Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
You've just heard from Hospitality about some of the concerns
around any changes when it comes to the BDR for
licensed premises. But residents in Catherine are concerned about what
they've described as an escalation of crime and just bad behavior.
Now joining me on the show is the Member for Catherine.
She's also the Minister for Education and Public Employment, Joe Hersey.
Good morning to your minister.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Good morning Katy, and good morning listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Now Joe. On Friday, we spoke to Trent de with
He told us of kids running around trying to steal
people's property, running and marking Catherine. He said that they
are catching a bus in from community unsupervised and causing trouble.
He did say that you and he have spoken about
it and you are doing lots of work to try
and stop this kind of behavior. But what is that
(00:46):
go with this situation, Joe? How are kids coming into
town from community unsupervised.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Well, that's a very good question, Katie. And this week
for the next fortnight in Catherine, there is a bit
of a blitz on the Attendant's offices as well, so
the school Attendant's officers are out across Catherine to make
sure that kids are at school talking to parents, wonder
if they're in there with their children from community. Yeah,
this has been a problem ongoing for quite some time
(01:14):
where people are getting the bus and coming into town,
but getting the bus and coming into town unsupervised as
a child. You know, questions have to be asked to
the bus company. And I'm in Darwin for Parliament at
the moment, but I've got a whole heap of things
I need to follow up on when I get back home,
and that's certainly one of them. But I know that,
you know, the buses. There's some areas that are flooded
(01:38):
at the moment where the buses can't get to but
I know that there are definitely buses still bringing kids
into town or just people into town from community. Well,
you know, they pay, whether it's through their centerlink or
whatever they pay, and you know, I suppose it's no
(01:58):
different to anyone getting the bus from into Darwin. They're
coming in for appointments or coming in for shopping, or
coming in for whatever it is that they are doing.
But yeah, for adults.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
And that's fine if you're coming in and you're doing
the right thing. But when you're talking about teenagers who
should be at school. It's a whole other matter.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Right absolutely, And you know, as a Minister for Education,
we are all about getting kids back in school. And
at the end of the day, Katie, it is a
parent's responsibility to make sure that their child is at school.
And so if their child isn't school, isn't at school,
you know, they can either get a compliance notice or
(02:39):
if they don't comply with that, they'll get a three
hundred and seventy dollars fine. So you know, the attendance
officers are out there, you know, across the community, as
I said, but every day of the week they're out
whether it be in Bora Lula or a Tenant Creek
or Olla Springs or up here in Darwin, they're out
on the ground making sure that kids are going to school.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
So, Joe, from your active as the education minister, you
are actually you've sort of advised the department. I'm assuming
that you want there to be a bit of a
blitz with these you know, with these truancy officers to
make sure that these kids are not coming into town
and are actually at school.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Yeah. So last week when I was home on Friday,
I caught up with the attendance offices in the Woolworths
shopping complex, and you know that they are all local people.
And that's the great thing about those attendants offices in Katherine.
They're locals. They know the people on the ground. They're
like they're born and bred staff members that that are
(03:36):
from Katherine, and so they have a really good relationship
with people in the community or to follow up. So
if those kids aren't going to school there, or they
see them in the street, they're following up, following up
with the school, following up with families. And you know,
so this week and next week, yes, they are doing
a bit of a blitz in Catherine, Joe.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
I mean it sounds to me though as well, that
there needs to be a broader discussion correct me if
i'm but maybe with the I don't know whether it's
with the land councils or whether it's with the traditional
owners of some of the different communities or the leaders
in different communities, not just in the Catherine region, but
even up here on the top end and in Alice Springs.
Some discussions where you know, if people are traveling in
(04:16):
from community, they can't come into town and be breaking
the law, correct.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
And I have those conversations in Katherine with Kolano and
Jarwin to large organizations there and have spoken to them
about you know, the responsibility of you know, what they
do in the community. And again I've got I'm following
up with that again when I go home. I've just
spoken to them. Well there was there. I spoke with Jowen,
(04:41):
I think it was a couple of weeks ago. I've
spoken with Kolano this morning, and I'll catch up with
Kate from the Family Center when I get home tomorrow.
Because again, you know, when those kids are coming into
those centers or when they're known to them, you know,
the reporting should go to education. That's you know, that's
that's what the that's what they do. So I want
(05:04):
to know, well, you know, what's happening with those kids
and why are they not at school? And you know
it can be for a various amount of reasons, Katie,
but at the end of the day, we want to
make sure that kids are going to school and that
they you know, have the appropriate support in place to
get them to school as.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Well, absolutely, and that there's then if they're not at school,
that they're not targeting women on the street and trying
to steal their bloody handbags or knocking over seniors and allegedly.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
No, that's right, and we have had we have had
our fair share of that recently. And it's interesting because
I did even hear the opposition leader last week talking
on the radio and she was talking about you know,
because I say it's probably in about the last eight weeks.
