Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
If you were listening to the show yesterday, you would
have heard the federal member f Lingiari Marion scrim DAWs.
She joined us and she said that she feels the
anti labor leader Selena Yubo needs to act swiftly on
the situation with Manuel Brown and that he should have
been stripped of his shadow portfolios. The comments come amid
ongoing controversy around the Member for Our Refuran's driving behavior
(00:22):
and the admission that he'd made that during a press
conference that his children had driven his car out Bush
and that he was also claiming the four hundred and
fifty dollars a day travel allowance while reportedly staying at
his private residence in Darwin. Now joining us on the
show is the Independent Member four Johnston Justine Davis. Good
morning to you, Justine. Good to have you in the studio.
(00:45):
Now tell me what do you make of this situation.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Look, I think internal party matters for the Labor Party,
and I think what you know, my focus is always
on accountability for all elected members. That public confidence absolutely
depends on elected representatives being held to the same standards
as everyone else, probably really a higher standard because we're
(01:09):
elected by and paid for by the public out there,
so we need to be, you know, behaving in the
higher standards properly as possible. So I think, you know,
there are questions to be asked here. We absolutely need
to have strong, robust opposition here in the Northern Territory
and we need to be sure that the opposition opposition
(01:30):
is doing their job as well as they can.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
Josin Marion Scrimdaw had told us on the show yesterday
that she thinks Manuel Brown should be stripped of his
Shutdow shadow portfolios. I understand that he also sits on
some parliamentary committees, so I could be wrong on that,
but do you think that there needs to be a
serious look at you know, I get that the shadow
portfolios fall under the Labor Party and their internal mechanisms,
(01:53):
but even with those, you know, with those committees, do
you think that he actually should stand down from those?
Speaker 2 (01:59):
As I said, I think Quinn need to be holding
people to very high standards of integrity and accountability, and
you know, it needs to be looked at. I think
he's got a role on those committees. I think he's
on the standard. I'm not I'm not sure. I'm not
on any committees any of the same committees as he
as him, and I would be expecting him to do
his job on that committee as all committee representatives are
(02:23):
to the you know, properly.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
And yeah, it makes it hard though for the opposition
to actually be able to call the government out if
they're now in a situation where they're not seen to
be acting as strongly as what a lot of people
listening this morning think that they should.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Yeah. Look, I think actually these concerns are bigger than
any one party. I think we've seen, certainly over my
brief time in Parliament, examples on both sides, on both parties,
of conflicts of interest, of questions about integrity, and in
my view, many of them have not been addressed effectively.
I think, you know, our role, as I said, as
(03:00):
politicians is to act with integrity and accountability, and when
that doesn't happen, it raises questions about the whole democratic process.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
And look, when you take that into account, are you
disappointed with what seems to be a lack of transparency
from the opposition.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
I'm always disappointed when there's a lack of transparency, Katie.
I think that Territorians deserve to trust that the people
that they elect are acting, as I said, with transparency
that they can trust them to be always working in
the interests of the community, you know, not for themselves,
not for any vested interests. So when that doesn't happen,
I think it's disappointing for all of us.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
Justine, we've been speaking a lot about these travel entitlements
as well, and I wonder do you think it's fair
for a Bush member to claim a travel allowance, or
any member that's outside of Darwin City to be able
to claim that travel allowance while staying at a private
residence that they own.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Yeah. Look, I think there's two separate questions. One question
is what's happening at the moment? Are they following the rules?
The other question is are the rules okay? Do we
think they're the right rules? So we've heard that there
are many members across the Chamber who claiming therese allowances
they are following the rules, But Territorians do have a
(04:13):
right to know. You know, first of all, what those
rules out there public. You can see them, They're available
on the Parliament website. There are lots of allowances that
the politicians are entitled to. So all of that is
in the public space, as it should be. But even
if those rules are there, Parliament should be always asking
whether it meets community expectation.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Do you think it does? We asked Rob and Carl,
the minister this earlier in the week. She said that
there should be a review. Do you think there needs
to be a review of those rules?
