November 26, 2025 • 8 mins
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now quite interesting there to hear from the CEO of
the City of Darwin, Simone Saunders, that the reality is
that we could potentially, you know, have some verge cleanups
and also have some skip bins etc. Around the place.
But following on from Cyclone Marcus, that was something that
the Northern Territory Government had I believe received funding from
the federal government on Now joining us on the line
(00:23):
is well the local member for Karama, Brian O'Gallagher. Good
morning to you.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Good morning Katie, and good morning to you listen Brian.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Good to have you on the show now. Brian, as
I understand it, will yourself and also Jins and Charles
really calling for some of that verge collection to happen
through the City of Darwin. But I've just spoken to
Simone Saunders. She said that, you know, they'll obviously be
doing the verge cleanups, but when it came to those
one hundred and ten skip bins after Marcus, that is
(00:56):
something that was actually coordinated through the Northern Territory government.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Look, Katie, first of all, Cyclone fen it was really
a high demonstration of the resilience of territories, right and
I think we put a great effort into it and
congratulations to all involved. I think the NTY government stepped
right up to it, got on the front foot, said right,
we're going to try and get into emergency services out there.
(01:24):
They did a fantastic job power and order. Everyone's been
working fantastically. And in regards the council, can I also
pay a big tribute to their frontline staff. I think
they do a fantastic job. I'm a former councilor myself
and I give credit to them and they're really important
in the recovery phase. But I can tell you, Katie,
(01:44):
I walked around on the Sunday there were trees down
on the road. We had neighbors and all those cutting
those trees up, and they were putting on the verge,
and yet they were getting a communication from council saying no,
you can't go and put on the verge and even
potentially some fines. I mean, this was just bad communication
(02:05):
by a council and it's really It did get me
up and I said, yeah, come on a bit of
common sense here, get the common message out there. Let
people cut up. They're stepping up the community. Stepping up
be a way of doing it is get the stuff
off the road, save other emergency services coming to do it.
Let's just put on the verge and yes, we'll come
(02:25):
and clean up later. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
I felt the same as you, you know. And then
when i'd sort of heard that people could potentially getting
be getting fines, I thought, oh my goodness, me the council's.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Confirm communication all round.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
Yeah, well, and the councils confirmed, like that's not going
to be the case. You know, people aren't going to
be getting fines. But Brian, what do you reckon needs
to happen here? I mean, in terms of the verge cleanup,
in terms of the potential of skip bins, that kind
of thing. What do you think we need to be doing.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Well, let me go back and I'll give credit to
Combat Scales, the previous mayor with markets right when that happened,
they opened up. They made it easy for communities to
go in get rid of their waste a couple of
days beforehand, because you want to do your preparation and
then after the event you go and get your waste
out as quickly as possible. Because people do want to
(03:13):
clean up. The community wants cleaner, and I just think
the new councils. A lot of those new councils and
existing ones, and I could name more, but you know,
people like Ed Smelt, Julie Fraser has just been elected,
Patrick Ralfman elected. They said they're going to be in
touch with the community, they're going to serve the community. Well,
they need to get counsel to listen to the community
(03:34):
because as far as I'm concerned, waste disposal is a
core business of council and we need to step up.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
And there are biting is it is, But Brian even
I'm since sort of learning that when it comes to
waste disposal post cyclone, and certainly you know when it
comes to making sure that there's that additional facilities stepped
up that is under the remit of the Northern Tier
Territory government and obviously Hidden Valley is out there. It's
(04:02):
operating now and by all accounts, doing a phenomenal job.
But you know, I just feel like there's I can't
quite work it out. It feels like there's a bit
of a fight going on between the Northern Territory Government
and the Darwin City Council. And I get it, but
should we all just be working together here to try
and make sure that the place gets cleaned up.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Absolutely, and let's put residents in the community first. And
I can say from the Northern Territory Government's perspective, and
we do a whole range of speeches in Parlman year.
Everyone's been getting together. I mean the Chief Minister got
on the front foot. She kept schools open so that
emergency workers could be out there working. That's fantastic in issue.
