Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
A couple of weeks ago, we spoke about concerns being
raised well around public intoxication in the electorate of Drysdale.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Now.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
At the time, the member for Drysdale said that he
was keen to meet with the Liquor Commission to talk
about the issues being experienced in Gray. Now, Clinton, how
the Member for Drysdale joins me in the studio. Good
morning to you, Clinton.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Get A, Katine get A Territorians.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
Now, this is something that you've been really pretty open about.
I think I've seen on your Facebook page. You know,
you've spoken a lot about some of the issues being
experienced in your electric when it comes to that public intoxication.
You spoke to me a couple of weeks ago and
said that you were going to be meeting I believe
with the Liquor Commission.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Did that happen, Yeah, it did so, And yeah, you're right,
this is a major it's a major issue in our area.
It's a major issue for me personally, and so it's
something I really want to deliver on. And so part
of that piece was dealing with well looking into the
alcohol issues we've got. And so it was last start
of last week I had the option tunity to present
(01:01):
to the Liquor Commission Board, which was awesome and essentially
I had about half an hour where I could put
the case forward as to why they need to put
their attention on Palmerston and we discussed quite a range
of things. So I discussed the kind of layer of
the land. I explained in my point of view, how
we've got to this problem, and you know, part of
(01:24):
that is the kind of housing density issues we face.
And there's a few pieces to that puzzle, but yeah,
it was good. Overall, it was good. The Palmerston mayor,
Athena Pasco Bell also wrote to the commission, so that
helped add I think some weight to you know, they
had two levels of government who were asking for them
(01:47):
to kind of put their eye onto the alcohol supply.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
And so Clinton, are we in a situation where there
is going to be some changes when it comes to
those liquor licenses in your electrop because that is something
that that people seem quite concerned with.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Yeah, the short answers that'll be up to the Commission.
And so the way what it's done now is I
guess I've gone in. I've said on behalf of the community,
we would like them to review the liquor license at
the Gray Shops. But I'll make it clear too, it
wasn't just the Gray Shops we discussed, and I discussed
(02:24):
that it might be a much wider area they could
cast them that right, because there we do have reports
of liquor shops, liquor coming from other shops right for
example in Oasis and just some other takeaway shops around
the area. So it'll be up to the board as
to what they want to do next. I'm yet to
(02:48):
receive my written communication from them.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
So, like, how big a worry is the misuse of
alcohol in your electorate at the moment, because like for me,
I don't live in Palmerston, but I drive my kids
out to soccer recently and there was people sprawled across
the strait really very intoxicated at like three o'clock in
the afternoon. And you know, from what our listeners say,
(03:12):
that's like a regular occurrence, that is not unusual. And
I just thought, goodness me, there's literally kids riding past
them to get to soccer.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Yeah, it's shocking. And there's a primary school. There's a
primary school right there as well, so when the kids
knock off at school, they're exposed to it. I'm not
going to sugarcoat this situation that exists. And I think
we've gotten to this point over a very long term
(03:43):
kind of policy phase, but we're here now. Alcohol is
a huge issue. As you've just said. The people that
use go to the Palmerston Rovers Club, which my wife
plays at as well, and you know, she had the
same thing alcohol when she had a game on Tuesday
and the screaming and fighting.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
So it's it's just unacceptable behavior. And you know, I
think it's you know, we've reached a point where we've
become very desensitized to the you know, to some of
the alcohol issues that we see. It's not only alcohol issues. Obviously,
there's an element of crime as well that is being
experienced too. I mean, some people listening this morning might
(04:26):
be thinking, well, Clinton, you're part of the government that's
in power, do something.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
Yeah, And so the desensitivity point people are that I
will refuse to become desensitized to it. I just for me,
this is not right. I'm not going to raise my children.
