Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now in breaking news this morning, the Northern Territory governments
(00:03):
formally referred the Darwin Shiplift project to the Public Accounts
Committee for investigations, citing escalating costs and delays.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
The Treasurer Bill.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
Yan made the announcement this morning, stating that it was
time for territory in sticking answers on this project. Now.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
If you recall, it was originally.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
Announced by the former Colp government as a one hundred
million dollar project that cost blew out to four hundred
million dollars in twenty nineteen and again to five hundred
and fifteen million dollars in twenty twenty two. The project, though,
is now facing significant additional forecasted costs in the order
(00:41):
of hundreds of millions of dollars. Now joining me in
the studio is the Chief Minister Leofanochiaro. Good morning to
your Chief Minister.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Good morning Canadians here listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
Now, the Darwin ship Lift, originally scheduled for completion by
the end of last year, was meant to be a
nation building project that would have would have anchored to
our defense, maritime and manufacturing industries. Does your government still
believe it's going to do that or do you believe
it's going to do that.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:09):
Look, we're really very supportive of the ship lift project.
We just you know, we lament like every other territory
and that it isn't already operational. And this should have
happened years and years ago, and it should have happened
for a fraction of the price of what we're looking
at now, and that requires investigation. This is taxpayers money
at the end of the day, and some of it
is nay funding, which is a commerce loan obviously, which
(01:30):
still means we have to pay it back. There's no
money tree that we've found to date yet, Katie, if
your listeners that one, let us know. But it's a
really serious project. We need it to anchor our strategic
defense importance and maritime industries. But it can't come with
a blank check.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
So when is it going to be complete?
Speaker 3 (01:50):
Look, I'm not aware of that. I think this still.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Near completetion.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
Oh absolutely not.
Speaker 4 (01:56):
Gosh no, it's there's plenty of work happening out there,
but it's not even close to being completed. It'll be
you know, a number of years more, I suspect, and
you know, it's gone from one hundred million to five
hundred and fifteen million. Our understanding is, you know, there
could be hundreds and more millions to go, So it
requires a look and the Public Accounts Committee is specifically
(02:17):
designed for that purpose to review the public account i e.
Your taxpayers dollars being spent by government.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
So what is the aim I mean, what is the
aim of referring it now? Is it to work out
exactly how much it's going to cost when it's going
to be finished. And if that is the aim, why
can't the department or whoever's actually delivering this project tell
you all those things already.
Speaker 4 (02:38):
The beauty of the Public Accounts Committee is they can
have public hearings, they can call people as witnesses, they
can really get a broad scope of information, and it's
also public and that's really important to have the transparency
component around it. So we really need to see where
labor went wrong. We don't want to be making those
same mistakes in our government. And also then you know,
(03:00):
foreseeably how much more is this project going to cost
and why, because at the end of the day, it's
a huge amount of money to the territory when we're
already suffering under catastrophic levels stick, Can.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
I just get this straight?
Speaker 1 (03:11):
At the moment it's going to cost five hundred, Well
it was in twenty twenty two five hundred and fifteen
million dollars is what it had blown out to. But
then the project's also backed by this three hundred million
dollar concession a loan from the KNAFE. Is that on
top of the five hundred and fifteen or is that
all together?
Speaker 3 (03:27):
No, that's within it.
Speaker 4 (03:29):
So some of it is just you know, direct money
from the Northern Territory government. Some of it is KNAIF
money which we're using, which we'll have to pay back.
So it's it's all money that comes out of tax dollars, Katie.
So yes, it is a worthy project, but how we
got from one hundred to in excessive five hundred is
(03:49):
a question worth asking and we need territories to understand
it because it's a huge amount of their money that
can't go into other things. And you know, at the moment,
we've got plenty of things we could spend money on
and we can't, and this is part of that region.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Do we actually have as well, like anchor tenants, do
we have a situation here where defense is locked in,
for example, to use that shiplift or are we still
then going to build this thing and we're unsure whether
we've got the need for it or whether it's going
to be utilized.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
I don't think anything's been locked in. I believe it
was a bit of a build it and they will come,
which you know isn't always a bad thing.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
But you know, at the end of the day, we.
Speaker 4 (04:27):
Know we can strategically position ourselves here to be particularly
having defense as the main proponent, to use that facility.
But we've got to build it to be hable to
get to that point, right, and we've been talking about
it for ten years. It's exhausting. I mean, it's a
bit like the art gallery and Alice Springs. You know,
it becomes a bit of an urban myth it.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
So it gets to a point where people start to
think that it's never going to happen, and the demand
or the need for it, you know, you feel as
though then that diminished it. So I know that in
North Queensland, I thought they were building a shiplift facility there.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Well, I'll be interested to know whether.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
There is actually complete or where theirs is at and
why US has taken the period of time that it.