Things were going really well for a while and then
the last eight weeks there's been a switch of something.
But I just can't put my finger on it. She
(05:54):
said the same thing. We've had discussions like what's changed.
I'm not sure, but you know, the police do a
great job in Catherine. At the moment. They have a
patrollers meeting in the evenings, and that patrollers meeting meets
on three Thursday to Sunday. That involves the Kalano, the police,
the housing safety officers and also the circuit breaker team
(06:17):
and so they have a bit of a meeting. It
was in the town square, but with the anti social
behavior that's been happening in Woolies, they've moved across to
the Woolies complex just to have a better presence, a
bigger presence, and that's working really well. And the circuit
breaker team is doing really well with the follow up
work with families or housing or health or whatever it
(06:38):
is that they need to do when they're coming across
youth in the evening as well.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
A quick question from Pete, a Catherine resident. He says,
for the Member for Catherine, what exactly is the government
doing for Catherine to make us safer and prosperous. Our
only supermarket is now operating from seven am until seven pm.
It's a clear sign that life has got more dangerous
in Catherine and the government is failing the people of Catherine. Joe,
is that right that the Willworths has had to restrict
(07:04):
their hours.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Wolwors has made a decision to cut their hours back
and they're closing at seven o'clock at night. That is
absolutely a decision for wol Wors. I've had conversations with
members in the community about this. I've got a meeting
with Woolworths on Monday morning with the manager there and
this has been not only just an economic decision for them,
(07:29):
but also a staffing issue but also a safety issue. Katie,
and that's not acceptable that people in our town we
have one supermarket and the only supermarket we go to
you just about sometimes have to fight your way through.
So there is the police go through there, walk through
there during the day. They've got security. I've heard that
(07:52):
Wolworves have put on more security yet to have that
confirmed with them. But as a government we are We've
We've put school attendance offices out in the street. We've
got the patrollers meeting happening in the evening. There's a
lot of things that you know, we've strengthened the law.
We've strengthened the bail laws so that those youth that
actually have done the wrong thing and the one that
(08:13):
actually a lady was attacked and robbed out the back
of the am Z bank a couple of weeks ago
and fractured her pelvis, that youth they were on bail
and they have not been given bail again. So you know,
the new laws that we came back and strengthened. When
(08:33):
we recall Parliament for the day, they are working Katie.
So you know things aren't going to turn overnight, but
we are certainly working hard. And as I said to
someone the other day, I've lived in that community for
thirty five years. In Catherine it's my town as well,
and I will not let our town that we live in,
you know, get to get any worse. And we are
(08:55):
going through a hard time at the moment.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
I know you've got to rush into Parliament. I just
want to ask you quickly. I mean, does they need
to be further alcohol restrictions? Does there need to be
I don't know some like other palis on bottle shops.
What else can be done here as a short term
measure to really try to you know, to stem this
immediately before some of those longer term measures may be clicking.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
So the palis on bottle shop Katie was that was
something that was removed under the previous government. Those palis
were went in to be constables. And so that's an
operational decision for police. Whether you now have constables on
bottle shops. They will when they have the police, when
they have the bodies there that they can use. But
(09:43):
if they don't and they're out doing social order response
and doing the prevention work, you know, it's a fine
line and that's an operational thing that they have to
make decisions on each and every day. But also there
is a liquor record meeting coming up and it was
at the end of June, but I think it's now
the third of June. It's been brought forward and that's
something that I hope to be able to get to
(10:04):
and just have a conversation with, you know, all those
members that are in Catherine to work for a better
solution for all of us that live in the town.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
Just very quickly. Is there any update on the police
paid dispute. I mean, they are certainly wanting to make
sure that officers, the union want to make sure that
officers are paid adequately and get that pay rise. Where
are things at.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
Yeah, so those police pay deals go. The Commissioner meets
with the Police Association that we continue to act in
good faith in bargaining with the Northern Territory Police Association.
We think there's been a really good offer put on
the table. There is another meeting that's actually happening next
(10:50):
week with the Commissioner and the Northern Police Association, and
you know, we'll see what comes out of that meeting.
Are ongoing meetings that happen until we reach an agreement.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
All right, Well, I'm sure we will receive an update
on that at some point in time.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
Joe.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
We are going to let you go because I know
you've got to get into into Parliament. Thank you, as
always for your time this morning.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
No worries Katie. Thanks and have a great day you too,
You've just heard from Hospitality about some of the concerns
around any changes when it comes to the BDR for
licensed premises. But residents in Catherine are concerned about what
they've described as an escalation of crime and just bad behavior.
