Chief minister Lia Finocchiaro talks to Katie Woolf about health support workers preparing to strike over pay agreement, the lack of health funding from the Commonwealth and the new NT Administrator.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Joining me live in the studio is the Chief Minister
of the Northern Territory, Leo Finocchio.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Good morning, Lea, Good morning Katie. Are your wonderful listeners
now Lea?
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Hundreds of Northern Territory hospital support workers are preparing to
walk off the job in the next ten days. The
United Workers Union reckons cleaners, caterer's, personal care assistance and
medical imaging staff are going to take protested in protected
I should say industrial action overstalled enterprise agreement talks. Now.
Erina Earley, the union secretary, says workers feel undervalued, rejecting
(00:32):
the government's offer of a three percent pay rise after
years of wage freezers. Chief Minister, We've got this situation
now where potentially hundreds of hospital support workers are set
to walk off the job. How concerned are you about
the potential impact on patient care given the fact that
we as I understand that we're still in a code
yellow at our two major hospitals.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Yeah, look, this is all a very normal part of
that EBA process. We have actually offered all public servants
more than they would have got under labour. So labor
had a two percent pay policy. We have a three
percent policy. Noting that CPI and the territory is running
at about one point nine percent and at its worst
should get.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
To about two point five.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
So our offer represents genuine and real wages growth. There
are limits to where we can go with this, given
the obscene levels of debt that labor left us, and
so I think, you know, there's a bit of politicking
here by the unions and ultimately people are allowed to
take that type of industrial action.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
It's entirely a matter for them, but maybe it's a
good deal on the.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
Time though, Like, where do you draw the line in
terms of Well, first off, do we know if those
code yellows are still in place?
Speaker 2 (01:42):
I'm not aware, Katie. I'm sorry, Yeah, I don't know whether.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
They are or not. I mean, there is no doubt
that it's going to obviously have an impact, like we're
talking about you know, cleaners, you're talking about the personal
care assistance, medical imaging staff. No doubt it's going to
impact our hospitals that are already on their knees. Like,
is there a way here that we can get back
(02:07):
to the table and stop them from actually taking that
industrial action.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Look, it's really a matter for them and the unions
and the way they think they can try and heavy
us to get a different outcome. But the reality is
we're at the table in good faith. They're getting one
percent more than they would have got under Labor. It's
real wages growth because it's much higher than CPI And
so if the unions want to try and force this
as a political issue at the expense of delivering health services,
(02:35):
and that's a matter for them. What we will do,
though is step up where we can and do our
very best to make sure there's no shortfall. But I
imagine there will be some impact of this, and it's
quite frankly disappointing.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
Have you put yourself in between a bit of a
rock and a hard place here. Given the fact that
the police obviously secured their pay deal of five percent
in the first year, followed by four and three percent increases,
I mean some would say, well, why are they getting
that amount and health workers aren't.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
Well, what we're talking about is, you know, the police
doing a frontline role where they're putting their life on
the line every single minute of every single day, versus
other roles across the public sector. Now I'll say it again,
Labour's pay policy was a two percent pay rise.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
We came straight out with three.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
And if people want that to be higher, they can
trade off other types of entitlements that have accrued over time.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
But you know, it is what it is.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
It's this time in the cycle where we've got EBA's galore,
we've got unions being unions, and we've got people confused
about what's realistic or not. But we're proceeding on good
face because we need a deal that territories can afford
and that people can obviously deal with cost of living.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Press.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
When do you expect an outcome?
Speaker 3 (03:50):
I'm not sure, Katie.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
This is now part of a fair work process, so
it will take its course, but we'd love it to
be you know, sort it out sooner than later. But
for you know, for the broad a public service who
are listening, we have it just about every EBA on
foot at the moment. I mean, it's a people need
to be really realistic about what a government with facing
a fifteen billion dollar debt can do. And just remember,
(04:12):
under labor you would have got two percent. We came
straight out of the blocks offering three because we respect
and value the work you do.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
But that's not a bottomless pit.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
There is no magic money tree, and ultimately we all
have to be fiscally responsible. In the private sector will
be feeling that pinch more than anyone.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
I mean, do you feel as though you're being held
to ransom by the unions?