Speaker 4 (05:06):
Has exactly exactly, and that's all the type of things
that the PAC can look at, because you're right, it's
about putting you know, there's competitive advantages, and what disappoints
me the most out of all of this is the
opportunity cost. Had we had a ship lift five years ago,
where would we be right now? And I know we
can't look back, and I know we shouldn't live in
the past, but opportunity cost is a real cost to
(05:28):
the community, and that's why this investigation is important because
we don't want to make those same mistakes moving forward.
Rebuilding our economy is a huge part of our plan
to get the territory back on track, and so we've
got to be making really good decisions and managing projects
really well for value for territory.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
All right, Chief Minister, I want to move along.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
Over the weekend, we know that thousands of people descended
on Nightcliff for the Sea Breeze Festival, but on Friday
on this show, we sadly had to cover more crime
in the beautiful suburb. Last week, police arrested and charged
a teenager who sexually assaulted women who were exercising along
the foreshore. He also targeted women at the hospital in
(06:09):
the car park. Then on Thursday in the afternoon we
had a teenage boy who was arrested after allegedly terrorizing people,
including kids, with a metal pole. Then this morning we've
just received a pressure lease from the police. A sixteen
year old male and fifteen year old female have been
arrested in relation to the alleged aggravated robbery and assault
(06:29):
of a worker in Nightcliff on Friday morning. Happened about
ten forty in the morning. In the morning, there was
a disturbance involving multiple people at a service station on
Progress Drive. A number of youths allegedly attempted to steal
items from that store, with one of the youths throwing
cans and bottles at the employee. Now, the really sad
part about this, right is this is horrendous behavior.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
I know myself.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
I've said to you, I've witnessed a group of young
people throwing soft drinks at a security guard at.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
The Nightcliff shops.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
There. I actually had workers at Nightcliff Shops, not at
the Woolworts one, but over you know, in the village.
Contact me last week so and Katie.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
We are scared.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
We are locking our doors because there's groups of teenage
just getting around with knives. What additional work is the
Northern Territory government going to actually do to keep people
safe in this area?
Speaker 4 (07:21):
Yeah, there has for a reason. We can't put our
finger on, Katie, but for some reason there has been
a very you know, a serious increase, particularly in and
around that Nightcliff area, and you know, of course tragic
loss of life on top of that Katie's So it
is something Police have really stepped up their proactive and
visual policing and I think people would have seen that,
(07:43):
particularly over the weekend and at festivals and events. But
I think what's most concerning for me is when you
look at this information coming out from police.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
They're teenagers, fifteen sixteen.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
At ten forty in the morning, Why aren't they at
school for a start?
Speaker 3 (07:58):
Exactly?
Speaker 4 (07:59):
And again it back to the problem, the historical problem
that territories are suffering the consequences of is that these
kids have not known consequences, and it's the community that
pays the price, not the young person. They've already had
ten years of life where they've been fancy free, able
to committee for.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
Getting to the point though, I suppose where you know,
we all know the history, but we're now like they're
getting to the point where they're going, Well, I want
to be able to actually operate my shop and feel
safe to do so without being concerned that I'm going
to have someone pull a knife on me, a teenager
pull a knife on me, and not just pull a
knife on me, but potentially become very violent with that knife.
(08:39):
So is there going to be you said there was
an increased police presence over the weekend. What else are
you going to look at in that Nightcliff area? I mean,
is it a situation where we've got a really high
level of public housing in the area. Is it a
situation where the moving of Saint Vinnie's into that suburb
has made a difference, Like I know that the colp
obviously doesn't have that electrode, but I think it's bigger
(09:02):
than that. I think it's at the point where the
people who live in Nightcliffe are saying, please help us.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
Ye for sure, and they're not alone.
Speaker 4 (09:09):
There are communities right across the territory who feel exactly
the same way. You know, for Nightcliff, it's really much
the same as for everywhere else. We're currently working on
a big piece of reform for public housing. How can
we evict people easier, how can we manage tenants better,
How can we ensure there are consequences and accountability for
people who have that privilege of housing who need it.
(09:31):
We have eight plus year wait lists, and someone destroying
a home should not enjoy the privilege of having a
home when there are needy, vulnerable people, families and kids
who would love to have a home, Katie. So that
work is happening and will be complete in the next
couple of months. That's a part of the puzzle. Increasing
our police numbers obviously with better powers, and we've seen
all of the work we've done so far with bail again,
(09:53):
more to come, and I'm buoyed by the fact than
in all of the police reports we're sort of seeing
everyone's being reminded in custody. That's no accident, that's stronger
bout laws.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
So in terms of the increased police presence, I mean
there is still a worry for locals and for people
that are in Nightcliff, Rapid Creek, all of those areas
that they want to be safe. I mean, we know
that on Friday, we had the Green's member for Nightcliff.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
Cat macnamara, on the show.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
She said that she was either in the process of
writing to you requesting the presence of private security, or
that she had already requested that is that something that
you'd consider.