Speaker 2 (04:43):
That's definitely something that I would support. I mean, I
think particularly in times when we are facing a cost
of living crisis. When I heard today that Darwin has
the lowest the lowest rate ever available rental properties and
the second highest rents in the country. When people are
facing those kinds of pressures, they're entitled to say, hang on,
what's going on here? Yeah, So, so I would always
(05:06):
support us looking at those issues and working out, you know,
what should we be doing.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
And obviously there is you know, there is an independent
committee that does all of that. But do you think
that this should actually be referred to one of our
own parliamentary committees as well to have a look into.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Yeah, that's a possibility. I mean, I think that we
should use whatever mechanisms we have to be able to
look at this properly, and the intent of that is
so that the public can trust that we are actually
looking at it properly so that they can know that
it's not just decisions being made behind closed doors, and
it's not just mates looking after each other, but actually
that we are doing this, you know, properly and transparently.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
I guess the other side of the argument always is
that if you want good people to enter politics, you've
got to pay them well, and there has to be
a renumeration. I guess if you're traveling away from your
home electorate or or away from from your main residence
to come to Darwin to work, you know that you
should actually be remunerated for that. What do you make
of that side of the fence.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
Look, I think anyone who works for an organization where
they travel is you know, their costs a cupboard when
they travel, and so I think the remuneration trabune has
a job in determining what is appropriate around that. So
they've done that job and they've made a determination about
what's appropriate. You or I might have a different view.
I don't you know, Yes, you know, but I think
(06:26):
that's why it's an important thing to actually look at
and review when questions like this are raised. Let's actually
bring it out into the open and say, so, how
is it happened? You know, how is that number determined?
Doesn't reflect the costs? You know, is it are we
spending tax pays money wisely?
Speaker 1 (06:43):
Look, one of the messages that stood out to me
earlier in the week is somebody message through and said Katie,
I owned two hundred and sixty dollars a day. And
I'm paraphrasing here, two hundred and sixty dollars a day.
I start at six o'clock in the morning. I work
in the sun all day. You know, I don't even
earn as much as they're getting in travel allowance. And
it's bloody hard work. And that stood out to me
because I thought, do you know what we all sort
(07:04):
of we all need to remember that there's a lot
of people that are like you know, that are earning
nowhere near as much as our politicians get paid. And
I get it. You guys are under enormous scrutiny. You've
got to come in here and listen to me ask
you fifty questions about different things, and you know, and
you do get put sort of the spotlight is put
on you very often. But it also needs to be
remembered that there's always people doing it much tougher. There
(07:26):
are people working on roofs. I've got concretors at my
house today. It's bloody hard work that a lot of
Territorians do for not as much money as the travel allowance.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
Yeah. Yeah, so I think that's you know, and so
we're here. I'm certainly hearing that from people as well.
You know what's going on here, and I think that,
you know, public money needs to be spent in a
way that you know, passes the pub tests. Yeah. Really,
and if there are questions about that, then we should
look at the rules and make sure that they are
you know, if people don't understand why, as I said,
(07:57):
if people don't understand, where's that figure come from, let's
put it out in the open and let people know.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
Justine, I want to ask you. I know that. The
leader of the oppositions issued a statement today saying that
the colp's decision to push ahead with the Care and
Protection of Children Legislation Amendment Bill despite overwhelming evidence against it,
has exposed another scrutiny process where expert advice was heard
and ignored. So, as I understand that scrutiny committee has
(08:25):
been certainly scrutinizing this bill, and there's been a lot
of people opposed to these changes. I know that I
believe the Foster and Kinship Care has certainly raised some
concerns about making sure that safety is the highest priority.
But can you talk us through a little bit about
what was heard and where to from here?
Speaker 2 (08:43):
Sure? So I'm a member of that committee, and just
so people know, the job of that committee is when
a bill is referred to it by Parliament, we can
hold an inquiry, which we did. We can call for subissions,
we can have public hearings, and our role is to
examine a bill and then make recommendations to Parliament about
whether I not the bill should pass, whether there should
be amendments against some particular terms of reference, so whether
(09:05):
it pays due respect to the rights and liberties of territorians,
of the Institution of Parliament, of ourbridge and non sorrostradia
under people. So we've we've got a very clear job
in this case. We did hold an inquiry, as you said,
we had met We had one hundred and fifty submissions,
and we also had public hearings for over two days
where we invited people witnesses to come in and talk
(09:26):
to us. The overwhelming number of submissions, probably one hundred
and thirty were opposed to the bill, and they pointed
out very explicit concerns with the bill. The same with
witnesses that appeared before the committee. So we heard a
lot of evidence about significant concerns about the impact that
(09:47):
this bill will actually have on children's safety. And the
thing I want to say first of all is that
every single person we heard from, every single submission, every
person on that committee, and I'm sure every person in
Parliament believes that child safety is paramount. That's absolutely what
we need to be working for. And the question that
the Committee needs to ask is is this bill going
to take us further towards child safety? In my view,
(10:08):
it's not. In my view listening to all that evidence,
it's not. No one said the child protection system doesn't
need work. Everyone agreed that it's a system in crisis
and that we absolutely need to address it. The things
that people said were causing harm to children right now
are not addressed by this bill, And in fact, what
people said is that things in this bill may cause
(10:32):
children harm rather than protect them.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
So we're too from here Justine, because it has passed, well,
it is what did the committee find?