Now joining me on the show is the Member for Catherine.
She's also the Minister for Education and Public Employment, Joe Hersey.
Good morning to your minister.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Good morning Katy, and good morning listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Now Joe. On Friday, we spoke to Trent de with
He told us of kids running around trying to steal
people's property, running and marking Catherine. He said that they
are catching a bus in from community unsupervised and causing trouble.
He did say that you and he have spoken about
it and you are doing lots of work to try
and stop this kind of behavior. But what is that
(00:46):
go with this situation, Joe? How are kids coming into
town from community unsupervised.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Well, that's a very good question, Katie. And this week
for the next fortnight in Catherine, there is a bit
of a blitz on the Attendant's offices as well, so
the school Attendant's officers are out across Catherine to make
sure that kids are at school talking to parents, wonder
if they're in there with their children from community. Yeah,
this has been a problem ongoing for quite some time
(01:14):
where people are getting the bus and coming into town,
but getting the bus and coming into town unsupervised as
a child. You know, questions have to be asked to
the bus company. And I'm in Darwin for Parliament at
the moment, but I've got a whole heap of things
I need to follow up on when I get back home,
and that's certainly one of them. But I know that,
you know, the buses. There's some areas that are flooded
(01:38):
at the moment where the buses can't get to but
I know that there are definitely buses still bringing kids
into town or just people into town from community. Well,
you know, they pay, whether it's through their centerlink or
whatever they pay, and you know, I suppose it's no
(01:58):
different to anyone getting the bus from into Darwin. They're
coming in for appointments or coming in for shopping, or
coming in for whatever it is that they are doing.
But yeah, for adults.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
And that's fine if you're coming in and you're doing
the right thing. But when you're talking about teenagers who
should be at school. It's a whole other matter.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Right absolutely, And you know, as a Minister for Education,
we are all about getting kids back in school. And
at the end of the day, Katie, it is a
parent's responsibility to make sure that their child is at school.
And so if their child isn't school, isn't at school,
you know, they can either get a compliance notice or
(02:39):
if they don't comply with that, they'll get a three
hundred and seventy dollars fine. So you know, the attendance
officers are out there, you know, across the community, as
I said, but every day of the week they're out
whether it be in Bora Lula or a Tenant Creek
or Olla Springs or up here in Darwin, they're out
on the ground making sure that kids are going to school.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
So, Joe, from your active as the education minister, you
are actually you've sort of advised the department. I'm assuming
that you want there to be a bit of a
blitz with these you know, with these truancy officers to
make sure that these kids are not coming into town
and are actually at school.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Yeah. So last week when I was home on Friday,
I caught up with the attendance offices in the Woolworths
shopping complex, and you know that they are all local people.
And that's the great thing about those attendants offices in Katherine.
They're locals. They know the people on the ground. They're
like they're born and bred staff members that that are
(03:36):
from Katherine, and so they have a really good relationship
with people in the community or to follow up. So
if those kids aren't going to school there, or they
see them in the street, they're following up, following up
with the school, following up with families. And you know,
so this week and next week, yes, they are doing
a bit of a blitz in Catherine, Joe.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
I mean it sounds to me though as well, that
there needs to be a broader discussion correct me if
i'm but maybe with the I don't know whether it's
with the land councils or whether it's with the traditional
owners of some of the different communities or the leaders
in different communities, not just in the Catherine region, but
even up here on the top end and in Alice Springs.
Some discussions where you know, if people are traveling in
(04:16):
from community, they can't come into town and be breaking
the law, correct.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
And I have those conversations in Katherine with Kolano and
Jarwin to large organizations there and have spoken to them
about you know, the responsibility of you know, what they
do in the community. And again I've got I'm following
up with that again when I go home. I've just
spoken to them. Well there was there. I spoke with Jowen,
(04:41):
I think it was a couple of weeks ago. I've
spoken with Kolano this morning, and I'll catch up with
Kate from the Family Center when I get home tomorrow.
Because again, you know, when those kids are coming into
those centers or when they're known to them, you know,
the reporting should go to education. That's you know, that's
that's what the that's what they do. So I want
(05:04):
to know, well, you know, what's happening with those kids
and why are they not at school? And you know
it can be for a various amount of reasons, Katie,
but at the end of the day, we want to
make sure that kids are going to school and that
they you know, have the appropriate support in place to
get them to school as.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Well, absolutely, and that there's then if they're not at school,
that they're not targeting women on the street and trying
to steal their bloody handbags or knocking over seniors and allegedly.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
No, that's right, and we have had we have had
our fair share of that recently. And it's interesting because
I did even hear the opposition leader last week talking
on the radio and she was talking about you know,
because I say it's probably in about the last eight weeks.