Speaker 4 (10:29):
Yeah, we consider all options and people might remember that
under the files government she handed that management of those
security contracts over to police, but the requisite amount of
money wasn't put over for them to meet the demand
of the contracts they had, So we've been doing some
work in that space. Ultimately, a lot of communities want
(10:50):
security and they do provide a level of assistance, but
it's much bigger and deeper than that. So tomorrow's budget
will show you know, one point three four billion dollars
go into law and order and there's some exciting announcements
in that space. That's on top of what we're doing
to deal with the root causes of crime, which is
very important to everyone because again, please will catch in
(11:10):
once they've committed the crime.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
What we want is less crime.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
So in in so no commitment in terms of private security.
Speaker 4 (11:16):
In that area, I can't make that off the calf
and Nightcliff will join a long list of communities who'd
love to have a private security. At the end of
the day, we've got to get our settings right, and
so I'll take a look at it. I haven't seen
Cat's letter and so I'm not ruling it out, but
I can't.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
Retain all right.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
On another note, but still in the area, we also
and I touched on this before, a teenage boy was
accused of indecently assaulting six females in the Northern Suburbs
and he's facing multiple charges. Now this boy, who's under fifteen,
was arrested in charged last week after allegedly and decently
touching two women at a hospital car park. But prior
to that, there were four other assaults on women walking
(11:54):
along the Nightcliff Foreshore at various times in April. Now
I have had several women contact me questioning why the
police did not alert the public to the fact that
a person was attacking women on the Nightcliff Foreshore while
they are exercising. Even this morning, Leah jill in Aloa's
messaged and said it's beyond belief that the public were
not warned that a sexual predator was active in the
(12:17):
Nightcliff area for about two weeks why was there not
a public warning and women not made aware. Now I
know that that's not your responsibility to send those alerts out.
That is obviously the police and they would be making
operational decisions, but you do really have to question. And
this is something a number of women have raised with
me over the weekend while we're out exercising, Going, Katie,
(12:40):
how on earth will we not alluded to the fact
that these women that have been sexually assaulted on the
nightcliff foreshore and then he's out to be able to
sexually assault others and we're not even warned about it.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (12:52):
Look, and I know this is raised concerned for a
lot of people, as it should right. It is absolutely disgusting,
unacceptable and has no place in our community. And what
is upsetting about this is that you know, we can't
have people locking themselves in their houses. It's fantastic to
enjoy our lifestyle, be out, getting fit, socializing with friends
(13:12):
and family. We want people on nightcliff for sure, and
then you have incidences like this which erode trust and
confidence in the community to be able to live freely,
and then to some extent people feel concerned. Why didn't
we know about it? So I take that on board.
I don't know the operational rationale behind a lack of
a notification, but certainly police were working on each of
(13:34):
those matters, so it wasn't that there was no police response.
I do take the point about the broader I'm a
public awareness component and.
Speaker 1 (13:42):
Shouldn't the community's safety be number one priority? I mean,
for me, I know if I heard that that was
happening in the area where I exercised, well, I probably
wouldn't go alone, or I wouldn't put headphones in for
a start.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
Yeah, exactly that it was happening.
Speaker 4 (13:54):
You can make different decisions and that is important. So
I certainly take that point. And KA I have had
so many women come to me over the years. I
remember this one time I was in the mall doing
a mobile office and she ran up crying to me
and said, please help us. I don't even go for
my afternoon walk anymore. Like it's destroying my mental health
and my life. And so people can't shrug off not
(14:15):
going for a walk. These things are fundamental to life
and I absolutely respect and value that, and it's just
that continued work we have to do. And certainly take
the point about the notification or I've.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
Got a lot to power through there.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
Last week we learned a corrections officer have been severely
assaulted inside Dahin correctional facility. He gave Union head on
an early permission to confirm to us that well, he
lost his eye after being assaulted with crutches. The union
said this is a result of prisoners not being classified
properly and dangerous prisoners are putting the safety of officers
(14:52):
at risk. Are you concerned that more correctional officers could
be injured as a result of this.
Speaker 4 (14:58):
Well, I'll start by saying I don't don't accept the
allegations being thrown up by the union, and there will
be a proper and thorough investigation into this. Kadie, make
no mistake because the safety of our staff across government
and staff in the private sector is so important, and
so it is a tragedy that this corrections officer, a
veteran corrections officer you know, has has lost his eye.
(15:23):
It's not something we take lightly and it's not the
time to be throwing allegations. What we need to do
is get to the bottom of it so that we
can do everything we can to stop that happening again.
Speaker 1 (15:33):
And that's exactly right. Ensure that it doesn't happen again.
I mean, to be assaulted with a pair of crotches
in your workplace is nothing short of appalling. So a
review is going to take place.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
Yes, absolutely, that will be done.
Speaker 4 (15:46):
And you know that gives the operators the ability to
learn if there are lessons to be learned, training of staff,
whatever has to happen, will happen, and our corrections officers,
like our police and nurses, operate in a highly flatile
environments and so their protection and our processes and procedures
are critical to the success of our staff going home
(16:08):
safely every night.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
They need to be Look, we will talk more about
that throughout the morning, but we're going to take a
bit of a change of pace. I want to ask
you about the budget it's being handed down this week.