Speaker 2 (10:39):
So the committee. The process now is that the committee's
written a report which is available people can look at it.
It's one hundred and fifty pages, so very long, goes
through all the evidence. The majority of the committee recommended
that the bill be passed in its name very minor amendments,
(11:01):
technical amendments. Myself and the Member for Daily both put
in dissenting reports. My report went through amendments that I'll
be moving in Parliament to try and make sure that
if this bill does pass, the concerns that people have
identified in it are addressed, or I can make sure
that shouldn't are protected.
Speaker 1 (11:22):
So there definitely sounds so there's going to be a
lot more discussion about this in parliament as well.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
Yes, and my understanding is that we will be debating
it in Parliament which is the week after next and
so there'll be a debate and then there's the opportunity
to go through the bill in a lot of detail
and move amendments against particular sections of the bill and
then for them to be voted on.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
So Justine, it'll be busy, no doubt about it. Hey,
couple of quick ones, but I know you probably you
may have strong opinions on both. Will plenty of discussion
in recent weeks about the use of OC spray being
expanded after the Chief Minister had said on this show
that she's considering sixteen year olds being able to access it.
What do you reckon?
Speaker 2 (12:05):
Do we really want to be giving our kids weapons
to tell them that's how they need to keep themselves safe.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
I'd wondered the same, but then I was like, have
you met any teenage boys at the moment that go fishing,
because most of them are getting around with, you know,
with different things to fill it fish and you know,
to use. But if they use things sensibly generally, there's
not a concern. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
Look, I just think it sends totally the wrong message.
I think if we want to address community safety, we
need to actually be doing it by addressing the causes
of what is making us feel unsafe or making us unsafe.
We don't need to be putting more weapons in the
public space.
Speaker 1 (12:39):
Justine another one fireworks from Territory Day. People were going
off about the issues on the esplanade. We were honestly
smashed with messages from people following on from Territory day
just due to the you know what we were seeing
along the esplanade. Then that vision went viral. What do
you think needs to happen? There's been calls for a
personal band to fireworks. Put it out there. I want
(13:01):
to keep them, but you might feel differently.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
Yeah, it's pretty controversial issuesn't it, Katie. I have to
say that I have been contacted by an incredible number
of people who are really unhappy with what happens around fireworks.
People love them. I personally like fireworks, but I think
what we see, the way people are affected by them,
the way they're used, often unsafely, the impact on our animals,
(13:26):
the impact on the health system. There are all things
we really need to look at. And I've got many
many people who have come to me saying, can you
please put up emotion to say ban fireworks in the
Northern Territory. So everyone's saying that to me. I'm listening
to you. I'd love to I'd love to know whateveryone
thinks I know that people. It's an issue people feel
very very strongly about. So should they.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
Contact your office? Is it something that you are considering
doing next time Parliament?
Speaker 2 (13:50):
Since I'm definitely interested in hearing what people think about it. Yeah,
because you know, my job is to represent people's views.
People in my community, and you know, people beyond Johnston
contact me as well. So yeah, I really want to
know what do you hear? What do you want? People
have lots of really good creative ideas. A lot of
people say, look, we don't think we should ban fireworks,
but let's not let this free for all. You know,
(14:11):
people talking about fireworks being shot into their garden, trees
catching on fire. Like. People say, let's have a designated
space where people can still let off their own fireworks,
but it's contained. So people have lots of ideas. You know,
a lot of people come to me and said, we're
not just naysayers. We want to have fun too, but
we just want to make sure it's safe. So yeah, please,
anyone who has any thoughts on that, I'd welcome you
to get in touch and let me know.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
Justine Davis really good to speak with you this morning.
