All Episodes

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark as Played
Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
No.

Speaker 2 (00:00):
Now, Parliament resumes in the Northern Territory today and the
issue of voluntary assisted dying is expected to be high
on the agenda. The Opposition leader releasing a draft Voluntary
Assisted Dying Rights of the Terminally Ill Bill Now, she says,
it's a ready to go frame work there delivers the compassion,
dignity and choice that Territorians have been calling for. The

(00:23):
Opposition leader, Selena Yubo joins me on the line. Good
morning to you, Selena.

Speaker 1 (00:27):
Good morning Katie, and good morning to the listeners.

Speaker 2 (00:29):
Now, you announced in May that you would begin work
on this bill. Why did you go down this path
when we know the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee are
doing their work, which I believe is going to be
tabled today as well.

Speaker 1 (00:44):
Yeah, Katie. Back in May, I committed to Territorians that
I would do the work to draft some legislation that
would see a Voluntary assisted Dying Bill come to the
Parliament through the Private member's process. Now it was a
bit difficult. We had to drafter, had to look at
all the different legislation across Australia to see what could

(01:05):
fit here for the Northern Territory and how could we
do this work to provide that option to the Parliament
to vote on and the work was done concurrently. Obviously,
the COPA government did a referral to the Legal and
Constitutional Affairs Committee we call it the LCAC to do
a round of consultation across the territory to see if

(01:28):
this is an issue that was important enough for them
to pick up. But obviously it is an important issue.
It's a very sensitive and a sensitive matter when we're
talking about people dying with dignity here in the territory.
We are the only jurisdiction in the country, as you know, Katie,
that doesn't have the ability for our residents to be
able to access volunteer sist dying. So said I would

(01:51):
do the work back in May. It's taken several months
to do that. Very proud to say that work has
been completed a lot quicker than I expected to be honest,
I was expecting many many more months, Matie. But the
draft we had was a very experienced an expert drafter,
so the work was able to be done within the
last few months. Parallel, the LCAC Advisory sorry, the LCAC

(02:15):
Committee of the Parliament was doing their process which they
had been tasked by the Attorney General to do. They
announced their report a couple of weeks ago. That's officially
being tabled in the Parliament today. I received my draft
from the Expert drafter last week. I've had a week
to go through that. It's comfortable what's in it. I've

(02:36):
looked at the LCAC work. I've looked at the previous
Independent Expert Advisory Panel report which Labor commissioned when we
were in government. I'm very comfortable that the work that
has been done for a draft bill to come to
the to be here in the territory, to come to
the Territory Parliament is what I said I would do.
I've now obviously the government since come out since in

(02:59):
that process said that this is work they were going
to do. Well, what's saved them five months of work, Katie.
I'm really keen to see this work come to a
head and formally enter the Parliament. So the government said
they do the work. I would like to show Territorians
that we want to be constructive, like I said I
would at the beginning of my leadership, that we want
to be bipartisan and this very important and very sensitive

(03:21):
matter for Territorians. So to share that work with the
government and see if we can get that bill to
the Parliament for the Parliament to vote on.

Speaker 2 (03:30):
So taking that into account, I mean, given the fact
that the LCAC, the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee, they've
done their work, you've done your work, Like, is there
a way here that both sides of politics can work
constructively together so that you know, this piece of legislation
is being debated, it's you know, it's sort of there,

(03:51):
it's ready to go sooner rather than later? Or what
are we going? I mean, I know, obviously, you know
you're a labor leader. We know the sea people have
their view and I totally respect that. But I guess
what I'm getting to is there a way that you
know that we can can see this on the table
sooner rather than later, taking into account both bodies of work.