I mean, what can we expect as part of the
colp's first big budget. I'm imagining quite an enormous amount
of debt. Unfortunately, yes, plenty of debt.
Speaker 4 (16:29):
But this budget really is a budget about restoring confidence
in the territory and rebuilding the territory. It's our first
chance to wrap up labor legacy to be able to
set a foundation to move forward because of how Labor
was tricking territorians around the debt. What we've actually had
to do in this budget is finish, is allocate money
(16:51):
just to finish projects that are quite literally out of
the ground right now. So for example, Mendora Jetty, we're
having to spend tens of millions of dollars to finish
that off, even though Labor started that project. They just
had cliff funding for this year the art Gallery in
State Square. So there are millions upon millions of dollars
of labor legacy, unfunded labor legacy, which is adding to
(17:13):
our bottom line. And then there's the work we are
doing to reprioritize how labor was spending your money, to
spend it on the things that matter most to you.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
So is it going to be a budget that still
continues like that? Is your main focus still going to
be law in order and keeping the community.
Speaker 3 (17:29):
Site without questions?
Speaker 4 (17:31):
So the one point three to four billion is a
significant investment in community safety, and that's just police corrections
and courts. Then we've got all of the money we're
spending on DV on root causes of crime, getting kids
to school.
Speaker 3 (17:45):
So law and order is a key feature.
Speaker 4 (17:48):
But it's a sensible budget in the sense that this
is our chance to go back to zero, you know,
this is our chance to finish off Labour's legacy, to
build a platform for us to next year then start
really that important work of COLP policy moving forward.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
Well, I know some are questioning the Treasurer's decision to volunteer.
Then at the Barough Classic, just days out from handing
down the Northern Territory budget, the Opposition leader Selena Rubo
saying that Bill jan should be reeling in costs of
living for Territorians rather than Barra. Do you think it's
appropriate that the treasure was away last week, the week
before the budget's being handed down.
Speaker 4 (18:23):
I think the Opposition leader, who is part of the
cabinet that created the territory's most significant.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
Debt, really it's being a bit cheeky there.
Speaker 4 (18:32):
Look, they can point fingers all they want at the
end of the day, the budget was settled weeks ago
and the Treasurer has been the Chief Marshal and Patron
for thirteen years and so he's been out doing his
marshaling duties and we've been in constant contact and communication,
putting all of the final details and touches.
Speaker 3 (18:51):
But you know, the community can draw their own.
Speaker 1 (18:54):
Do you think it passes the pub test?
Speaker 4 (18:56):
Look, I think a lot of people actually find it
really icon Katie. But I certainly also understand others thinking that,
you know, his business should be here, and you know
that's the decisions that he's made, and he's big enough
to live with them.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
Should he go next year?
Speaker 4 (19:12):
We've certainly continued that work so well. Next year again
will be a matter for him. It's a fantastic event,
I have to add. But everything's in order and we're
looking forward tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
All right, Chief Minister, before I let you go.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
The federal election last week was a shocker for the coalition.
Just center price as no one else that she's going
to leave the Nets to join the coalition. Do you
think this is a good move or are the senator's
motivation self center?
Speaker 4 (19:38):
No, Look, just since is an incredible advocate for the territory.
I don't think anyone can argue with that, and she's
had to make what would have been a really difficult decision.
But for listeners it's really important to understand she is
still a CLP senator, So none of that changes. It's
just there's no federal CLP party. So we have a
relationship with the Nationals and the Liberals, and so instead
(19:58):
of sitting with the Nationals in the Senate, she will
sit with the Liberals. So it's really a positioning shift,
and so for everyday territories, you know, really won't create
much difference except that obviously she's put her hand up
for leadership, which is super exciting and we wish her well.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
There had been a bit of a change to the
count for Solomon last Friday, only about one thousand votes
now separating Luke Gorsling and Lisa Bayless and several votes
still to be counted. What's your understanding of where things
are at now. I mean, it is still looking as
though Luke Goslings in front, but it did really tighten
up that race.
Speaker 4 (20:32):
Yeah, it tightened up even further. So we've gone from
a six percent swing to the CLP to over seven percent.
They found five hundred CLP votes mixed up somewhere along
the line, so the race has really narrowed, and it
just further reinforces that you know, Luke Goslings on notice
that people are expecting more from him, and we'll certainly
(20:54):
be pushing him for a relationship with.
Speaker 1 (20:56):
Just the opposition saying that it means that you were
on notice.
Speaker 4 (21:00):
I just don't know how anyone can crunch the data
and come to that conclusion.
Speaker 3 (21:04):
Katie.
Speaker 4 (21:04):
We had thousands more first preference votes for the COLP
than Gosling. He limped over the line on preferences. Now,
a win's a win, but we take heart in the
seven percent swing and we're coming for him next time.
Speaker 1 (21:18):
Chief Minister lah Finocchio, we are going to have to
leave it there. Really appreciate your time this morning.