(04:43):
You know, we're about getting this sold and getting it going.
And the council plays an important role. Absolutely, they play
an important role. But there seem to be this sort
of duck shoving saying, oh, I know, we're going to
blame the NC government. Let's not forget the core responsibility
to waste disposal restless council. Now, there's a couple other
things here. I believe and I did advocate and I've
(05:05):
gone the council. I believe they should give free access
to Shoal Bay two days beforehand and two days after.
But one of the biggest issues out there is the cues.
You get the commercial traffic coming in and then they're
processing them, and you've got the domestic traffic going back
to vanal and rives. That doesn't happen just during cyclones.
Might I say, council needs to fix this problem. They
(05:27):
need to get on the front foot. And if they
have to go and you know, seek some additional funding
from the federal government or Northern Territory government doing in partnership,
so be it, do it. But let's fix it for
the community. The community comes first, Brian.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
In terms of then you know, when we're talking about
the skip bins and the verge disposal, what do you
reckon needs to happen there?
Speaker 2 (05:51):
Well, I think council needs to go around. You know,
we do this cyclone clean up thing. We just say, right,
we've got to go and in the trees up, let's
go and pick up. Not everyone has a trailer, not
they don't all have the capability lifting some of these
treatments on. But go out there and pick it all
up and take it away. Now, it's got to take time.
(06:12):
We understand that first thing. Get off the road so
people can be connected. But you know, that's a major task,
and council is probably the one in the recovery phase
that should take the lead.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
On this in terms of those and I think the.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Parmesan Council has done a great job, so you know,
take a leaf out of Patison Countil.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
In terms of though, you know, like the fact that
we've just spoken to Sorry, I can hear those bells ringing, Brian,
Hopefully you're all right to keep talking mate. I mean,
in terms of the Darwin City Council, at the moment,
they've got one hundred and seventy thousand tons of greenways
to try and get rid of and to try and collect,
so they are under the pump at the moment. I mean,
(06:51):
could we be getting some funding here from the federal government.
Could the Northern Territory government be seeking some federal funding
to get some con tracked us out to help out
with the vergers and to help out with some of
the cleanup.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Look, I think that's all good stuff to do and
go for it, but sometimes you just got to bite
the bullet, spend the money and then if you want
to go back to the Northern Territory Government or the
Australian Gunment say hey, look it's cost us as much
can you reimburse it?
Speaker 1 (07:18):
But that's me as a bloody right player. I don't
want to have to pay extra money if we can
get it from the federal government because it's an emergency.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
You're skilled in advanced Katie. But I'm saying, you know,
let's just solve the problem. I'm not saying don't go
for the money. Definitely gave it the money.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
You know, even earlier in the week we had I
think it names Christy McBain, you know, the minister, the
federal minister here, and she's sort of announcing that emergency assistance.
Surely we can pick up the phone to her and go, hey,
any chance we can get some money for this cleanup.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Yeah, you know, I think that's a good idea. So
you know, council needs to come and talk with the
Norton Territory Gouverment and go and lobby together. Go for it,
do for it.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
You know. Well, Brian, I going.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
I think sorry, I just want to say again, I
really support the council workers. I think they're doing a
great job. So I'm not bagging. I think there was
poor communication now. Maybe they're getting it better now, but
it's a little late. But we've got to make learnings
out of this. Yeah, but don't forget waste disposal is
a cool business of counsel. So let's get a break.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
But is it in an emergency? Does it only fall
under the council in an emergency following on from a cyclone?
Speaker 2 (08:29):
Look, I think emergencies you've got to have partnerships going on.
And you know, nordern Territory government's been doing a chair.
I think council's trying to do a chair, but they've
made a couple of stuff ups, and yes, the federal
government needs to kick in as well, so it's got
to be done.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
We've got to get some extra funding so that we
can help people out, you know, to get rid of
all that green waste. And I hope we're able to
do that. Brian. I'll let you go mate. I can
hear those bells ringing you same, thank you.