I'm not going to have my family live in that
kind of environment and I won't have it happen to
the people I represent. So that's why I guess I've
(04:53):
come in. I was the first MLA ever to take
an issue direct to the Liquor Commission, and so yeah,
I'm going to tackle that issue. I've been very loud
in Parliament. I've publicly put on the record my intentions
to lower the degree of the amount of housing in
(05:14):
the area. So Katie, this is I've got like a
vision for Drysdale and I've just got to stay the course,
stay committed and get the results I want to see.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
So what are the next steps from your perspective? I mean,
first off with the Liquor Commission, like, what's the next
steps to not only those that live in your electorate
listening this morning, but I think the broader Palmerston community
as well.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
So it's a good question. And the Liquor Commission, I
can't anticipate what they will do, what they will find,
what their recommendations might be. But I did say this
to the Commission, you know the voice that they've raised
many things in the past that haven't been acted on.
But I said, well, you have a memor of governments
(06:00):
sitting here who wants to work with you, is engaged
with you. So if you guys honestly have ideas or
recommendations that will make my community better, I will go
and fight for them. And so there's a huge opportunity
for the Liquor Commission as well in that they've got
someone in government who if I think it's going to
(06:22):
be a good idea for Drysdale, I'll do it.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
You're prepared to do it. So could that be some
of those liquor licenses being stripped.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
Yeah, however however they think it should best go, I
guess it's one of those things I can't I don't know.
They've got a wide range of things they can do,
and yeah, I really look forward to hearing what their
decision is and then I'll really look forward to their outcomes.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
And it sounds as though you'd also like to see
and you want to work with the government that you
are part of to really try to like the volume
of public housing that you've got out in Palmerston too.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Yeah, so we've got I've got seventeen point one percent
of the Greater Darwin public housing in my electorate and
it's very consolidated in one area. Some of it is
extremely old, especially some of these old flats and that
kind of thing. The fact, the simple fact is I
have huge volume of people that live there who come
(07:26):
into my office wanting a transfer because they just can't
put up with it anymore. So you've got lots of
good people who are trying to get ahead, but the
environment just because of the way it's all been designed,
and they just can't. And so you know, when you're
dealing with you might have a young single mom with
(07:46):
young kids and they're in your office and they're just
so upset because the drinking, the party and going late
into the night. They're tired trying to go to work,
the kids are tired going to school. It isn't fair
and it's not giving anyone a fair go getting ahead
as well. And so yes, I am committed to it.
(08:09):
It means it's a long term plan because people will
need you know, we need new housing stock. It's to develop.
But it's something I'm very committed to.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
Clinton. One of the things that I understand is working
quite well across the community, And please correct me if
I'm wrong, is that co responder model. Is that something
that you're finding is working in your electrode in terms
of you know, kids that may be out at different
times of the day when they shouldn't be and getting
them back home or getting them some to a safe
(08:40):
place if they don't have a home.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
Yeah. I think a really good example of this probably
is what we're doing at the markets. And so if
I bring it to the markets, because it's just a
good kind of case study, I guess of kind of
what we're doing. So the Partmerston markets kicked back off
about a month ago and we saw a lot of
youth In the first two weeks there was youth fights,
(09:05):
which I just cannot accept happening at the markets. It's
a family event, My family goes to it. It was
literally a youth fight at the Palmeston Markets that triggered
me wanting to get into politics. So I wasn't going
to have this continue. So I worked with the ministers,
so Minister Carl and we getting te getting the our
(09:31):
circuit breaker program down there, and also working with our
police and so with the Chief Minister and ensuring we
had strong police resources there, but also working with the
City of Palmerston. And I think this is a really
important piece. It's both us and the council kind of
pulling our resources for a common goal, which is a
(09:52):
safe market and they've been fantastic. So they've doubled the
security they have and then they've got the youth works
at the so that's good. Yeah, And so they introduced
a lockout system at the rec center, which means so
the kids can go in play basketball, they're fed, there's
heap to Domino's pizzas for them, and then if they leave,
(10:12):
they're locked out. And this kind of stops the huge
dumping of hundreds of kids all at the one time.
And the police response was great. We had like for
the first to kind of break the back of this issue,
you know, they had they had police horses, there, lots
of extra patrols. Last week they brought a command center.