Speaker 3 (21:22):
Thank you, Thank you everyone,
Now in breaking news this morning, the Northern Territory governments
(00:03):
formally referred the Darwin Shiplift project to the Public Accounts
Committee for investigations, citing escalating costs and delays.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
The Treasurer Bill.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
Yan made the announcement this morning, stating that it was
time for territory in sticking answers on this project. Now.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
If you recall, it was originally.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
Announced by the former Colp government as a one hundred
million dollar project that cost blew out to four hundred
million dollars in twenty nineteen and again to five hundred
and fifteen million dollars in twenty twenty two. The project, though,
is now facing significant additional forecasted costs in the order
(00:41):
of hundreds of millions of dollars. Now joining me in
the studio is the Chief Minister Leofanochiaro. Good morning to
your Chief Minister.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Good morning Canadians here listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
Now, the Darwin ship Lift, originally scheduled for completion by
the end of last year, was meant to be a
nation building project that would have would have anchored to
our defense, maritime and manufacturing industries. Does your government still
believe it's going to do that or do you believe
it's going to do that.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:09):
Look, we're really very supportive of the ship lift project.
We just you know, we lament like every other territory
and that it isn't already operational. And this should have
happened years and years ago, and it should have happened
for a fraction of the price of what we're looking
at now, and that requires investigation. This is taxpayers money
at the end of the day, and some of it
is nay funding, which is a commerce loan obviously, which
(01:30):
still means we have to pay it back. There's no
money tree that we've found to date yet, Katie, if
your listeners that one, let us know. But it's a
really serious project. We need it to anchor our strategic
defense importance and maritime industries. But it can't come with
a blank check.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
So when is it going to be complete?
Speaker 3 (01:50):
Look, I'm not aware of that. I think this still.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Near completetion.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
Oh absolutely not.
Speaker 4 (01:56):
Gosh no, it's there's plenty of work happening out there,
but it's not even close to being completed. It'll be
you know, a number of years more, I suspect, and
you know, it's gone from one hundred million to five
hundred and fifteen million. Our understanding is, you know, there
could be hundreds and more millions to go, So it
requires a look and the Public Accounts Committee is specifically
(02:17):
designed for that purpose to review the public account i e.
Your taxpayers dollars being spent by government.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
So what is the aim I mean, what is the
aim of referring it now? Is it to work out
exactly how much it's going to cost when it's going
to be finished. And if that is the aim, why
can't the department or whoever's actually delivering this project tell
you all those things already.
Speaker 4 (02:38):
The beauty of the Public Accounts Committee is they can
have public hearings, they can call people as witnesses, they
can really get a broad scope of information, and it's
also public and that's really important to have the transparency
component around it. So we really need to see where
labor went wrong. We don't want to be making those
same mistakes in our government. And also then you know,
(03:00):
foreseeably how much more is this project going to cost
and why, because at the end of the day, it's
a huge amount of money to the territory when we're
already suffering under catastrophic levels stick, Can.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
I just get this straight?
Speaker 1 (03:11):
At the moment it's going to cost five hundred, Well
it was in twenty twenty two five hundred and fifteen
million dollars is what it had blown out to. But
then the project's also backed by this three hundred million
dollar concession a loan from the KNAFE. Is that on
top of the five hundred and fifteen or is that
all together?
Speaker 3 (03:27):
No, that's within it.
Speaker 4 (03:29):
So some of it is just you know, direct money
from the Northern Territory government. Some of it is KNAIF
money which we're using, which we'll have to pay back.
So it's it's all money that comes out of tax dollars, Katie.
So yes, it is a worthy project, but how we
got from one hundred to in excessive five hundred is
(03:49):
a question worth asking and we need territories to understand
it because it's a huge amount of their money that
can't go into other things. And you know, at the moment,
we've got plenty of things we could spend money on
and we can't, and this is part of that region.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Do we actually have as well, like anchor tenants, do
we have a situation here where defense is locked in,
for example, to use that shiplift or are we still
then going to build this thing and we're unsure whether
we've got the need for it or whether it's going
to be utilized.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
I don't think anything's been locked in. I believe it
was a bit of a build it and they will come,
which you know isn't always a bad thing.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
But you know, at the end of the day, we.
Speaker 4 (04:27):
Know we can strategically position ourselves here to be particularly
having defense as the main proponent, to use that facility.
But we've got to build it to be hable to
get to that point, right, and we've been talking about
it for ten years. It's exhausting. I mean, it's a
bit like the art gallery and Alice Springs. You know,
it becomes a bit of an urban myth it.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
So it gets to a point where people start to
think that it's never going to happen, and the demand
or the need for it, you know, you feel as
though then that diminished it. So I know that in
North Queensland, I thought they were building a shiplift facility there.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Well, I'll be interested to know whether.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
There is actually complete or where theirs is at and
why US has taken the period of time that it.