Now quite interesting there to hear from the CEO of
the City of Darwin, Simone Saunders, that the reality is
that we could potentially, you know, have some verge cleanups
and also have some skip bins etc. Around the place.
But following on from Cyclone Marcus, that was something that
the Northern Territory Government had I believe received funding from
the federal government on Now joining us on the line
(00:23):
is well the local member for Karama, Brian O'Gallagher. Good
morning to you.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Good morning Katie, and good morning to you listen Brian.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Good to have you on the show now. Brian, as
I understand it, will yourself and also Jins and Charles
really calling for some of that verge collection to happen
through the City of Darwin. But I've just spoken to
Simone Saunders. She said that, you know, they'll obviously be
doing the verge cleanups, but when it came to those
one hundred and ten skip bins after Marcus, that is
(00:56):
something that was actually coordinated through the Northern Territory government.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Look, Katie, first of all, Cyclone fen it was really
a high demonstration of the resilience of territories, right and
I think we put a great effort into it and
congratulations to all involved. I think the NTY government stepped
right up to it, got on the front foot, said right,
we're going to try and get into emergency services out there.
(01:24):
They did a fantastic job power and order. Everyone's been
working fantastically. And in regards the council, can I also
pay a big tribute to their frontline staff. I think
they do a fantastic job. I'm a former councilor myself
and I give credit to them and they're really important
in the recovery phase. But I can tell you, Katie,
(01:44):
I walked around on the Sunday there were trees down
on the road. We had neighbors and all those cutting
those trees up, and they were putting on the verge,
and yet they were getting a communication from council saying no,
you can't go and put on the verge and even
potentially some fines. I mean, this was just bad communication
(02:05):
by a council and it's really It did get me
up and I said, yeah, come on a bit of
common sense here, get the common message out there. Let
people cut up. They're stepping up the community. Stepping up
be a way of doing it is get the stuff
off the road, save other emergency services coming to do it.
Let's just put on the verge and yes, we'll come
(02:25):
and clean up later. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
I felt the same as you, you know. And then
when i'd sort of heard that people could potentially getting
be getting fines, I thought, oh my goodness, me the council's.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Confirm communication all round.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
Yeah, well, and the councils confirmed, like that's not going
to be the case. You know, people aren't going to
be getting fines. But Brian, what do you reckon needs
to happen here? I mean, in terms of the verge cleanup,
in terms of the potential of skip bins, that kind
of thing. What do you think we need to be doing.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Well, let me go back and I'll give credit to
Combat Scales, the previous mayor with markets right when that happened,
they opened up. They made it easy for communities to
go in get rid of their waste a couple of
days beforehand, because you want to do your preparation and
then after the event you go and get your waste
out as quickly as possible. Because people do want to
(03:13):
clean up. The community wants cleaner, and I just think
the new councils. A lot of those new councils and
existing ones, and I could name more, but you know,
people like Ed Smelt, Julie Fraser has just been elected,
Patrick Ralfman elected. They said they're going to be in
touch with the community, they're going to serve the community. Well,
they need to get counsel to listen to the community
(03:34):
because as far as I'm concerned, waste disposal is a
core business of council and we need to step up.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
And there are biting is it is, But Brian even
I'm since sort of learning that when it comes to
waste disposal post cyclone, and certainly you know when it
comes to making sure that there's that additional facilities stepped
up that is under the remit of the Northern Tier
Territory government and obviously Hidden Valley is out there. It's
(04:02):
operating now and by all accounts, doing a phenomenal job.
But you know, I just feel like there's I can't
quite work it out. It feels like there's a bit
of a fight going on between the Northern Territory Government
and the Darwin City Council. And I get it, but
should we all just be working together here to try
and make sure that the place gets cleaned up.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Absolutely, and let's put residents in the community first. And
I can say from the Northern Territory Government's perspective, and
we do a whole range of speeches in Parlman year.
Everyone's been getting together. I mean the Chief Minister got
on the front foot. She kept schools open so that
emergency workers could be out there working. That's fantastic in issue.
