Federal Minister Malarndirri McCarthy on issues surrounding the YiSSA short term accommodation

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The Chief Minister yesterday reaffirmed the Northern Territory Government's intention
to continue transitioning people staying at the Yissa short-term accommodation
facility to another location after negotiations for a new agreement
with the facility's owner, Ausco, broke down over accusations that
it was asking for an exorbitant price. However, NT Senator

(00:23):
Malandiri McCarthy has now accused the Territory of ignoring an
offer to go halves with the Commonwealth to secure the
facility's future. I'm pleased to say that joining us on
the line is the Indigenous Australians Minister, Malindiri McCarthy. Good
morning to you, Senator.

Speaker 2 (00:41):
Good morning, Katie, and good morning to your listeners. On
this first day of September, it's spring where I am.

Speaker 1 (00:47):
Oh, I cannot believe how fast the year is roaring by.

Speaker 2 (00:51):
Yeah, I know. Well, we're looking very close to the
build-up coming soon.

Speaker 1 (00:57):
Oh, I reckon, yep.

Speaker 2 (00:57):
It's... Enjoy the last of the drive.

Speaker 1 (01:00):
Yeah, I agree. Now, Senator, tell me, what was offered
to the Northern Territory Government?

Speaker 2 (01:07):
Sure, Katie. What was offered was to go in partnership
with the Northern Territory Government, who said that $ 3 million
was as far as they could go. Minister Carl had
said that at the beginning when she was negotiating hopefully
with OSCO to be able to go as far as

(01:29):
$ 3 million. When I spoke to OSCO and looked at
the figures that they had provided to the Northern Territory Government,
within 90 days, which is what the timeframe was left
for the lease that they currently have, it was $ 6. 5
million in total. So the Commonwealth has come to the
party and said, we will pay the other half of

(01:51):
3.5 to go in partnership with the Northern Territory Government
to keep the families and the staff at Yissa.

Speaker 1 (01:59):
Tell me, I know that the Territory Government hadn't revealed
that figure but labelled it too much for taxpayers. Do
you believe that that was too high a price to pay?

Speaker 2 (02:10):
Not at all in this instance, Katie. When you think
about a number of facts, One is that the people
have nowhere to go. So you would see hundreds of
people adding to the homelessness on the streets of Darwin,
in particular those areas of the northern suburbs. And these
are families who are on renal dialysis. their families who

(02:32):
are escaping family and domestic violence. It's not just for
Aboriginal families, it's for any family. Yolngu, Bollander, it has
been a beautiful place of support for all of those
families and this has caused great distress for them and
for the staff of Yiliwiyang and for Mission Australia.

Speaker 1 (02:53):
Look, I think that's an incredibly important point to make.
We are talking about Northern Territory families here. It's going
to be tough if we do not have a strong
transition plan. But I know the other side of that
is indeed a facility which is ageing and no doubt
it has got wear and tear. I mean, it's a
heck of a lot of money. Any idea how many
years that would tie it up for? Are we talking

(03:15):
an actual sale here of that facility for $ 6. 5 million
or are we talking a lease?

Speaker 2 (03:20):
A sale. A complete sale. In speaking with OSCO, this
was agreed that they would offer it to the Commonwealth
as much as the Northern Territory Government. And I thought
it was a pretty sensible step to go in partnership
with the Northern Territory Government, which I have genuinely tried

(03:42):
to do in good faith, trying to work with Minister
Robin Carl. And unfortunately, it just seems to be going...
off the rails with a lot of information that I
believe is incorrect. And I do think it can be corrected.
And I did write to the Chief Minister after I
heard her comments on your program yesterday, Katie, just to

(04:03):
ensure that she had the correct information. I do believe
she didn't have the full brief on this. And I
sincerely hope she can reconsider and reflect on her comments.
It does matter to those families. They would have heard
her comments earlier. It was deeply hurtful for people who
are suffering, but who have been looked after very, very

(04:25):
carefully and very strongly by Mission Australia and by Yearly Reown.

Speaker 1 (04:29):
Senator, which elements do you feel as though she wasn't
aware of, or what parts did you feel you do
need to correct?