Speaker 4 (05:06):
Has exactly exactly, and that's all the type of things
that the PAC can look at, because you're right, it's
about putting you know, there's competitive advantages, and what disappoints
me the most out of all of this is the
opportunity cost. Had we had a ship lift five years ago,
where would we be right now? And I know we
can't look back, and I know we shouldn't live in
the past, but opportunity cost is a real cost to
(05:28):
the community, and that's why this investigation is important because
we don't want to make those same mistakes moving forward.
Rebuilding our economy is a huge part of our plan
to get the territory back on track, and so we've
got to be making really good decisions and managing projects
really well for value for territory.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
All right, Chief Minister, I want to move along.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
Over the weekend, we know that thousands of people descended
on Nightcliff for the Sea Breeze Festival, but on Friday
on this show, we sadly had to cover more crime
in the beautiful suburb. Last week, police arrested and charged
a teenager who sexually assaulted women who were exercising along
the foreshore. He also targeted women at the hospital in
(06:09):
the car park. Then on Thursday in the afternoon we
had a teenage boy who was arrested after allegedly terrorizing people,
including kids, with a metal pole. Then this morning we've
just received a pressure lease from the police. A sixteen
year old male and fifteen year old female have been
arrested in relation to the alleged aggravated robbery and assault
(06:29):
of a worker in Nightcliff on Friday morning. Happened about
ten forty in the morning. In the morning, there was
a disturbance involving multiple people at a service station on
Progress Drive. A number of youths allegedly attempted to steal
items from that store, with one of the youths throwing
cans and bottles at the employee. Now, the really sad
part about this, right is this is horrendous behavior.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
I know myself.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
I've said to you, I've witnessed a group of young
people throwing soft drinks at a security guard at.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
The Nightcliff shops.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
There. I actually had workers at Nightcliff Shops, not at
the Woolworts one, but over you know, in the village.
Contact me last week so and Katie.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
We are scared.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
We are locking our doors because there's groups of teenage
just getting around with knives. What additional work is the
Northern Territory government going to actually do to keep people
safe in this area?
Speaker 4 (07:21):
Yeah, there has for a reason. We can't put our
finger on, Katie, but for some reason there has been
a very you know, a serious increase, particularly in and
around that Nightcliff area, and you know, of course tragic
loss of life on top of that Katie's So it
is something Police have really stepped up their proactive and
visual policing and I think people would have seen that,
(07:43):
particularly over the weekend and at festivals and events. But
I think what's most concerning for me is when you
look at this information coming out from police.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
They're teenagers, fifteen sixteen.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
At ten forty in the morning, Why aren't they at
school for a start?
Speaker 3 (07:58):
Exactly?
Speaker 4 (07:59):
And again it back to the problem, the historical problem
that territories are suffering the consequences of is that these
kids have not known consequences, and it's the community that
pays the price, not the young person. They've already had
ten years of life where they've been fancy free, able
to committee for.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
Getting to the point though, I suppose where you know,
we all know the history, but we're now like they're
getting to the point where they're going, Well, I want
to be able to actually operate my shop and feel
safe to do so without being concerned that I'm going
to have someone pull a knife on me, a teenager
pull a knife on me, and not just pull a
knife on me, but potentially become very violent with that knife.
(08:39):
So is there going to be you said there was
an increased police presence over the weekend. What else are
you going to look at in that Nightcliff area? I mean,
is it a situation where we've got a really high
level of public housing in the area. Is it a
situation where the moving of Saint Vinnie's into that suburb
has made a difference, Like I know that the colp
obviously doesn't have that electrode, but I think it's bigger
(09:02):
than that. I think it's at the point where the
people who live in Nightcliffe are saying, please help us.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
Ye for sure, and they're not alone.
Speaker 4 (09:09):
There are communities right across the territory who feel exactly
the same way. You know, for Nightcliff, it's really much
the same as for everywhere else. We're currently working on
a big piece of reform for public housing. How can
we evict people easier, how can we manage tenants better,
How can we ensure there are consequences and accountability for
people who have that privilege of housing who need it.
(09:31):
We have eight plus year wait lists, and someone destroying
a home should not enjoy the privilege of having a
home when there are needy, vulnerable people, families and kids
who would love to have a home, Katie. So that
work is happening and will be complete in the next
couple of months. That's a part of the puzzle. Increasing
our police numbers obviously with better powers, and we've seen
all of the work we've done so far with bail again,
(09:53):
more to come, and I'm buoyed by the fact than
in all of the police reports we're sort of seeing
everyone's being reminded in custody. That's no accident, that's stronger
bout laws.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
So in terms of the increased police presence, I mean
there is still a worry for locals and for people
that are in Nightcliff, Rapid Creek, all of those areas
that they want to be safe. I mean, we know
that on Friday, we had the Green's member for Nightcliff.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
Cat macnamara, on the show.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
She said that she was either in the process of
writing to you requesting the presence of private security, or
that she had already requested that is that something that
you'd consider.
