Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
And we know that. Marian Scrimdaw earlier this week became
the first Aboriginal person to chair the House of Representatives
chamber as a member of the Speakers Panel. Scrimdaw, the
Member for Lingiari, said it was a huge moment for
the Parliament and a message to young Aboriginal people they
deserve to be in every chair at every table. The
(00:21):
Member four Lingiari and Special Envoy for Remote Communities, Marion Scrimjaw,
joins me on the line. Good morning to you.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Marian's good morning, Katie. How are you.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
I'm very good, congratulations, thank you. How did how did
you feel becoming the first Aboriginal person to sit in
the Speaker's chair in the House of Representatives as a
member of the Speakers Panel.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Yeah, look, I think you know, you often get into
to this place and I said this in my opening
speech to Parliament that my father was from the Stolen
Generation and I was now a member of the Commonwealth.
That was part of his removal many years ago, and
(01:10):
you know it's always, you know, it plays heavily on
me and it's you know, I just thought, wow, you know,
getting to this point, if I can use that role
and my role as an example to say to Aboriginal kids,
no matter where they are, whatever their background, that they
(01:31):
too can you know, to achieve this. I'm now you know,
talking to the Speaker of the House Melton Dick and
I are now talking about how we do some civics
training and doing a tour around the Northern Territory and
to try and you know, target our young people to
(01:51):
be more engaged in you know, the parliamentary process, but
also to look at those positions they're really important for
the nation and how to be part of that. So
looking forward to that side of it, Katie, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
I reckon that's a really good idea. I would like
to see, you know, our young people right around Australia
more engaged when it comes to politics. And I think,
you know, it's more important than ever as well with
the emergence of social media and you know, people not
really being sure where they're getting their information from. So
I think it's really important that our young people are engaged.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
Yeah, and you know we've got to see that increase
in we watch whether it's local government elections, whether it's
state elections, whether it's federal elections. We can see that
there is a whole cohort of people that are disengaged
in that process. Look, I'm going to use, you know,
my various roles to really target and hone in on
(02:52):
that because I think it's critical for our young people,
whether it's Aboriginal kids, whether it's non Aboriginal. No, it doesn't.
I think we're just got to try and get our
young people re engaged in our political systems and to
you know, see the importance of our democracy and why
it's important to protect that, because that's what it is about, Katie.
(03:16):
It's about the governance and the you know the importance
of our democracy. If we look elsewhere overseas, there are
many countries who they don't have the same freedoms that
we have, and I think it's really important that we
protect what we've got, but we also make that clear
so that the next generation can carry that through.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
Marian, what do you reckon your dad would say about
you stepping into that chair?
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Oh, look, I think he'll be And same with my mum, Kadie.
You know, as I said, I was one of eleven
kids growing up. Both of my parents worked really hard
and they you know, we had simple, a simple upbringing,
both in Darwin, but also on the here we Isreland,
and I think they'll both be chuffed. I think it's
(04:04):
but you know, the the I think the point of
all of that, Katie, is one thing that my father
was really strong on was the need for an education
and the need to go to school every day. And
you know, I remember him saying to us, you know,
over and over again, right up until he died. I
(04:27):
you know, I'm not a rich man. I'm not going
to leave you wealth. But the one wealth I am
going to give you is the education that your mother
and I have pushed you to achieve. And it's true,
it's the education key that we need to make sure that,
you know, our young people see the value of education
(04:50):
and how that can unlock those doors to greater opportunities.
And you know, I'm a testament of that. There are
many of us have achieved that because not because you know,
we thought education were sexy. It had to we had to.
It was, it was composed, and we knew that we
(05:11):
had to learn to go yep, We've got to We've
got to put back and and you know, try and
get our young people to see the value of that.
I was lucky. I had parents who stare that value.
They didn't have an education like I had, and they
wanted to instill that in all of their eleven children.
(05:31):
And that's what we you know, we we certainly you know,
and it's something that you know, I certainly want to
be able to work through fire Gray.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Now, Marion, I want to ask you. We know that
that the latest Closing the Gap report has been released.