Speaker 1 (04:14):
Yes, there is, and I do want to see this
in a very constructive way, Katie, which is why yesterday
I wrote to Lis and Acquier as the Chief Murray
Claire Boothby as the Attorney General, to say, please use
the basis of the work that the government said that
they were going to take on, which is drafting a
voluntary assisted dying bill for the Northern Territory, please use

(04:36):
my bill as the basis, and then what can happen
essentially is they can commission that work to then go
to all the departments, to stakeholders, to the community for
import around that bill. If we've missed anything, if people
think things should be taken out, all of that work
can happen in the next month or so. A bill
could be introduced before the end of the year and

(04:57):
debated and passed by early next year. So I know
the Attorney General had spoken about a sort of a
bit of a wishy washy time frame for next year
starting the work. I don't think people want that work
to be delayed any further. People have been asking about
this the year. We didn't get to it when Labor
was in government. We have been doing the work now
in opposition. We really want to see this bill come

(05:18):
to the Northern Territory Parliament.

Speaker 2 (05:20):
Selena, obviously you and I have spoken about this before.
It's been a topic of discussion on numerous occasions. On
the week that was, I know that you have outlined
strong safeguards, dedicated VAD health service and mandatory cultural safety measures.
Can you just explain for us how that bill ensures

(05:40):
culturally safe and equitable access well for all Territorians, but
particularly those living in remote communities.

Speaker 1 (05:49):
Yeah, Katie, this is such an important issue and we
want to make sure that when we talk about the
choice for any Territorian not you know, some people may
look to take this up in the future. Some people
don't want to borrow it, and that is fine, but
at the moment, no one gets a choice. So being
able to have that choice here in the territory also
needs to recognize what is what is celebrated about the territory.

(06:13):
We have such a great multicultural community. We have a
high population of Aboriginal territories. One third of Territorians are Aboriginal, Katie,
so we want to make sure that that is reflected
in this bill, which is what we've done. It has
come out of that independent report that was tabled in
the Parliament last year. It's also come out very clearly

(06:34):
in the LCAC report which will be officially tabled today
and I'm sure we'll be discussed at length today. So
it's recognizing the uniqueness, the contexts, the diversity the population
of the Northern Territory and the importance of linking and
recognizing what we love about the territory, to our health systems,
to those right to die with dignity at end life.

Speaker 2 (06:56):
Selena, I know we don't have a huge amount of time,
but I've got a couple of things I want to
get before I go there, though. I mean, this is
it's probably going to be a conscience vote. I mean,
you've got a lot of remote areas within your electorate,
a lot of remote residents, I should say, I mean,
how are you going to vote? Have you made that
decision yet?

Speaker 1 (07:15):
Yeah, Katie. I have been on this journey for the
last four to five years. Formerly, when we're in government,
I advocated as the former Attorney General of the Northern Territory,
working with the act Attorney General to support the restoration
of Territory Rights, which is the bill that passed through
the Parliament in Canberra in Federal Parliament so that the

(07:36):
Act and Northern Territory could legislate on voluntary assisted dying,
which will then passed in twenty twenty two. The work
obviously then was done around the Independent Report. Formerly, when
we're in labor and now in opposition, I maintain my position,
which is I will support territorians having the right again
after what thirty years to be able to make that

(07:58):
choice for themselves.

Speaker 2 (08:00):
Well, Selena, look today I think will be an interesting
day when it comes to your bill, also seeing exactly
what the Northern Territory government's going to do. But I
want to move along. We know this white car issue story,
it's not going away. Last week we obviously questioned you
on this topic. Now yesterday we spoke to the Chief
Minister about this. Take a bit of a listen to

(08:22):
what she had to say. Have you ever misused the
white car No, Katie, it's all in accordance with the rules,
so as the rest of the team. And look, it's
unfortunate it's happened, and you know what, everyone's pulled their
sucks up and we just we plow on just to
sort of, you know, to finalize this. You're not prepared
to make those rules public.

Speaker 1 (08:40):
No, o, Katie.

Speaker 2 (08:41):
They're an internal based document like many others. But you
are one hundred percent confidence that you and nobody else
on your team of miss uzze I am Selena. Do
you buy that?