Speaker 4 (10:29):
Yeah, we consider all options and people might remember that
under the files government she handed that management of those
security contracts over to police, but the requisite amount of
money wasn't put over for them to meet the demand
of the contracts they had, So we've been doing some
work in that space. Ultimately, a lot of communities want
(10:50):
security and they do provide a level of assistance, but
it's much bigger and deeper than that. So tomorrow's budget
will show you know, one point three four billion dollars
go into law and order and there's some exciting announcements
in that space. That's on top of what we're doing
to deal with the root causes of crime, which is
very important to everyone because again, please will catch in
(11:10):
once they've committed the crime.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
What we want is less crime.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
So in in so no commitment in terms of private security.
Speaker 4 (11:16):
In that area, I can't make that off the calf
and Nightcliff will join a long list of communities who'd
love to have a private security. At the end of
the day, we've got to get our settings right, and
so I'll take a look at it. I haven't seen
Cat's letter and so I'm not ruling it out, but
I can't.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
Retain all right.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
On another note, but still in the area, we also
and I touched on this before, a teenage boy was
accused of indecently assaulting six females in the Northern Suburbs
and he's facing multiple charges. Now this boy, who's under fifteen,
was arrested in charged last week after allegedly and decently
touching two women at a hospital car park. But prior
to that, there were four other assaults on women walking
(11:54):
along the Nightcliff Foreshore at various times in April. Now
I have had several women contact me questioning why the
police did not alert the public to the fact that
a person was attacking women on the Nightcliff Foreshore while
they are exercising. Even this morning, Leah jill in Aloa's
messaged and said it's beyond belief that the public were
not warned that a sexual predator was active in the
(12:17):
Nightcliff area for about two weeks why was there not
a public warning and women not made aware. Now I
know that that's not your responsibility to send those alerts out.
That is obviously the police and they would be making
operational decisions, but you do really have to question. And
this is something a number of women have raised with
me over the weekend while we're out exercising, Going, Katie,
(12:40):
how on earth will we not alluded to the fact
that these women that have been sexually assaulted on the
nightcliff foreshore and then he's out to be able to
sexually assault others and we're not even warned about it.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (12:52):
Look, and I know this is raised concerned for a
lot of people, as it should right. It is absolutely disgusting,
unacceptable and has no place in our community. And what
is upsetting about this is that you know, we can't
have people locking themselves in their houses. It's fantastic to
enjoy our lifestyle, be out, getting fit, socializing with friends
(13:12):
and family. We want people on nightcliff for sure, and
then you have incidences like this which erode trust and
confidence in the community to be able to live freely,
and then to some extent people feel concerned. Why didn't
we know about it? So I take that on board.
I don't know the operational rationale behind a lack of
a notification, but certainly police were working on each of
(13:34):
those matters, so it wasn't that there was no police response.
I do take the point about the broader I'm a
public awareness component and.
Speaker 1 (13:42):
Shouldn't the community's safety be number one priority? I mean,
for me, I know if I heard that that was
happening in the area where I exercised, well, I probably
wouldn't go alone, or I wouldn't put headphones in for
a start.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
Yeah, exactly that it was happening.
Speaker 4 (13:54):
You can make different decisions and that is important. So
I certainly take that point. And KA I have had
so many women come to me over the years. I
remember this one time I was in the mall doing
a mobile office and she ran up crying to me
and said, please help us. I don't even go for
my afternoon walk anymore. Like it's destroying my mental health
and my life. And so people can't shrug off not
(14:15):
going for a walk. These things are fundamental to life
and I absolutely respect and value that, and it's just
that continued work we have to do. And certainly take
the point about the notification or I've.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
Got a lot to power through there.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
Last week we learned a corrections officer have been severely
assaulted inside Dahin correctional facility. He gave Union head on
an early permission to confirm to us that well, he
lost his eye after being assaulted with crutches. The union
said this is a result of prisoners not being classified
properly and dangerous prisoners are putting the safety of officers
(14:52):
at risk. Are you concerned that more correctional officers could
be injured as a result of this.
Speaker 4 (14:58):
Well, I'll start by saying I don't don't accept the
allegations being thrown up by the union, and there will
be a proper and thorough investigation into this. Kadie, make
no mistake because the safety of our staff across government
and staff in the private sector is so important, and
so it is a tragedy that this corrections officer, a
veteran corrections officer you know, has has lost his eye.
(15:23):
It's not something we take lightly and it's not the
time to be throwing allegations. What we need to do
is get to the bottom of it so that we
can do everything we can to stop that happening again.
Speaker 1 (15:33):
And that's exactly right. Ensure that it doesn't happen again.
I mean, to be assaulted with a pair of crotches
in your workplace is nothing short of appalling. So a
review is going to take place.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
Yes, absolutely, that will be done.
Speaker 4 (15:46):
And you know that gives the operators the ability to
learn if there are lessons to be learned, training of staff,
whatever has to happen, will happen, and our corrections officers,
like our police and nurses, operate in a highly flatile
environments and so their protection and our processes and procedures
are critical to the success of our staff going home
(16:08):
safely every night.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
They need to be Look, we will talk more about
that throughout the morning, but we're going to take a
bit of a change of pace. I want to ask
you about the budget it's being handed down this week.