(04:43):
You know, we're about getting this sold and getting it going.
And the council plays an important role. Absolutely, they play
an important role. But there seem to be this sort
of duck shoving saying, oh, I know, we're going to
blame the NC government. Let's not forget the core responsibility
to waste disposal restless council. Now, there's a couple other
things here. I believe and I did advocate and I've
(05:05):
gone the council. I believe they should give free access
to Shoal Bay two days beforehand and two days after.
But one of the biggest issues out there is the cues.
You get the commercial traffic coming in and then they're
processing them, and you've got the domestic traffic going back
to vanal and rives. That doesn't happen just during cyclones.
Might I say, council needs to fix this problem. They
(05:27):
need to get on the front foot. And if they
have to go and you know, seek some additional funding
from the federal government or Northern Territory government doing in partnership,
so be it, do it. But let's fix it for
the community. The community comes first, Brian.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
In terms of then you know, when we're talking about
the skip bins and the verge disposal, what do you
reckon needs to happen there?
Speaker 2 (05:51):
Well, I think council needs to go around. You know,
we do this cyclone clean up thing. We just say, right,
we've got to go and in the trees up, let's
go and pick up. Not everyone has a trailer, not
they don't all have the capability lifting some of these
treatments on. But go out there and pick it all
up and take it away. Now, it's got to take time.
(06:12):
We understand that first thing. Get off the road so
people can be connected. But you know, that's a major task,
and council is probably the one in the recovery phase
that should take the lead.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
On this in terms of those and I think the.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Parmesan Council has done a great job, so you know,
take a leaf out of Patison Countil.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
In terms of though, you know, like the fact that
we've just spoken to Sorry, I can hear those bells ringing, Brian,
Hopefully you're all right to keep talking mate. I mean,
in terms of the Darwin City Council, at the moment,
they've got one hundred and seventy thousand tons of greenways
to try and get rid of and to try and collect,
so they are under the pump at the moment. I mean,
(06:51):
could we be getting some funding here from the federal government.
Could the Northern Territory government be seeking some federal funding
to get some con tracked us out to help out
with the vergers and to help out with some of
the cleanup.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Look, I think that's all good stuff to do and
go for it, but sometimes you just got to bite
the bullet, spend the money and then if you want
to go back to the Northern Territory Government or the
Australian Gunment say hey, look it's cost us as much
can you reimburse it?
Speaker 1 (07:18):
But that's me as a bloody right player. I don't
want to have to pay extra money if we can
get it from the federal government because it's an emergency.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
You're skilled in advanced Katie. But I'm saying, you know,
let's just solve the problem. I'm not saying don't go
for the money. Definitely gave it the money.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
You know, even earlier in the week we had I
think it names Christy McBain, you know, the minister, the
federal minister here, and she's sort of announcing that emergency assistance.
Surely we can pick up the phone to her and go, hey,
any chance we can get some money for this cleanup.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Yeah, you know, I think that's a good idea. So
you know, council needs to come and talk with the
Norton Territory Gouverment and go and lobby together. Go for it,
do for it.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
You know. Well, Brian, I going.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
I think sorry, I just want to say again, I
really support the council workers. I think they're doing a
great job. So I'm not bagging. I think there was
poor communication now. Maybe they're getting it better now, but
it's a little late. But we've got to make learnings
out of this. Yeah, but don't forget waste disposal is
a cool business of counsel. So let's get a break.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
But is it in an emergency? Does it only fall
under the council in an emergency following on from a cyclone?
Speaker 2 (08:29):
Look, I think emergencies you've got to have partnerships going on.
And you know, nordern Territory government's been doing a chair.
I think council's trying to do a chair, but they've
made a couple of stuff ups, and yes, the federal
government needs to kick in as well, so it's got
to be done.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
We've got to get some extra funding so that we
can help people out, you know, to get rid of
all that green waste. And I hope we're able to
do that. Brian. I'll let you go mate. I can
hear those bells ringing you same, thank you.
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