I appreciate your time as always.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Thanks Katie, Thanks so much,
If you were listening to the show yesterday, you would
have heard the federal member f Lingiari Marion scrim DAWs.
She joined us and she said that she feels the
anti labor leader Selena Yubo needs to act swiftly on
the situation with Manuel Brown and that he should have
been stripped of his shadow portfolios. The comments come amid
ongoing controversy around the Member for Our Refuran's driving behavior
(00:22):
and the admission that he'd made that during a press
conference that his children had driven his car out Bush
and that he was also claiming the four hundred and
fifty dollars a day travel allowance while reportedly staying at
his private residence in Darwin. Now joining us on the
show is the Independent Member four Johnston Justine Davis. Good
morning to you, Justine. Good to have you in the studio.
(00:45):
Now tell me what do you make of this situation.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Look, I think internal party matters for the Labor Party,
and I think what you know, my focus is always
on accountability for all elected members. That public confidence absolutely
depends on elected representatives being held to the same standards
as everyone else, probably really a higher standard because we're
(01:09):
elected by and paid for by the public out there,
so we need to be, you know, behaving in the
higher standards properly as possible. So I think, you know,
there are questions to be asked here. We absolutely need
to have strong, robust opposition here in the Northern Territory
and we need to be sure that the opposition opposition
(01:30):
is doing their job as well as they can.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
Josin Marion Scrimdaw had told us on the show yesterday
that she thinks Manuel Brown should be stripped of his
Shutdow shadow portfolios. I understand that he also sits on
some parliamentary committees, so I could be wrong on that,
but do you think that there needs to be a
serious look at you know, I get that the shadow
portfolios fall under the Labor Party and their internal mechanisms,
(01:53):
but even with those, you know, with those committees, do
you think that he actually should stand down from those?
Speaker 2 (01:59):
As I said, I think Quinn need to be holding
people to very high standards of integrity and accountability, and
you know, it needs to be looked at. I think
he's got a role on those committees. I think he's
on the standard. I'm not I'm not sure. I'm not
on any committees any of the same committees as he
as him, and I would be expecting him to do
his job on that committee as all committee representatives are
(02:23):
to the you know, properly.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
And yeah, it makes it hard though for the opposition
to actually be able to call the government out if
they're now in a situation where they're not seen to
be acting as strongly as what a lot of people
listening this morning think that they should.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Yeah. Look, I think actually these concerns are bigger than
any one party. I think we've seen, certainly over my
brief time in Parliament, examples on both sides, on both parties,
of conflicts of interest, of questions about integrity, and in
my view, many of them have not been addressed effectively.
I think, you know, our role, as I said, as
(03:00):
politicians is to act with integrity and accountability, and when
that doesn't happen, it raises questions about the whole democratic process.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
And look, when you take that into account, are you
disappointed with what seems to be a lack of transparency
from the opposition.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
I'm always disappointed when there's a lack of transparency, Katie.
I think that Territorians deserve to trust that the people
that they elect are acting, as I said, with transparency
that they can trust them to be always working in
the interests of the community, you know, not for themselves,
not for any vested interests. So when that doesn't happen,
I think it's disappointing for all of us.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
Justine, we've been speaking a lot about these travel entitlements
as well, and I wonder do you think it's fair
for a Bush member to claim a travel allowance, or
any member that's outside of Darwin City to be able
to claim that travel allowance while staying at a private
residence that they own.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Yeah. Look, I think there's two separate questions. One question
is what's happening at the moment? Are they following the rules?
The other question is are the rules okay? Do we
think they're the right rules? So we've heard that there
are many members across the Chamber who claiming therese allowances
they are following the rules, But Territorians do have a
(04:13):
right to know. You know, first of all, what those
rules out there public. You can see them, They're available
on the Parliament website. There are lots of allowances that
the politicians are entitled to. So all of that is
in the public space, as it should be. But even
if those rules are there, Parliament should be always asking
whether it meets community expectation.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Do you think it does? We asked Rob and Carl,
the minister this earlier in the week. She said that
there should be a review. Do you think there needs
to be a review of those rules?