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Yeah, it's really disappointing behavior. But that's the unions for you.
I mean, we're not their mates like labor were, and
so you've got to expect more pushback in these corners
than labor would have.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
God, I mean it's still on the flip side though.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
I guess you are talking about territory, and it's like
all of us know people that work within the government.
I've got plenty of friends, you know, family members that
work in those government jobs. And we know that the
cost of living over recent years has gone up astronomically.
I know that CPI is not tracking in the same
way that it was over recent years. But do we
need to make sure that we're competitive with other states
(05:06):
so that we don't lose these wonderful territories.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Yeah, we do, and we are. And the reality is
it was labor who had a two percent pay deal.
It was labor who had the freezers, Labor who traded
off real wages growth for bonuses, and it's the CLP
who are fixing that mess and giving people real wages
growth at a time when CPI is relatively easy and
we have high cost of living pressures. We are giving
(05:31):
people real wages growth. Now people, you know, maybe our tactic.
People are misinterpreting our tactic. You know, with labor they
dragged on and on and on. But we're putting, you know,
a good offer first, and that's how we've approached it.
We've said to people it's three percent, come and trade
with us if you want more. And so the unions
are probably having a pretty hard time coming to.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
Grips with that, all right, Chief Ministers. Still in the
health space, we know that Minister Steve Edgington revealed on
the show last week that we're expecting to get ten
million dollars to boost maternity services, not the thirty five
million which had been requested. Now Labour Sloop Golsling maintained
a statement on Friday that we didn't provide the same
level of detail in the proposal as other states. Has
(06:14):
this been fumbled by the department or what's the go
I had a briefing on this.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Katie last week, and I can categorically tell you we
provided all of that information to the federal minister. He
has had it for months and months and months. And
again we just have a labor federal government that's just
not taking the territory seriously. And we see time and
time again these examples of where.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
You know, Cambridge is completely ignore us.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
We've got the fact that every other capital city has
had an increase to the cap on the housing price
when it comes to using the new grants and the
new low percent waged interest rates. And here we are
in Darwin's still coppying a six hundred thousand dollar cap
to no avail. We've got a four hundred million dollar
of underspend by the federal government in our health system.
(07:03):
I mean, it just continues on and on and on
and so you know, again the member for Solomon, that's
his job is to have crack, you know, throw potshots
at me. Good for him, but at the end of
the day, this federal government needs to stop ignoring the territory.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
We do exist.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
We are an important part of this nation and in fact,
we have everything this nation needs to be strong and successful.
They better start paying attention and stop the peedy policy.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
So can I just be clear though this money, these
ten million dollars that we're expecting, it's for maternity services
at Royal Darwin Hospital, and you are still pushing for
private services.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
Is that correcrrect?
Speaker 1 (07:37):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Absolutely, So the ten million will be for upgrades at
Royal Darwin to make sure that we've got the facilities
that women and families got to go.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
Far enough, though, is it like ten million dollars? And I,
you know, I said this last week. I don't want
to sound ungrateful, but honestly, you know, ten million dollars
to upgrade our maternity services at Royal Darwin Hospital is
barely going to touch the sides. I would think.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
Yeah, it may be a liquor paint and a few
other bits and bobs, Katie, which is why we ask
for thirty five.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
But obviously that has.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
Not been forthcoming and they're throwing us the chicken scraps
with the ten which again we have to pretend to
be so unbelievably grateful for when they still owe us
four hundred million.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
This year, Katie.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
So this is the stupid game we're playing with the
federal labor government. But we will continue to push for
territory interests first, but yeah, it will be that. And
then separate to that is obviously the whatever's going to
happen with Hellscope and any new purchaser going forward. We
have been explicitly clear in every meeting and every forum
(08:36):
that there must be a return to maternity services with
a new purchaser or provider of that service. We are
looking at how we can enforce that in our licensed terms,
and we are very clear that there must be private
maternity here in the territory.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
A right chiefness to the text sign's going off, Someone's
just text through and said, come on, Chief minis to
go and sit an d no security, no nothing and
observe what high risk garbage nurses DOT does and healthcare
workers have to put themselves in. They two are first responders.