Things were going really well for a while and then
the last eight weeks there's been a switch of something.
But I just can't put my finger on it. She
(05:54):
said the same thing. We've had discussions like what's changed.
I'm not sure, but you know, the police do a
great job in Catherine. At the moment. They have a
patrollers meeting in the evenings, and that patrollers meeting meets
on three Thursday to Sunday. That involves the Kalano, the police,
the housing safety officers and also the circuit breaker team
(06:17):
and so they have a bit of a meeting. It
was in the town square, but with the anti social
behavior that's been happening in Woolies, they've moved across to
the Woolies complex just to have a better presence, a
bigger presence, and that's working really well. And the circuit
breaker team is doing really well with the follow up
work with families or housing or health or whatever it
(06:38):
is that they need to do when they're coming across
youth in the evening as well.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
A quick question from Pete, a Catherine resident. He says,
for the Member for Catherine, what exactly is the government
doing for Catherine to make us safer and prosperous. Our
only supermarket is now operating from seven am until seven pm.
It's a clear sign that life has got more dangerous
in Catherine and the government is failing the people of Catherine. Joe,
is that right that the Willworths has had to restrict
(07:04):
their hours.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Wolwors has made a decision to cut their hours back
and they're closing at seven o'clock at night. That is
absolutely a decision for wol Wors. I've had conversations with
members in the community about this. I've got a meeting
with Woolworths on Monday morning with the manager there and
this has been not only just an economic decision for them,
(07:29):
but also a staffing issue but also a safety issue. Katie,
and that's not acceptable that people in our town we
have one supermarket and the only supermarket we go to
you just about sometimes have to fight your way through.
So there is the police go through there, walk through
there during the day. They've got security. I've heard that
(07:52):
Wolworves have put on more security yet to have that
confirmed with them. But as a government we are We've
We've put school attendance offices out in the street. We've
got the patrollers meeting happening in the evening. There's a
lot of things that you know, we've strengthened the law.
We've strengthened the bail laws so that those youth that
actually have done the wrong thing and the one that
(08:13):
actually a lady was attacked and robbed out the back
of the am Z bank a couple of weeks ago
and fractured her pelvis, that youth they were on bail
and they have not been given bail again. So you know,
the new laws that we came back and strengthened. When
(08:33):
we recall Parliament for the day, they are working Katie.
So you know things aren't going to turn overnight, but
we are certainly working hard. And as I said to
someone the other day, I've lived in that community for
thirty five years. In Catherine it's my town as well,
and I will not let our town that we live in,
you know, get to get any worse. And we are
(08:55):
going through a hard time at the moment.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
I know you've got to rush into Parliament. I just
want to ask you quickly. I mean, does they need
to be further alcohol restrictions? Does there need to be
I don't know some like other palis on bottle shops.
What else can be done here as a short term
measure to really try to you know, to stem this
immediately before some of those longer term measures may be clicking.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
So the palis on bottle shop Katie was that was
something that was removed under the previous government. Those palis
were went in to be constables. And so that's an
operational decision for police. Whether you now have constables on
bottle shops. They will when they have the police, when
they have the bodies there that they can use. But
(09:43):
if they don't and they're out doing social order response
and doing the prevention work, you know, it's a fine
line and that's an operational thing that they have to
make decisions on each and every day. But also there
is a liquor record meeting coming up and it was
at the end of June, but I think it's now
the third of June. It's been brought forward and that's
something that I hope to be able to get to
(10:04):
and just have a conversation with, you know, all those
members that are in Catherine to work for a better
solution for all of us that live in the town.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
Just very quickly. Is there any update on the police
paid dispute. I mean, they are certainly wanting to make
sure that officers, the union want to make sure that
officers are paid adequately and get that pay rise. Where
are things at.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
Yeah, so those police pay deals go. The Commissioner meets
with the Police Association that we continue to act in
good faith in bargaining with the Northern Territory Police Association.
We think there's been a really good offer put on
the table. There is another meeting that's actually happening next
(10:50):
week with the Commissioner and the Northern Police Association, and
you know, we'll see what comes out of that meeting.
Are ongoing meetings that happen until we reach an agreement.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
All right, Well, I'm sure we will receive an update
on that at some point in time.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
Joe.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
We are going to let you go because I know
you've got to get into into Parliament. Thank you, as
always for your time this morning.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
No worries Katie. Thanks and have a great day you too,
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