The Productivity Commission says the latest report on Closing the
Gap showed mixed progress. How do you reflect on the
data and what do you know, what do you think
we need to be doing different here in the Northern Territory.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
Look, I think we can't keep going through productivity report
after productivity report to tell us that things are dire. Katie,
you know we're still not achieving the outcomes that we
should be achieving. And I know that Minister McCarthy, I'm
working with her very closely my role as a special envoy.
(06:22):
We'll start looking at advising you know, the Prime Minister,
Minister McCarthy, but all of the ministers of the federal government.
There needs to be a greater collaboration and are working
together with the Northern Territory government. I'm urging Chief Minister Finocchiaro.
You know, we've seen the comments from Minister Kale in
(06:45):
terms of the domestic violence and the coronial which I
thought was disappointing. And you know, I think that, you know,
the Northern Territory Government needs to come to the table
because the closing the gap is getting you know, we're
not closing the gap, it's getting wider. But it's only
going to close with all levels of government working together
(07:07):
because you know, as I said this morning on the
floor of the you know, the House of Representatives, Katie,
the Northern Territory Government's revenue is dependent on Commonwealth funding.
You know, the government most of that comes from the Commonwealth.
We all need to work together. It's not about stopping
the funding to the Northern Charity government. It's about recognizing
(07:32):
that everyone has a role here and we all need
to work together for the betterment of the Northern Territory
and the good governance of the Northern Territory. You know,
I recognize and I respect as the Chief Minister and
the COLP of the government, but there has to be
a working together with the Commonwealth government so that we
(07:52):
can achieve better outcomes and what we're seeing and the
Closing the Gap report, we can't have another one that
says it's still getting batter but we still do the
same thing over and over again. Things have got to change.
Speaker 1 (08:05):
Well and this, you know, this is a problem and
this is what a lot of people in the Northern
Territory are feeling at the moment, as you know, and
I mean we talk about closing the gap, we obviously
talk about meeting those different targets, but here in the
Northern Territory we know that you know, we are suffering
through some really bad crime and have done for a
number of years. I mean, we talk about the number
(08:27):
of people that are incarcerated, but quite often we don't
talk about the crime statistics and and you know the
impact that it's having on the community. I know that
for us. Over the last couple of weeks, we've seen
some really bad issues in Catherine and that is indeed
an electorate that you are the federal representative for Marian.
(08:48):
Have you had much of a discussion with people in
Catherine about some of the issues that they're battling at
the moment.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
Yeah, Look, and we've when I finish parliament, see, so
we finish our this last two weeks today, Katie, and
then I could go back to Alice Springs and then
I head back up the top. I'm going to try
and organize a number of round tables. One of them
(09:16):
so I want to get to Catherine and to meet
with the business community, but the community of Catherine to
look at. I know, I went to Happy Corner, so
the Corner store last time I was there, and they
were showing me, you know, what measures they had to
put in place and how you know both I've known
Anna and her husband for a long time and I
(09:37):
used to work in Catherine and to know that they've
had to move into their shop and to you know,
to camp there so that they could protect their shop inside.
She had been badly assaulted, you know, and the villificate
like the vile language that's been expressed. I mean, none
(09:58):
of us think it's okay. We do need to work
through with the community. But again, Katie, it does need
that leadership. It needs leadership from the NT, but it
needs all of us, including myself, to work through with
the Northern Territory Government, the police, with all of these
systems and to try and get a better outcome for
(10:21):
you know, the Catherine community, for Tenant Creek, for Alice,
even with what's happening in and around Darwin, but across
our remote communities as well, because you know, we've got
to stop shifting the chairs on the Titanic and removing
police out of those remote communities and moving them into
(10:42):
our town. So I think there's a whole lot of
discussion that we need to have, and I'm certainly up
for going to Catherine and sitting down with you know,
whether it's a business community meeting with you know, the
other community members, to look at what do we need
(11:05):
to do and how do we get commonwealth support like
we did with Alice Springs and can increte.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
I mean, one of the things that people are starting
to ask as well, Marian, I'm keen to get your
take on this is people are saying, you know, we're
some of the Aboriginal leadership in these instances as well
when you have got unfortunately, you know, and this is
something you and I have spoken about before in Alice Springs,
but in Catherine at the moment, young Aboriginal men breaking
(11:34):
into homes and assaulting women.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
And look, it's not on Katie. Look, none of us
think that it's okay, and it does need the Aboriginal
leadership to come to the table. I will certainly be
talking to some of those leaders, some of the native titleholders,
and to try and facilitate a you know, a round
(11:57):
table discussion. Bring the police, you know, the government, bring
everyone together to try and look at what do we
need to do to push this through. We've also got
to look at I think we did a lot of
investment and work with Alice Springs. We've done that. You know,
there's been the Barkley Regional deal, but there's been a
(12:18):
review and that's about to be handed down. So there's
been investment down in the South. We have to do
that same investment in and around Catherine. And I think
that it's important because some of those organizations are stretched
as well, and this will need the same level I
think of, you know, elevating the importance of trying to
(12:41):
deal with this stelf in Catherine as we did with
Alice Springs.