Says that message.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Yes, but that's not what we're talking about, listener, So
thank you for that, but this is incorrect. What we're
talking about is all of the ancillary services in the
health space. So it's not nurses, it's not doctors, as
Katie read out at the start, it's it's admin work
as clean as in other people, all who have an
amazing role to play.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
In an amazing job to do.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
But at the end of the day, our police are
out there keeping us safe and that's everyone's top priority
and there's no bottomless money pit here all right now.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
I have just said word as well that that Code
yellow is still in place, but things are at will.
Then things are still high demand but hopefully getting a
bit better. So we'll no doubt keep our listeners up
to date as we get some further info. Now, Chief Minister,
I want to take your cross to the anti racism
strategy that the Northern Territory Police have indeed released now.
(09:52):
They say that the strategy is made up of four
key areas to serve and protect, to eliminate racism, to
represent and reflect our territory, and to be accountable. Is
this a good move from your perspective.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
Yeah, it's a really great strategy.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
It's something that's taken time to be put together and
you know this is a long ventilated issue, but it's
important that you know our institutions have these frameworks to
be better and that's what we've done as a police force, and.
Speaker 3 (10:20):
Our team are out there doing an incredible job.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
I was justin Alice Springs thanking our police Katie for
the work they've done and reducing crime so significantly, and
this would just be another part of that. It's about
really having the systems in place to have a better force.
So for example, and I've talked before about having language
speakers in our Triple zero Center, that's part of this strategy.
It's about even things like having more access for Aboriginal
(10:45):
kids in junior police rangers for example, or our cadet programs.
It's about making sure we empower Aboriginal communities to have,
you know, deal with crime itself as well. So it's
really multifaceted and it's just another step for.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
Do you think there is systemic racism within the Northern
Territory Police Force.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
I don't, and I've been very very clear about that
right from day one, and I think it's really you know,
I just don't believe in dragging everyone down because of
a few Obviously we've had well ventilated and documented issues
in the past, but these are largely historical now. No
organization is perfect, but the police force has been on
a journey of being better for a long time and
(11:26):
I'm very proud to be Police Minister. I think a
lot of your listeners forget you know that I'm not
just the Chief Minister, I'm the police Minister. And so
for us, it's been about backing them in, giving them
the powers, the laws they need, the support they need
to keep us safe. And this is just another branch
of that, you know, better performance moving forward.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
Kind of impact do you think this strategy is realistically
going to have on policing in the Northern Territory and
indeed on the broader community.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
I think it will be really positive.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
It's about, as I said, it's predominantly about those systems
changes that we can make to have better policing outcomes,
including for example, we have about a thirteen percent Indigenous
workforce across anti police force and we'd like that to
be thirty. Now that of course is an excellent aspiration
because it reflects the demographic of the Northern Territory, which
(12:17):
is what you want in any organization. So there's lots
of key targets in there for us, and it's just
you know, business as usual with a new platform.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
Chief Minister. A couple of quick ones the ABC this
morning reporting that are respected engineer. Engineer says about eighty
percent of apartment buildings that he's inspected in Darwin have
serious structural problems. John Briers, who's managed some of the
Northern Territory's most iconic construction projects, is now calling on
the Northern Territory government to act on the issue. He
(12:47):
reckons that will if the structural problems are not properly addressed,
there is a risk that some apartment buildings could collapse.
Is this something that the government is looking into.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
Yes, so Josh Burgoyne is across this and is looking
at this issue. It's very important people understand that their
body corporate is the ones responsible for this and that
they need to then notify the owners if they believe
there are these issues, and so then the Director of
Building Control has a role to play. So there's multiple
(13:20):
components to it. But if you believe your building has
an issue, your body corporate is a first step.