(10:34):
Really strong presence in the last two weeks have been great.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
Well, that is good. That's good to hear that some
of those different initiatives and different things are working. Clinton.
Before I let you go, you were, obviously and you
are the chair of the Public Accounts Committee, which meshed
earlier this week after a referral by the opposition leader
around the Darwin Waterfront Corporation. Now that committee is obviously
a colp Domina, but it consists of Justine Davis, Manuel
(11:02):
Brown from Labor, Clinton Howe yourself, obviously, Brian O'Gallagher, and
Lourie ze O. Now, as I understand it, following receipt
of submissions and that public briefing into the Darwin Waterfront,
the Public Accounts Committee unanimously decided that none of the
allegations as set out in that inquiry terms of reference
(11:22):
were substantiated. Why did the committee come to that decision?
Speaker 2 (11:27):
Yeah, thanks Katie. I think that's what you've just said there,
and i'd like to listeners to really if you're listening
and interested in this, all five of us unanimously came
to our own conclusion that none of it was substantiated.
And I think that's a really important piece here. So
that's both the COLP members, the Labor member, and the
(11:50):
independent unanimously found that these were not substantiated allegations. There
is large volume of evidence provided in the submissions and
that is all publicly available. So we have made public
everything from this so you can go online and read it.
But yeah, essentially, through the submissions it just details all
(12:16):
the facts and then through the hearing we were able
to ask questions of the waterfront and I think it was, Well,
it was a unanimous decision.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
So when is the report now going to be finalized?
How long will that take before people are able.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
To see that? Yeah, so the report, Usually we would
roll straight into the report. However, we're about to roll
into estimates, and so that same Public Accounts Committee, the
five of us have also all.
Speaker 1 (12:46):
Been sold be into estimates, which kicks off next week.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
So we're we're very busy committee at the moment, and
so we'll do estimates that'll go for two weeks and
then we will roll in to discussing the report.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
Well, Clinton, we are going to have to leave it there.
I can see the Northern Territory Police waiting outside to
come in as my next guest. Thank you very much
for joining us this morning. I really appreciate it. Thank you,
A couple of weeks ago, we spoke about concerns being
raised well around public intoxication in the electorate of Drysdale.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Now.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
At the time, the member for Drysdale said that he
was keen to meet with the Liquor Commission to talk
about the issues being experienced in Gray. Now, Clinton, how
the Member for Drysdale joins me in the studio. Good
morning to you, Clinton.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Get A, Katine get A Territorians.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
Now, this is something that you've been really pretty open about.
I think I've seen on your Facebook page. You know,
you've spoken a lot about some of the issues being
experienced in your electric when it comes to that public intoxication.
You spoke to me a couple of weeks ago and
said that you were going to be meeting I believe
with the Liquor Commission.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Did that happen, Yeah, it did so, And yeah, you're right,
this is a major it's a major issue in our area.
It's a major issue for me personally, and so it's
something I really want to deliver on. And so part
of that piece was dealing with well looking into the
alcohol issues we've got. And so it was last start
of last week I had the option tunity to present
(01:01):
to the Liquor Commission Board, which was awesome and essentially
I had about half an hour where I could put
the case forward as to why they need to put
their attention on Palmerston and we discussed quite a range
of things. So I discussed the kind of layer of
the land. I explained in my point of view, how
we've got to this problem, and you know, part of
(01:24):
that is the kind of housing density issues we face.
And there's a few pieces to that puzzle, but yeah,
it was good. Overall, it was good. The Palmerston mayor,
Athena Pasco Bell also wrote to the commission, so that
helped add I think some weight to you know, they
had two levels of government who were asking for them
(01:47):
to kind of put their eye onto the alcohol supply.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
And so Clinton, are we in a situation where there
is going to be some changes when it comes to
those liquor licenses in your electrop because that is something
that that people seem quite concerned with.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Yeah, the short answers that'll be up to the Commission.