Speaker 2 (04:43):
That's definitely something that I would support. I mean, I
think particularly in times when we are facing a cost
of living crisis. When I heard today that Darwin has
the lowest the lowest rate ever available rental properties and
the second highest rents in the country. When people are
facing those kinds of pressures, they're entitled to say, hang on,
what's going on here? Yeah, So, so I would always
(05:06):
support us looking at those issues and working out, you know,
what should we be doing.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
And obviously there is you know, there is an independent
committee that does all of that. But do you think
that this should actually be referred to one of our
own parliamentary committees as well to have a look into.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Yeah, that's a possibility. I mean, I think that we
should use whatever mechanisms we have to be able to
look at this properly, and the intent of that is
so that the public can trust that we are actually
looking at it properly so that they can know that
it's not just decisions being made behind closed doors, and
it's not just mates looking after each other, but actually
that we are doing this, you know, properly and transparently.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
I guess the other side of the argument always is
that if you want good people to enter politics, you've
got to pay them well, and there has to be
a renumeration. I guess if you're traveling away from your
home electorate or or away from from your main residence
to come to Darwin to work, you know that you
should actually be remunerated for that. What do you make
of that side of the fence.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
Look, I think anyone who works for an organization where
they travel is you know, their costs a cupboard when
they travel, and so I think the remuneration trabune has
a job in determining what is appropriate around that. So
they've done that job and they've made a determination about
what's appropriate. You or I might have a different view.
I don't you know, Yes, you know, but I think
(06:26):
that's why it's an important thing to actually look at
and review when questions like this are raised. Let's actually
bring it out into the open and say, so, how
is it happened? You know, how is that number determined?
Doesn't reflect the costs? You know, is it are we
spending tax pays money wisely?
Speaker 1 (06:43):
Look, one of the messages that stood out to me
earlier in the week is somebody message through and said Katie,
I owned two hundred and sixty dollars a day. And
I'm paraphrasing here, two hundred and sixty dollars a day.
I start at six o'clock in the morning. I work
in the sun all day. You know, I don't even
earn as much as they're getting in travel allowance. And
it's bloody hard work. And that stood out to me
because I thought, do you know what we all sort
(07:04):
of we all need to remember that there's a lot
of people that are like you know, that are earning
nowhere near as much as our politicians get paid. And
I get it. You guys are under enormous scrutiny. You've
got to come in here and listen to me ask
you fifty questions about different things, and you know, and
you do get put sort of the spotlight is put
on you very often. But it also needs to be
remembered that there's always people doing it much tougher. There
(07:26):
are people working on roofs. I've got concretors at my
house today. It's bloody hard work that a lot of
Territorians do for not as much money as the travel allowance.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
Yeah. Yeah, so I think that's you know, and so
we're here. I'm certainly hearing that from people as well.
You know what's going on here, and I think that,
you know, public money needs to be spent in a
way that you know, passes the pub tests. Yeah. Really,
and if there are questions about that, then we should
look at the rules and make sure that they are
you know, if people don't understand why, as I said,
(07:57):
if people don't understand, where's that figure come from, let's
put it out in the open and let people know.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
Justine, I want to ask you. I know that. The
leader of the oppositions issued a statement today saying that
the colp's decision to push ahead with the Care and
Protection of Children Legislation Amendment Bill despite overwhelming evidence against it,
has exposed another scrutiny process where expert advice was heard
and ignored. So, as I understand that scrutiny committee has
(08:25):
been certainly scrutinizing this bill, and there's been a lot
of people opposed to these changes. I know that I
believe the Foster and Kinship Care has certainly raised some
concerns about making sure that safety is the highest priority.
But can you talk us through a little bit about
what was heard and where to from here?
Speaker 2 (08:43):
Sure? So I'm a member of that committee, and just
so people know, the job of that committee is when
a bill is referred to it by Parliament, we can
hold an inquiry, which we did. We can call for subissions,
we can have public hearings, and our role is to
examine a bill and then make recommendations to Parliament about
whether I not the bill should pass, whether there should
be amendments against some particular terms of reference, so whether
(09:05):
it pays due respect to the rights and liberties of territorians,
of the Institution of Parliament, of ourbridge and non sorrostradia
under people. So we've we've got a very clear job
in this case. We did hold an inquiry, as you said,
we had met We had one hundred and fifty submissions,
and we also had public hearings for over two days
where we invited people witnesses to come in and talk
(09:26):
to us. The overwhelming number of submissions, probably one hundred
and thirty were opposed to the bill, and they pointed
out very explicit concerns with the bill. The same with
witnesses that appeared before the committee. So we heard a
lot of evidence about significant concerns about the impact that
(09:47):
this bill will actually have on children's safety. And the
thing I want to say first of all is that
every single person we heard from, every single submission, every
person on that committee, and I'm sure every person in
Parliament believes that child safety is paramount. That's absolutely what
we need to be working for. And the question that
the Committee needs to ask is is this bill going
to take us further towards child safety? In my view,
(10:08):
it's not. In my view listening to all that evidence,
it's not. No one said the child protection system doesn't
need work. Everyone agreed that it's a system in crisis
and that we absolutely need to address it. The things
that people said were causing harm to children right now
are not addressed by this bill, And in fact, what
people said is that things in this bill may cause
(10:32):
children harm rather than protect them.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
So we're too from here Justine, because it has passed, well,
it is what did the committee find?