I mean, what can we expect as part of the
colp's first big budget. I'm imagining quite an enormous amount
of debt. Unfortunately, yes, plenty of debt.
Speaker 4 (16:29):
But this budget really is a budget about restoring confidence
in the territory and rebuilding the territory. It's our first
chance to wrap up labor legacy to be able to
set a foundation to move forward because of how Labor
was tricking territorians around the debt. What we've actually had
to do in this budget is finish, is allocate money
(16:51):
just to finish projects that are quite literally out of
the ground right now. So for example, Mendora Jetty, we're
having to spend tens of millions of dollars to finish
that off, even though Labor started that project. They just
had cliff funding for this year the art Gallery in
State Square. So there are millions upon millions of dollars
of labor legacy, unfunded labor legacy, which is adding to
(17:13):
our bottom line. And then there's the work we are
doing to reprioritize how labor was spending your money, to
spend it on the things that matter most to you.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
So is it going to be a budget that still
continues like that? Is your main focus still going to
be law in order and keeping the community.
Speaker 3 (17:29):
Site without questions?
Speaker 4 (17:31):
So the one point three to four billion is a
significant investment in community safety, and that's just police corrections
and courts. Then we've got all of the money we're
spending on DV on root causes of crime, getting kids
to school.
Speaker 3 (17:45):
So law and order is a key feature.
Speaker 4 (17:48):
But it's a sensible budget in the sense that this
is our chance to go back to zero, you know,
this is our chance to finish off Labour's legacy, to
build a platform for us to next year then start
really that important work of COLP policy moving forward.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
Well, I know some are questioning the Treasurer's decision to volunteer.
Then at the Barough Classic, just days out from handing
down the Northern Territory budget, the Opposition leader Selena Rubo
saying that Bill jan should be reeling in costs of
living for Territorians rather than Barra. Do you think it's
appropriate that the treasure was away last week, the week
before the budget's being handed down.
Speaker 4 (18:23):
I think the Opposition leader, who is part of the
cabinet that created the territory's most significant.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
Debt, really it's being a bit cheeky there.
Speaker 4 (18:32):
Look, they can point fingers all they want at the
end of the day, the budget was settled weeks ago
and the Treasurer has been the Chief Marshal and Patron
for thirteen years and so he's been out doing his
marshaling duties and we've been in constant contact and communication,
putting all of the final details and touches.
Speaker 3 (18:51):
But you know, the community can draw their own.
Speaker 1 (18:54):
Do you think it passes the pub test?
Speaker 4 (18:56):
Look, I think a lot of people actually find it
really icon Katie. But I certainly also understand others thinking that,
you know, his business should be here, and you know
that's the decisions that he's made, and he's big enough
to live with them.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
Should he go next year?
Speaker 4 (19:12):
We've certainly continued that work so well. Next year again
will be a matter for him. It's a fantastic event,
I have to add. But everything's in order and we're
looking forward tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
All right, Chief Minister, before I let you go.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
The federal election last week was a shocker for the coalition.
Just center price as no one else that she's going
to leave the Nets to join the coalition. Do you
think this is a good move or are the senator's
motivation self center?
Speaker 4 (19:38):
No, Look, just since is an incredible advocate for the territory.
I don't think anyone can argue with that, and she's
had to make what would have been a really difficult decision.
But for listeners it's really important to understand she is
still a CLP senator, So none of that changes. It's
just there's no federal CLP party. So we have a
relationship with the Nationals and the Liberals, and so instead
(19:58):
of sitting with the Nationals in the Senate, she will
sit with the Liberals. So it's really a positioning shift,
and so for everyday territories, you know, really won't create
much difference except that obviously she's put her hand up
for leadership, which is super exciting and we wish her well.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
There had been a bit of a change to the
count for Solomon last Friday, only about one thousand votes
now separating Luke Gorsling and Lisa Bayless and several votes
still to be counted. What's your understanding of where things
are at now. I mean, it is still looking as
though Luke Goslings in front, but it did really tighten
up that race.
Speaker 4 (20:32):
Yeah, it tightened up even further. So we've gone from
a six percent swing to the CLP to over seven percent.
They found five hundred CLP votes mixed up somewhere along
the line, so the race has really narrowed, and it
just further reinforces that you know, Luke Goslings on notice
that people are expecting more from him, and we'll certainly
(20:54):
be pushing him for a relationship with.
Speaker 1 (20:56):
Just the opposition saying that it means that you were
on notice.
Speaker 4 (21:00):
I just don't know how anyone can crunch the data
and come to that conclusion.
Speaker 3 (21:04):
Katie.
Speaker 4 (21:04):
We had thousands more first preference votes for the COLP
than Gosling. He limped over the line on preferences. Now,
a win's a win, but we take heart in the
seven percent swing and we're coming for him next time.
Speaker 1 (21:18):
Chief Minister lah Finocchio, we are going to have to
leave it there. Really appreciate your time this morning.
Speaker 3 (21:22):
Thank you, Thank you everyone,
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