Speaker 2 (04:37):
The Chief Minister said she didn't know the figure, and
I think that's important. So I wrote to her to
say that The figure was $ 3. 5 million and this is
a very practical and very good opportunity to keep these
families here. Yes, by all means, we can look at
longer term, but we only have about three weeks really, Katie,

(05:01):
and otherwise OSCO is going to have to start demobilising
those buildings out there and there is still no transition
plan for hundreds of families. And it's just enormously difficult.
So I'm just urging the Chief Minister to really have
a look at the letter. Let's come back to the
table on this. Let's be sensible about this. We don't

(05:24):
have to have a battle here. It's quite unnecessary when
so many families really require the Commonwealth and the Northern
Territory to assist them.

Speaker 1 (05:33):
Now, Senator, I know that the Chief Minister yesterday on
the show also questioned the Commonwealth priorities after this came
to light, that you were willing to make this offer,
but other areas that the Territories requested support, such as
the Daly River, Niu flooding, only received, she said, $ 1
million in funding recovery. What do you say to that? Mm-hmm.

Speaker 2 (05:56):
Yes, I did correct that as well in my letter
to the Chief Minister, Katie, that that was also incorrect.
We've obviously provided well over $ 9 million in support for
the Catherine region, which includes the Daly, which includes east
of Catherine in terms of financial support for, again, for
Territory families in regards to those terrible floods that occurred

(06:22):
earlier this year. And what we've also done is encouraged
the Northern Territory Government to continue to apply for funds
through the disaster relief funding recovery. We do need them
to apply, just like all the other states and territories
do when they've had a disaster. And the Northern Territory
Government has still failed to do that. And it is

(06:45):
at the detriment of those residents in Daly River and
other areas. So I still encourage Minister Joe Hersey to
actually write those applications out because it is required. I've
had the National Emergency Management Team up here. I've encouraged
them to work with the Northern Territory Government to get

(07:06):
these payments through, but there has been no movement.

Speaker 1 (07:10):
So are you saying that if they simply write a letter,
if they actually fill in that paperwork, that money will come?

Speaker 2 (07:17):
Well, that's part of the arrangement. It has to be
50-50 so that the Northern Territory Government has to apply
so that we can actually release the funds.

Speaker 1 (07:27):
At the Commonwealth level. I do want to ask you,
just going back to the situation at Yissa, you obviously
sent that offer to Minister Carl on the 20th. That's
according to the letter that you've sent to us. You
haven't received any correspondence back yet?

Speaker 2 (07:43):
No, other than what was said in a statement from
Minister Carl.

Speaker 1 (07:48):
Yes. All right. Well, we're due to have her on
just after you. Sure. I do want to ask you,
how big of a concern is this whole situation from
your perspective?

Speaker 2 (07:59):
Well, I'm concerned for those families, Katie. I've been out
there numerous times. I still am getting a lot of
phone calls to my electorate office. I really urge the
Northern Territory Government to meet them. I know that, or
to meet the Commonwealth halfway on this, I know that
the Northern Territory Government has spoken about a longer-term plan

(08:23):
for a facility over $ 40 million, which I think is
something that can be talked about at a later point.
But right now, we have a good facility that is
costing far less than that. So let's keep those families there,
take the pressure off them and the staff, and then

(08:45):
let's have a discussion about what the long-term future looks like.
All of those things are possible.

Speaker 1 (08:49):
So, Senator, that offer is on the table still this
morning to go 50-50. Absolutely. And, I mean, what is
your message to Minister Carl? We've got her on in
just a couple of minutes. What's your message to her?

Speaker 2 (09:03):
Sure. Minister Carl, I think it's really important that you
and I can resolve this. And I do believe that
this is a genuine offer to at least take the
pressure off those families. And I hope I can.

Speaker 1 (09:15):
Hear a yes. Well, Malindiri McCarthy, Senator for the Northern Territory,
Minister for Indigenous Australians, I always appreciate your time. Thank
you very much for joining us on the show this morning.

Speaker 2 (09:27):
No worries, Katie. Thank you.

Speaker 1 (09:28):
Thank you. Thanks so much.