Speaker 2 (10:39):
So the committee. The process now is that the committee's
written a report which is available people can look at it.
It's one hundred and fifty pages, so very long, goes
through all the evidence. The majority of the committee recommended
that the bill be passed in its name very minor amendments,
(11:01):
technical amendments. Myself and the Member for Daily both put
in dissenting reports. My report went through amendments that I'll
be moving in Parliament to try and make sure that
if this bill does pass, the concerns that people have
identified in it are addressed, or I can make sure
that shouldn't are protected.
Speaker 1 (11:22):
So there definitely sounds so there's going to be a
lot more discussion about this in parliament as well.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
Yes, and my understanding is that we will be debating
it in Parliament which is the week after next and
so there'll be a debate and then there's the opportunity
to go through the bill in a lot of detail
and move amendments against particular sections of the bill and
then for them to be voted on.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
So Justine, it'll be busy, no doubt about it. Hey,
couple of quick ones, but I know you probably you
may have strong opinions on both. Will plenty of discussion
in recent weeks about the use of OC spray being
expanded after the Chief Minister had said on this show
that she's considering sixteen year olds being able to access it.
What do you reckon?
Speaker 2 (12:05):
Do we really want to be giving our kids weapons
to tell them that's how they need to keep themselves safe.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
I'd wondered the same, but then I was like, have
you met any teenage boys at the moment that go fishing,
because most of them are getting around with, you know,
with different things to fill it fish and you know,
to use. But if they use things sensibly generally, there's
not a concern. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
Look, I just think it sends totally the wrong message.
I think if we want to address community safety, we
need to actually be doing it by addressing the causes
of what is making us feel unsafe or making us unsafe.
We don't need to be putting more weapons in the
public space.
Speaker 1 (12:39):
Justine another one fireworks from Territory Day. People were going
off about the issues on the esplanade. We were honestly
smashed with messages from people following on from Territory day
just due to the you know what we were seeing
along the esplanade. Then that vision went viral. What do
you think needs to happen? There's been calls for a
personal band to fireworks. Put it out there. I want
(13:01):
to keep them, but you might feel differently.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
Yeah, it's pretty controversial issuesn't it, Katie. I have to
say that I have been contacted by an incredible number
of people who are really unhappy with what happens around fireworks.
People love them. I personally like fireworks, but I think
what we see, the way people are affected by them,
the way they're used, often unsafely, the impact on our animals,
(13:26):
the impact on the health system. There are all things
we really need to look at. And I've got many
many people who have come to me saying, can you
please put up emotion to say ban fireworks in the
Northern Territory. So everyone's saying that to me. I'm listening
to you. I'd love to I'd love to know whateveryone
thinks I know that people. It's an issue people feel
very very strongly about. So should they.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
Contact your office? Is it something that you are considering
doing next time Parliament?
Speaker 2 (13:50):
Since I'm definitely interested in hearing what people think about it. Yeah,
because you know, my job is to represent people's views.
People in my community, and you know, people beyond Johnston
contact me as well. So yeah, I really want to
know what do you hear? What do you want? People
have lots of really good creative ideas. A lot of
people say, look, we don't think we should ban fireworks,
but let's not let this free for all. You know,
(14:11):
people talking about fireworks being shot into their garden, trees
catching on fire. Like. People say, let's have a designated
space where people can still let off their own fireworks,
but it's contained. So people have lots of ideas. You know,
a lot of people come to me and said, we're
not just naysayers. We want to have fun too, but
we just want to make sure it's safe. So yeah, please,
anyone who has any thoughts on that, I'd welcome you
to get in touch and let me know.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
Justine Davis really good to speak with you this morning.
I appreciate your time as always.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Thanks Katie, Thanks so much,
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