And so the way what it's done now is I
guess I've gone in. I've said on behalf of the community,
we would like them to review the liquor license at
the Gray Shops. But I'll make it clear too, it
wasn't just the Gray Shops we discussed, and I discussed
(02:24):
that it might be a much wider area they could
cast them that right, because there we do have reports
of liquor shops, liquor coming from other shops right for
example in Oasis and just some other takeaway shops around
the area. So it'll be up to the board as
to what they want to do next. I'm yet to
(02:48):
receive my written communication from them.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
So, like, how big a worry is the misuse of
alcohol in your electorate at the moment, because like for me,
I don't live in Palmerston, but I drive my kids
out to soccer recently and there was people sprawled across
the strait really very intoxicated at like three o'clock in
the afternoon. And you know, from what our listeners say,
(03:12):
that's like a regular occurrence, that is not unusual. And
I just thought, goodness me, there's literally kids riding past
them to get to soccer.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Yeah, it's shocking. And there's a primary school. There's a
primary school right there as well, so when the kids
knock off at school, they're exposed to it. I'm not
going to sugarcoat this situation that exists. And I think
we've gotten to this point over a very long term
(03:43):
kind of policy phase, but we're here now. Alcohol is
a huge issue. As you've just said. The people that
use go to the Palmerston Rovers Club, which my wife
plays at as well, and you know, she had the
same thing alcohol when she had a game on Tuesday
and the screaming and fighting.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
So it's it's just unacceptable behavior. And you know, I
think it's you know, we've reached a point where we've
become very desensitized to the you know, to some of
the alcohol issues that we see. It's not only alcohol issues. Obviously,
there's an element of crime as well that is being
experienced too. I mean, some people listening this morning might
(04:26):
be thinking, well, Clinton, you're part of the government that's
in power, do something.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
Yeah, And so the desensitivity point people are that I
will refuse to become desensitized to it. I just for me,
this is not right. I'm not going to raise my children.
I'm not going to have my family live in that
kind of environment and I won't have it happen to
the people I represent. So that's why I guess I've
(04:53):
come in. I was the first MLA ever to take
an issue direct to the Liquor Commission, and so yeah,
I'm going to tackle that issue. I've been very loud
in Parliament. I've publicly put on the record my intentions
to lower the degree of the amount of housing in
(05:14):
the area. So Katie, this is I've got like a
vision for Drysdale and I've just got to stay the course,
stay committed and get the results I want to see.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
So what are the next steps from your perspective? I mean,
first off with the Liquor Commission, like, what's the next
steps to not only those that live in your electorate
listening this morning, but I think the broader Palmerston community
as well.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
So it's a good question. And the Liquor Commission, I
can't anticipate what they will do, what they will find,
what their recommendations might be. But I did say this
to the Commission, you know the voice that they've raised
many things in the past that haven't been acted on.
But I said, well, you have a memor of governments
(06:00):
sitting here who wants to work with you, is engaged
with you. So if you guys honestly have ideas or
recommendations that will make my community better, I will go
and fight for them. And so there's a huge opportunity
for the Liquor Commission as well in that they've got
someone in government who if I think it's going to
(06:22):
be a good idea for Drysdale, I'll do it.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
You're prepared to do it. So could that be some
of those liquor licenses being stripped.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
Yeah, however however they think it should best go, I
guess it's one of those things I can't I don't know.
They've got a wide range of things they can do,
and yeah, I really look forward to hearing what their
decision is and then I'll really look forward to their outcomes.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
And it sounds as though you'd also like to see
and you want to work with the government that you
are part of to really try to like the volume
of public housing that you've got out in Palmerston too.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Yeah, so we've got I've got seventeen point one percent
of the Greater Darwin public housing in my electorate and
it's very consolidated in one area. Some of it is
extremely old, especially some of these old flats and that
kind of thing. The fact, the simple fact is I
have huge volume of people that live there who come
(07:26):
into my office wanting a transfer because they just can't
put up with it anymore. So you've got lots of
good people who are trying to get ahead, but the
environment just because of the way it's all been designed,
and they just can't. And so you know, when you're
dealing with you might have a young single mom with
(07:46):
young kids and they're in your office and they're just
so upset because the drinking, the party and going late
into the night. They're tired trying to go to work,
the kids are tired going to school. It isn't fair
and it's not giving anyone a fair go getting ahead
as well. And so yes, I am committed to it.
