And this will be now one stop shop through the
(01:22):
Territory Coordinator. They'll be able to course go out and
find and start to drive those projects and then work
with those proponents and government to deliver those projects. And
we need that investment here in the territory. Cade we
know what our budget's like, it's in a bit of
a whole major oles. We need those proponents. We need
(01:43):
that outside investment in the territory to start to drive
our economoon, start to produce those royalsies and that other
income for territory and so we can do the things
that we want to do.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
Treasure. There were a number of amendments which the Crossbench
attempted to make. Why did the government choose to knock
back many of those changes which were proposed by the
Scrutiny Committee as well?
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Yeah, well look Okatie, there was a lot of amendments
come through, But what the Territory Coordinator Bill was always
about is cutting through that rotape and making processes easier
to actually get projects off the ground and get the moving.
And a lot of the amendments were brought forward actually
wound back what the bill was actually about. So it
(02:28):
was about putting more bureaucratic processes into the bill to actually,
funny enough, slow things down, and that's the opposite to
what we're trying to achieve. We're trying to remove bureaucratic
processes and speed of those timelines up because we've lost
so many projects in the territory because of the timeiness
on delivering the timeliness of making decisions. So the bill
(02:50):
is about changing that. So anything that was going to
actually create more bureaucratic process for the sake of bureaucratic
process defeats what the purpose of the bill was. But
there are a number of things that were raised by
the Scrutiny Committee, Katie, that were changed in the bill,
some of the reporting, some stuff coming back to Parliament
for reviews. So there was some stuff that actually made
(03:14):
good sense for that transparency that was brought through. But
anything that was actually changing what the makeup of the
bill was about and actually slowing things down and adding
bureaucratic processes certainly wasn't supported by us.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
Well, look it's forged ahead. It is happening and you know,
time will tell what kind of difference it does make
in terms of getting projects moving in the Northern Territory Treasurer.
A large focus for the opposition yesterday in Parliament was
indeed the Ikach Report operation of POLO. We now know
that the Chief Minister obviously announced late yesterday that the
(03:52):
termination of the former Police Commissioner Michael Murphy on the
recommendation of the Executive Council contract was indeed terminated. In
terms of the discussion yesterday in question Time, the Opposition
was saying that the Chief Minister could have come out
publicly with the report sooner. Do you think that the
(04:14):
Chief Minister has acted quickly enough? Oh?
Speaker 2 (04:18):
Absolutely, Okay, It's interesting the opposition's tactics yesterday in relation
to this. Now we know that in the Ikak Report
it said that the report could be the Chief Minister
could table that report in parliament. So yesterday it was
the first day of parliament since the report was given
(04:38):
to the Chief Minister, and the first action of government.
The first piece of business today yesterday was to actually
table that report. So I don't understand how the opposition
can say that she could have come out and discussed
it earlier, because there's very strict rules. As we're all
around I CAAC. If I'm involved in an I CAAC mat,
(05:00):
I can't discuss it with my cabinet colleagues, I can't
discuss it with anyone. So the Chief Minister got the
report and said yes it can be table in parliament.
That doesn't mean that you can actually go out and
discussed the contents of that report publicly before parliament. It's
just I always wondered where that I were going with this.
It just didn't make a lot of sense.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
I mean, do you support the way that she has
handled this whole situation.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Absolutely, Katie, I said, I think we spoke about this
last week. I was in dunment for eighteen years, so
I understand how the process has worked and sometimes as
a methodical approach that you have to go through when
dealing with these matters. And of course there's natural disasters
are afforded to both sides, so getting the report and
(05:44):
working methodically through that decision process has to be done
otherwise we end up with what the previous government done.
With Murphy. They missed the process up and we all
know what happened there. It become an absolute debarkle. So
oh you mean to work through the process.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
Sorry do you mean with Jamie Chalker? I think you
said Murphy there?
Speaker 2 (06:04):
Oh sorry, mom, mind mistake. The yeah Jamie Chalker is yeah, ye.
The previous government jumped the gun on that and didn't
do the process correctly as it and it left us
with a bit of a dog's breakfast and of course
a huge payout.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
Well, look, we're going to catch up with the Deputy
Opposition Leader, Duran Young in a couple of minutes, so
i'll hear what he's got to say about the situation. Treasurer,
I know that yesterday the government launched its Rebuilding the
Economy Strategy for twenty twenty five to twenty eight. It's
been described as an action plan to drive economic growth,
create jobs and restore confidence in the territory's future. I'm
(06:42):
sure that they're certainly your main objectives as the Treasurer.