Speaker 1 (13:25):
Are you concerned though, that maybe building regulations over the
years have not been stringent enough and that that may
have contributed to these worries.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
No, I don't think so.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
I mean, ultimately, I don't know the level of detail,
and you know, things improve over time, but things can
also get worse. I mean, you can regulate yourself into
a point where no one can afford anything and nothing
can be done, so there's always a balance. But again
the Director of Building Control is best place to manage
the detail, and the structural security and body corporates are
(13:55):
there to notify their owners.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
Chief Finister Hugh Hegey, the Administrator of the Northern Tier,
has begun his farewell to It makes him sound like
John Farnham, but anyway, be very happy about that when
he started his farewell tour. What's the process here? Have
you got somebody else in mind?
Speaker 3 (14:13):
Well?
Speaker 2 (14:14):
Actually, Katie, just circling back to the disdain that Canberra
has for the territory. I've actually had the nomination for
the new administrator on the Prime Minister's desk since June
and I still haven't heard back. And can I just
tell your listeners just to fire them up a.
Speaker 3 (14:30):
Bit, because I'll tell you what this is firing me up.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
If we were a state, the government would pick the administrator,
we'd announce it and it would be done. But because
we're a territory, I've got to send it to the
Prime Minister and the Cabinet has to endorse it, and
they have been mucking us around since June.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
It's a disgrace and this is just one in a
long list of rubbish. So I've had a gutful.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
So you're so you reckon. It's sitting on the Prime
Minister's desc You've chosen, the cabinet's chosen who they want
to be administrative cary.
Speaker 3 (15:01):
Is it? Well?
Speaker 2 (15:01):
I can't say, and ultimately I have to wait for
the federal Cabinet to endorse it.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
But my patience is expiring.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
Do you think that maybe they disagree with the person
that you've selected.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
I couldn't care less if they disagree, Cane, because it's
our government's pick where the territory and we really don't
need Camber telling us who our administrator is.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
So they can tell us. We can let you know,
we can tell the Prime Minister.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
Well, I'll make sure you're first, and Okatie, how about
we do that deal they can make you can hear
it first. And look, I just want to thank you know, obviously,
Hugh Hag's, you know, a well respected person who's done
a great job and I just want to thank him.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
And I hope this that.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
His farewell tour is is amazing. You know, obviously getting
the chance to thank territories is great, but yeah, just.
Speaker 3 (15:45):
Another bit of bs. We're waiting on the federal government.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
So I can't I'm still trying to wrap my head
around this. So it's sitting on the Prime Minister's dick
that sign off. Has there been any update from the
Prime Minister's office as to why it's taken so long?
Speaker 3 (15:59):
They think it'll be done by the end of the year,
but a ridiculous But so.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
When did hegy finish? Ah?
Speaker 3 (16:06):
I think might be January?
Speaker 1 (16:09):
Okay, yeah, and so then you'll so he finishes January,
so then you'll literally be trying to get that person
into the job.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
They won't have time to have all of the training
and all of the settling, none of those issues. It's
absolutely discussing. Okay, well, it's fewer politics at its worst, Katie's.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
Politicking over pointing and administrator.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
But exactly they shouldn't be and that's why it's just
another example of the quite frank disdain that Canberra has.
It's just no respect, no urgency around territory issues. And
if you can imagine, I'm you know, we're fighting with
them over four hundred million for health.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
They won't even just sign off on the administrator for good.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
Well, look, we'll try and get in contact with his
offers to see the goalie is what the delay is.
But hey, really quickly before I let you go. The
Greens are holding a national meeting in Darwin today or
yesterday I believe it was, and as we know, they
have a seat in Notcliffe now. Their candidate in Alice Springs,
was elected the mayor earlier this year. Do you think
we're seeing a surge in support for the Greens.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
I don't think so.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
I think they, you know, got lucky on preferences quite frankly, Katie,
but you know people can see through the nonsense.
Speaker 3 (17:16):
I mean, if you Oh god, I don't even know
where to start, Katie.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
I just well, don't like our listeners are giving us
some feedback on that.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
Listen to them. They've probably got nicer things to say
than I do. But well, to best, we.
Speaker 1 (17:29):
Better leave it there. Thank you as always for your time.