Speaker 1 (08:52):
No, not at all. It's a policy document. It should
be shared. It sits within the Department of Chief Minister
in cabinets. It outlines the rules. I just don't see
why Lear is not releasing it would clearly show the guidelines.
It would be able to provide that certainty to territories
that there is a policy, what the rules are. Anyone

(09:12):
who is not following those rules, you know, should take accountability. Obviously,
I've come out and said reviewed my stuff through that
FOI process with ABC and got oh. Actually there was
some trips that definitely didn't pass the pub test in
the personal sense of using a vehicle after work or
before work, etc. I've paid that back, I think, as

(09:34):
you know Katie, a couple of weeks ago, since this
has come to light, unfortunately we're not seeing the same
transparency and accountability and humility from the government. Why wouldn't
you just show it's a policy, Katie. It's not a
secret document, it's not a cabinet document. Why would you
just show the policy.

Speaker 2 (09:50):
Are you confident that you're the only person in your
party who's missus the cars as well?

Speaker 1 (09:58):
Katie? What I've done is spoken about my role as
a leader. Take it accountability, apologize for making those mistakes,
made amends for those mistakes, and that's been my focus
through this process.

Speaker 2 (10:10):
And if you checked off with your other members that
they that they're on the same path as you, that
they haven't misused and if they have that they will
come clean or pay it back.

Speaker 1 (10:18):
Yeah, Katie, my opposition colleagues, they don't access the white car.
As I said, there's only eleven positions and eleven roles
that allow access to that service, and mine is the
only one out of my team as the leader of
the opposition, so none of my shadow ministers are able
to access that.

Speaker 2 (10:35):
So I guess I guess what I'm trying to ask,
and probably didn't ask it as direct but when you
guys were in power as well, because I suppose this
is you know what I'm seeing at the moment. And
again we spoke about this on Fridays. We're all everyone's
sort of slinging a bit of mud, which I get it.
But what I think Territorians want to be clear on
is that you know, the rules aren't being flouted, that

(10:57):
people are going to do the right thing no matter
who do we is in power.

Speaker 1 (11:02):
Yeah, I agree, Katie, And I mean that's why I
wanted to draw the line in the sand, to show
Territorians that, as I've said, I'm not perfect, but my
leadership is about the role that I have. I need
to be able, to be trusted, to be able to
keep the government to account. That is the role of
the leader opposition, and so I will work to restore
any trust that has been lost with the public. I

(11:23):
want to continue my job and show territorians that I'm
here to work hard for them. I have definitely learned
from the past those mistakes, made amends for them and
that is what I expect from my team as well.
That is the leader that I want to be for
my team and to show Territorians that I will continue
to be for the next three years.

Speaker 2 (11:41):
Selena very quick One, the Chief Minister, was on the
show yesterday and was questioned following on from a number
of really terrible incidents into state of transgender women being
housed in female prisons. What is you take on this.
She has declared a ban on transgender women being housed

(12:04):
in the territory's female prisons. Do you agree, Well, I.

Speaker 1 (12:09):
Think that there's again there's some policies that would sit
internally with corrections. Whether the Chief Minister's headline, you know,
comments reflect that or not, that's up to the government
to explain and to speak to. But quite frankly, I
think that you know, these are divisive comments and I
feel like the Chief Ministers trying to really deflect and
distract from important stories that are being covered in the media,

(12:31):
particularly about her and her team. I've seen today the
Treasurer come out on ABC Alice Springs Radio to say
that the art gallery is being scrapped. I mean, I'm
extremely disappointing, but absolutely expected from the COLP. So I
think there is just a mismatch at the moment of
what the government should be doing and that's leading the territory.

(12:53):
And I think the comments that the Chief Minister has
made is creating division, not unity, and it's promoting disdain
not in the Northern Territory, and I think the territory
should be better than that.

Speaker 2 (13:03):
Look, we will no doubt talk more about this. I'm
sure we're gonna have to leave it there. We've got
the Speaker Jude to catch up with us in about
a minute. So Selena Yubo, the Opposition leader, thanks so
much for your time today.

Speaker 1 (13:14):
Thank you very much, Katie, thank you
Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark

My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark

My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.

24/7 News: The Latest

24/7 News: The Latest

The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.

Dateline NBC

Dateline NBC

Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.