You know some of the key priorities will five of
them making the Northern Territory the best place to do business,
building a bigger, better workforce, delivering for Australia unlocking regional growth,
connecting the Northern Territory Treasurer. We often hear slogans to
(07:05):
try and get things moving in the Northern Territory. I
mean boundless possible springs to mind. What exactly what exactly,
what exactly is this strategy going to do to get
things moving? Rather than just words?
Speaker 2 (07:18):
Yeah, and look, we put the strategy outkay, and it's
not just words. This is a signal to business. And
I said, a signal to investors that we're open to business.
And I suppose the first key part of that was
yesterday ka well actually early as this morning and passing
the Territory Coordinator Bill. So that is one part of
the best place to do business. And the second part
of that, of course is the Fast Track Approvals Task
(07:41):
Force and the work that they're doing. So we need
the territory to be the best place to do want
business to come to the territory because it's easy and
simple to do business here, and it hasn't been. So
that's one of the key things that we need to unlock.
We need to attract the business to the territory because
it is the best place to do business. It is
(08:01):
the best regulatory environment to do business. And I think
I said yesterday numerous times, is that we've got all
the resources natural resources that Western Australia has in some respects,
but we're too hard to do business. So we need
to unlock that and we can become the powerhouse of
the country. The good announcement today are supposed from the
(08:23):
federal government because we've been putting pressure on them ever
since we got into government about the dharma and attracting
overseas workers into the territory. So we're glad to see
that announcement. I said, we pressure on Robin Carl has
been doing a heap of work in that space to
increase that workforce. So there's another piece of that. And said,
(08:48):
through the resources that we have, we can deliver for
the country. We know we've got enough gas in the beadle,
I think the power the entire country for four hundred years.
We just need to unlock that potential and those benefits
then flow to territorians. But of course, strategically, if you
look at that, delivering for Australia is our of course
a strategic place within defense. We're seeing increased investment from
(09:12):
the defense in Australia. We're also seeing the US working
with us and now of course we have the Japanese
Self Defense Force coming to do work with us here
in a territory. So that is another piece of course
of delivering for Australia and our regional growth without communities
that's of course always going to be key because they've
(09:33):
got so much potential in the community is to be
part of part of this process and I think part
of the bigger picture moving forward. So it's pretty exciting, kay,
what we announced yesterday, and I said, we're working hard
now to make sure we deliver on those five key pillars.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
Well, look, I think that I, like many Territorians, hope
that we do start to see the economy turn around
here in the Northern Territory. And I will take our
listeners through that new five year agreement when it comes
to DARMA a little bit later. Bill, before I let
you go this morning, what's on the agenda for the
government today in Parliament.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
We're introducing a couple of bills this morning, Kay, that
will be debated next parliament. Of course, it's General Business Day,
so this is the opportunity for the opposition and Independence
to bring forward their business today. So we've got a
few things this morning or since weis are a procedural,
I said, introduce some bills, but this afternoon will be
(10:28):
I said, the opposition's day along with the independence. I
believe Yini Goala's got a motion that he's bringing on
this afternoon, and then I think if that if we
work through that one, I think there's a water security
from the opposition after that.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
So I'll catch up with you today. I'll catch up
with the opposition in just a couple of moments. Hey,
a very quick one before I let you go, Can
you clarify for me? Yesterday during question time Dorothy Dixon,
a question was asked of the government to Steve Edgington,
the Housing Minister, about rental areas and just how badly
(11:09):
those in public housing are in rental areas. Did I
hear correctly that we have got thirty nine million dollars
in rental areas when it comes to public housing.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
Yeah, unfortunate, Katie. You heard correctly. Previous government wrote off
nearly seventy million dollars in rental debt with the stroke
of a pen, and then, of course haven't done anything
since then to deal with those rental areas and already
since that debt we've written off, we're back up over
thirty million dollars. So there's a whole piece of work
(11:44):
to deal with recouping that money. But at the end
of the day, making sure that the people in public
house are actually paying rent.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
Well, look, we're going to try and catch up with
the Housing Minister. Hopefully we're able to get Steve Edgington
on the show tomorrow. Bill yea Treasurer for the Northern Territory,
Infrastructure Minister, Mister for Transport, various portfolios. Great to speak
with you this morning.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
Great to talk to you Katie, and I'll see you soon.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
Sounds good. Thank you,
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