Speaker 3 (17:31):
Take care everyone, have a great week.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
Thank you,
Joining me live in the studio is the Chief Minister
of the Northern Territory, Leo Finocchio.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Good morning, Lea, Good morning Katie. Are your wonderful listeners
now Lea?
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Hundreds of Northern Territory hospital support workers are preparing to
walk off the job in the next ten days. The
United Workers Union reckons cleaners, caterer's, personal care assistance and
medical imaging staff are going to take protested in protected
I should say industrial action overstalled enterprise agreement talks. Now.
Erina Earley, the union secretary, says workers feel undervalued, rejecting
(00:32):
the government's offer of a three percent pay rise after
years of wage freezers. Chief Minister, We've got this situation
now where potentially hundreds of hospital support workers are set
to walk off the job. How concerned are you about
the potential impact on patient care given the fact that
we as I understand that we're still in a code
yellow at our two major hospitals.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Yeah, look, this is all a very normal part of
that EBA process. We have actually offered all public servants
more than they would have got under labour. So labor
had a two percent pay policy. We have a three
percent policy. Noting that CPI and the territory is running
at about one point nine percent and at its worst
should get.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
To about two point five.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
So our offer represents genuine and real wages growth. There
are limits to where we can go with this, given
the obscene levels of debt that labor left us, and
so I think, you know, there's a bit of politicking
here by the unions and ultimately people are allowed to
take that type of industrial action.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
It's entirely a matter for them, but maybe it's a
good deal on the.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
Time though, Like, where do you draw the line in
terms of Well, first off, do we know if those
code yellows are still in place?
Speaker 2 (01:42):
I'm not aware, Katie. I'm sorry, Yeah, I don't know whether.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
They are or not. I mean, there is no doubt
that it's going to obviously have an impact, like we're
talking about you know, cleaners, you're talking about the personal
care assistance, medical imaging staff. No doubt it's going to
impact our hospitals that are already on their knees. Like,
is there a way here that we can get back
(02:07):
to the table and stop them from actually taking that
industrial action.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Look, it's really a matter for them and the unions
and the way they think they can try and heavy
us to get a different outcome. But the reality is
we're at the table in good faith. They're getting one
percent more than they would have got under Labor. It's
real wages growth because it's much higher than CPI And
so if the unions want to try and force this
as a political issue at the expense of delivering health services,
(02:35):
and that's a matter for them. What we will do,
though is step up where we can and do our
very best to make sure there's no shortfall. But I
imagine there will be some impact of this, and it's
quite frankly disappointing.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
Have you put yourself in between a bit of a
rock and a hard place here. Given the fact that
the police obviously secured their pay deal of five percent
in the first year, followed by four and three percent increases,
I mean some would say, well, why are they getting
that amount and health workers aren't.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
Well, what we're talking about is, you know, the police
doing a frontline role where they're putting their life on
the line every single minute of every single day, versus
other roles across the public sector. Now I'll say it again,
Labour's pay policy was a two percent pay rise.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
We came straight out with three.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
And if people want that to be higher, they can
trade off other types of entitlements that have accrued over time.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
But you know, it is what it is.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
It's this time in the cycle where we've got EBA's galore,
we've got unions being unions, and we've got people confused
about what's realistic or not. But we're proceeding on good
face because we need a deal that territories can afford
and that people can obviously deal with cost of living.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Press.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
When do you expect an outcome?
Speaker 3 (03:50):
I'm not sure, Katie.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
This is now part of a fair work process, so
it will take its course, but we'd love it to
be you know, sort it out sooner than later. But
for you know, for the broad a public service who
are listening, we have it just about every EBA on
foot at the moment. I mean, it's a people need
to be really realistic about what a government with facing
a fifteen billion dollar debt can do. And just remember,
(04:12):
under labor you would have got two percent. We came
straight out of the blocks offering three because we respect
and value the work you do.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
But that's not a bottomless pit.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
There is no magic money tree, and ultimately we all
have to be fiscally responsible. In the private sector will
be feeling that pinch more than anyone.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
I mean, do you feel as though you're being held
to ransom by the unions?