(08:09):
It means it's a long term plan because people will
need you know, we need new housing stock. It's to develop.
But it's something I'm very committed to.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
Clinton. One of the things that I understand is working
quite well across the community, And please correct me if
I'm wrong, is that co responder model. Is that something
that you're finding is working in your electrode in terms
of you know, kids that may be out at different
times of the day when they shouldn't be and getting
them back home or getting them some to a safe
(08:40):
place if they don't have a home.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
Yeah. I think a really good example of this probably
is what we're doing at the markets. And so if
I bring it to the markets, because it's just a
good kind of case study, I guess of kind of
what we're doing. So the Partmerston markets kicked back off
about a month ago and we saw a lot of
youth In the first two weeks there was youth fights,
(09:05):
which I just cannot accept happening at the markets. It's
a family event, My family goes to it. It was
literally a youth fight at the Palmeston Markets that triggered
me wanting to get into politics. So I wasn't going
to have this continue. So I worked with the ministers,
so Minister Carl and we getting te getting the our
(09:31):
circuit breaker program down there, and also working with our
police and so with the Chief Minister and ensuring we
had strong police resources there, but also working with the
City of Palmerston. And I think this is a really
important piece. It's both us and the council kind of
pulling our resources for a common goal, which is a
(09:52):
safe market and they've been fantastic. So they've doubled the
security they have and then they've got the youth works
at the so that's good. Yeah, And so they introduced
a lockout system at the rec center, which means so
the kids can go in play basketball, they're fed, there's
heap to Domino's pizzas for them, and then if they leave,
(10:12):
they're locked out. And this kind of stops the huge
dumping of hundreds of kids all at the one time.
And the police response was great. We had like for
the first to kind of break the back of this issue,
you know, they had they had police horses, there, lots
of extra patrols. Last week they brought a command center.
(10:34):
Really strong presence in the last two weeks have been great.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
Well, that is good. That's good to hear that some
of those different initiatives and different things are working. Clinton.
Before I let you go, you were, obviously and you
are the chair of the Public Accounts Committee, which meshed
earlier this week after a referral by the opposition leader
around the Darwin Waterfront Corporation. Now that committee is obviously
a colp Domina, but it consists of Justine Davis, Manuel
(11:02):
Brown from Labor, Clinton Howe yourself, obviously, Brian O'Gallagher, and
Lourie ze O. Now, as I understand it, following receipt
of submissions and that public briefing into the Darwin Waterfront,
the Public Accounts Committee unanimously decided that none of the
allegations as set out in that inquiry terms of reference
(11:22):
were substantiated. Why did the committee come to that decision?
Speaker 2 (11:27):
Yeah, thanks Katie. I think that's what you've just said there,
and i'd like to listeners to really if you're listening
and interested in this, all five of us unanimously came
to our own conclusion that none of it was substantiated.
And I think that's a really important piece here. So
that's both the COLP members, the Labor member, and the
(11:50):
independent unanimously found that these were not substantiated allegations. There
is large volume of evidence provided in the submissions and
that is all publicly available. So we have made public
everything from this so you can go online and read it.
But yeah, essentially, through the submissions it just details all
(12:16):
the facts and then through the hearing we were able
to ask questions of the waterfront and I think it was, Well,
it was a unanimous decision.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
So when is the report now going to be finalized?
How long will that take before people are able.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
To see that? Yeah, so the report, Usually we would
roll straight into the report. However, we're about to roll
into estimates, and so that same Public Accounts Committee, the
five of us have also all.
Speaker 1 (12:46):
Been sold be into estimates, which kicks off next week.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
So we're we're very busy committee at the moment, and
so we'll do estimates that'll go for two weeks and
then we will roll in to discussing the report.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
Well, Clinton, we are going to have to leave it there.
I can see the Northern Territory Police waiting outside to
come in as my next guest. Thank you very much
for joining us this morning. I really appreciate it. Thank you,
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