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Yeah, it's really disappointing behavior. But that's the unions for you.
I mean, we're not their mates like labor were, and
so you've got to expect more pushback in these corners
than labor would have.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
God, I mean it's still on the flip side though.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
I guess you are talking about territory, and it's like
all of us know people that work within the government.
I've got plenty of friends, you know, family members that
work in those government jobs. And we know that the
cost of living over recent years has gone up astronomically.
I know that CPI is not tracking in the same
way that it was over recent years. But do we
need to make sure that we're competitive with other states
(05:06):
so that we don't lose these wonderful territories.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Yeah, we do, and we are. And the reality is
it was labor who had a two percent pay deal.
It was labor who had the freezers, Labor who traded
off real wages growth for bonuses, and it's the CLP
who are fixing that mess and giving people real wages
growth at a time when CPI is relatively easy and
we have high cost of living pressures. We are giving
(05:31):
people real wages growth. Now people, you know, maybe our tactic.
People are misinterpreting our tactic. You know, with labor they
dragged on and on and on. But we're putting, you know,
a good offer first, and that's how we've approached it.
We've said to people it's three percent, come and trade
with us if you want more. And so the unions
are probably having a pretty hard time coming to.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
Grips with that, all right, Chief Ministers. Still in the
health space, we know that Minister Steve Edgington revealed on
the show last week that we're expecting to get ten
million dollars to boost maternity services, not the thirty five
million which had been requested. Now Labour Sloop Golsling maintained
a statement on Friday that we didn't provide the same
level of detail in the proposal as other states. Has
(06:14):
this been fumbled by the department or what's the go
I had a briefing on this.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Katie last week, and I can categorically tell you we
provided all of that information to the federal minister. He
has had it for months and months and months. And
again we just have a labor federal government that's just
not taking the territory seriously. And we see time and
time again these examples of where.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
You know, Cambridge is completely ignore us.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
We've got the fact that every other capital city has
had an increase to the cap on the housing price
when it comes to using the new grants and the
new low percent waged interest rates. And here we are
in Darwin's still coppying a six hundred thousand dollar cap
to no avail. We've got a four hundred million dollar
of underspend by the federal government in our health system.
(07:03):
I mean, it just continues on and on and on
and so you know, again the member for Solomon, that's
his job is to have crack, you know, throw potshots
at me. Good for him, but at the end of
the day, this federal government needs to stop ignoring the territory.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
We do exist.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
We are an important part of this nation and in fact,
we have everything this nation needs to be strong and successful.
They better start paying attention and stop the peedy policy.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
So can I just be clear though this money, these
ten million dollars that we're expecting, it's for maternity services
at Royal Darwin Hospital, and you are still pushing for
private services.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
Is that correcrrect?
Speaker 1 (07:37):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Absolutely, So the ten million will be for upgrades at
Royal Darwin to make sure that we've got the facilities
that women and families got to go.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
Far enough, though, is it like ten million dollars? And I,
you know, I said this last week. I don't want
to sound ungrateful, but honestly, you know, ten million dollars
to upgrade our maternity services at Royal Darwin Hospital is
barely going to touch the sides. I would think.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
Yeah, it may be a liquor paint and a few
other bits and bobs, Katie, which is why we ask
for thirty five.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
But obviously that has.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
Not been forthcoming and they're throwing us the chicken scraps
with the ten which again we have to pretend to
be so unbelievably grateful for when they still owe us
four hundred million.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
This year, Katie.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
So this is the stupid game we're playing with the
federal labor government. But we will continue to push for
territory interests first, but yeah, it will be that. And
then separate to that is obviously the whatever's going to
happen with Hellscope and any new purchaser going forward. We
have been explicitly clear in every meeting and every forum
(08:36):
that there must be a return to maternity services with
a new purchaser or provider of that service. We are
looking at how we can enforce that in our licensed terms,
and we are very clear that there must be private
maternity here in the territory.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
A right chiefness to the text sign's going off, Someone's
just text through and said, come on, Chief minis to
go and sit an d no security, no nothing and
observe what high risk garbage nurses DOT does and healthcare
workers have to put themselves in. They two are first responders.
Says that message.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Yes, but that's not what we're talking about, listener, So
thank you for that, but this is incorrect. What we're
talking about is all of the ancillary services in the
health space. So it's not nurses, it's not doctors, as
Katie read out at the start, it's it's admin work
as clean as in other people, all who have an
amazing role to play.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
In an amazing job to do.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
But at the end of the day, our police are
out there keeping us safe and that's everyone's top priority
and there's no bottomless money pit here all right now.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
I have just said word as well that that Code
yellow is still in place, but things are at will.
Then things are still high demand but hopefully getting a
bit better. So we'll no doubt keep our listeners up
to date as we get some further info. Now, Chief Minister,
I want to take your cross to the anti racism
strategy that the Northern Territory Police have indeed released now.
(09:52):
They say that the strategy is made up of four
key areas to serve and protect, to eliminate racism, to
represent and reflect our territory, and to be accountable. Is
this a good move from your perspective.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
Yeah, it's a really great strategy.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
It's something that's taken time to be put together and
you know this is a long ventilated issue, but it's
important that you know our institutions have these frameworks to
be better and that's what we've done as a police force, and.
Speaker 3 (10:20):
Our team are out there doing an incredible job.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
I was justin Alice Springs thanking our police Katie for
the work they've done and reducing crime so significantly, and
this would just be another part of that. It's about
really having the systems in place to have a better force.
So for example, and I've talked before about having language
speakers in our Triple zero Center, that's part of this strategy.
It's about even things like having more access for Aboriginal
(10:45):
kids in junior police rangers for example, or our cadet programs.
It's about making sure we empower Aboriginal communities to have,
you know, deal with crime itself as well. So it's
really multifaceted and it's just another step for.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
Do you think there is systemic racism within the Northern
Territory Police Force.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
I don't, and I've been very very clear about that
right from day one, and I think it's really you know,
I just don't believe in dragging everyone down because of
a few Obviously we've had well ventilated and documented issues
in the past, but these are largely historical now. No
organization is perfect, but the police force has been on
a journey of being better for a long time and
(11:26):
I'm very proud to be Police Minister. I think a
lot of your listeners forget you know that I'm not
just the Chief Minister, I'm the police Minister. And so
for us, it's been about backing them in, giving them
the powers, the laws they need, the support they need
to keep us safe. And this is just another branch
of that, you know, better performance moving forward.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
Kind of impact do you think this strategy is realistically
going to have on policing in the Northern Territory and
indeed on the broader community.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
I think it will be really positive.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
It's about, as I said, it's predominantly about those systems
changes that we can make to have better policing outcomes,
including for example, we have about a thirteen percent Indigenous
workforce across anti police force and we'd like that to
be thirty. Now that of course is an excellent aspiration
because it reflects the demographic of the Northern Territory, which
(12:17):
is what you want in any organization. So there's lots
of key targets in there for us, and it's just
you know, business as usual with a new platform.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
Chief Minister. A couple of quick ones the ABC this
morning reporting that are respected engineer. Engineer says about eighty
percent of apartment buildings that he's inspected in Darwin have
serious structural problems. John Briers, who's managed some of the
Northern Territory's most iconic construction projects, is now calling on
the Northern Territory government to act on the issue. He
(12:47):
reckons that will if the structural problems are not properly addressed,
there is a risk that some apartment buildings could collapse.
Is this something that the government is looking into.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
Yes, so Josh Burgoyne is across this and is looking
at this issue. It's very important people understand that their
body corporate is the ones responsible for this and that
they need to then notify the owners if they believe
there are these issues, and so then the Director of
Building Control has a role to play. So there's multiple
(13:20):
components to it. But if you believe your building has
an issue, your body corporate is a first step.
Speaker 1 (13:25):
Are you concerned though, that maybe building regulations over the
years have not been stringent enough and that that may
have contributed to these worries.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
No, I don't think so.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
I mean, ultimately, I don't know the level of detail,
and you know, things improve over time, but things can
also get worse. I mean, you can regulate yourself into
a point where no one can afford anything and nothing
can be done, so there's always a balance. But again
the Director of Building Control is best place to manage
the detail, and the structural security and body corporates are
(13:55):
there to notify their owners.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
Chief Finister Hugh Hegey, the Administrator of the Northern Tier,
has begun his farewell to It makes him sound like
John Farnham, but anyway, be very happy about that when
he started his farewell tour. What's the process here? Have
you got somebody else in mind?
Speaker 3 (14:13):
Well?
Speaker 2 (14:14):
Actually, Katie, just circling back to the disdain that Canberra
has for the territory. I've actually had the nomination for
the new administrator on the Prime Minister's desk since June
and I still haven't heard back. And can I just
tell your listeners just to fire them up a.
Speaker 3 (14:30):
Bit, because I'll tell you what this is firing me up.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
If we were a state, the government would pick the administrator,
we'd announce it and it would be done. But because
we're a territory, I've got to send it to the
Prime Minister and the Cabinet has to endorse it, and
they have been mucking us around since June.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
It's a disgrace and this is just one in a
long list of rubbish. So I've had a gutful.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
So you're so you reckon. It's sitting on the Prime
Minister's desc You've chosen, the cabinet's chosen who they want
to be administrative cary.
Speaker 3 (15:01):
Is it? Well?
Speaker 2 (15:01):
I can't say, and ultimately I have to wait for
the federal Cabinet to endorse it.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
But my patience is expiring.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
Do you think that maybe they disagree with the person
that you've selected.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
I couldn't care less if they disagree, Cane, because it's
our government's pick where the territory and we really don't
need Camber telling us who our administrator is.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
So they can tell us. We can let you know,
we can tell the Prime Minister.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
Well, I'll make sure you're first, and Okatie, how about
we do that deal they can make you can hear
it first. And look, I just want to thank you know, obviously,
Hugh Hag's, you know, a well respected person who's done
a great job and I just want to thank him.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
And I hope this that.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
His farewell tour is is amazing. You know, obviously getting
the chance to thank territories is great, but yeah, just.
Speaker 3 (15:45):
Another bit of bs. We're waiting on the federal government.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
So I can't I'm still trying to wrap my head
around this. So it's sitting on the Prime Minister's dick
that sign off. Has there been any update from the
Prime Minister's office as to why it's taken so long?
Speaker 3 (15:59):
They think it'll be done by the end of the year,
but a ridiculous But so.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
When did hegy finish? Ah?
Speaker 3 (16:06):
I think might be January?
Speaker 1 (16:09):
Okay, yeah, and so then you'll so he finishes January,
so then you'll literally be trying to get that person
into the job.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
They won't have time to have all of the training
and all of the settling, none of those issues. It's
absolutely discussing. Okay, well, it's fewer politics at its worst, Katie's.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
Politicking over pointing and administrator.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
But exactly they shouldn't be and that's why it's just
another example of the quite frank disdain that Canberra has.
It's just no respect, no urgency around territory issues. And
if you can imagine, I'm you know, we're fighting with
them over four hundred million for health.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
They won't even just sign off on the administrator for good.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
Well, look, we'll try and get in contact with his
offers to see the goalie is what the delay is.
But hey, really quickly before I let you go. The
Greens are holding a national meeting in Darwin today or
yesterday I believe it was, and as we know, they
have a seat in Notcliffe now. Their candidate in Alice Springs,
was elected the mayor earlier this year. Do you think
we're seeing a surge in support for the Greens.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
I don't think so.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
I think they, you know, got lucky on preferences quite frankly, Katie,
but you know people can see through the nonsense.
Speaker 3 (17:16):
I mean, if you Oh god, I don't even know
where to start, Katie.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
I just well, don't like our listeners are giving us
some feedback on that.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
Listen to them. They've probably got nicer things to say
than I do. But well, to best, we.
Speaker 1 (17:29):
Better leave it there. Thank you as always for your time.
Speaker 3 (17:31):
Take care everyone, have a great week.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
Thank you,
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