Speaker 1 (12:44):
Marion. Another quick one just before I let you go.
We've got people in Catherine contacting us about doctors and
bolk billing in Catherine, also questioning if there is going
to be a Medicare urgent care clinic in Catherine. This
person says that one was promised throughout the federal election campaign.
(13:05):
What is the situation.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
Yeah, look, we're working through. I'm working through with the
Health Minister, Katie. I'll when I go to Catherine, I'll
certainly talk through with those individuals about Catherine does need
an urgent care clinic. Absolutely, I don't disagree with that.
I'll talk to the federal Health Minister and I'll let
(13:33):
you know as Sinners, I've had those conversations and what
that timeline is.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
Well. Marion Scrimjaw, the Member fort LINGIARI and Special Envoy
for Remote Communities, good to speak with you this morning.
We'll talk to you.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
Soon, no worry. Thank you, Katie, thank you,
And we know that. Marian Scrimdaw earlier this week became
the first Aboriginal person to chair the House of Representatives
chamber as a member of the Speakers Panel. Scrimdaw, the
Member for Lingiari, said it was a huge moment for
the Parliament and a message to young Aboriginal people they
deserve to be in every chair at every table. The
(00:21):
Member four Lingiari and Special Envoy for Remote Communities, Marion Scrimjaw,
joins me on the line. Good morning to you.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Marian's good morning, Katie. How are you.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
I'm very good, congratulations, thank you. How did how did
you feel becoming the first Aboriginal person to sit in
the Speaker's chair in the House of Representatives as a
member of the Speakers Panel.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Yeah, look, I think you know, you often get into
to this place and I said this in my opening
speech to Parliament that my father was from the Stolen
Generation and I was now a member of the Commonwealth.
That was part of his removal many years ago, and
(01:10):
you know it's always, you know, it plays heavily on
me and it's you know, I just thought, wow, you know,
getting to this point, if I can use that role
and my role as an example to say to Aboriginal kids,
no matter where they are, whatever their background, that they
(01:31):
too can you know, to achieve this. I'm now you know,
talking to the Speaker of the House Melton Dick and
I are now talking about how we do some civics
training and doing a tour around the Northern Territory and
to try and you know, target our young people to
(01:51):
be more engaged in you know, the parliamentary process, but
also to look at those positions they're really important for
the nation and how to be part of that. So
looking forward to that side of it, Katie, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
I reckon that's a really good idea. I would like
to see, you know, our young people right around Australia
more engaged when it comes to politics. And I think,
you know, it's more important than ever as well with
the emergence of social media and you know, people not
really being sure where they're getting their information from. So
I think it's really important that our young people are engaged.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
Yeah, and you know we've got to see that increase
in we watch whether it's local government elections, whether it's
state elections, whether it's federal elections. We can see that
there is a whole cohort of people that are disengaged
in that process. Look, I'm going to use, you know,
my various roles to really target and hone in on
(02:52):
that because I think it's critical for our young people,
whether it's Aboriginal kids, whether it's non Aboriginal. No, it doesn't.
I think we're just got to try and get our
young people re engaged in our political systems and to
you know, see the importance of our democracy and why
it's important to protect that, because that's what it is about, Katie.
(03:16):
It's about the governance and the you know the importance
of our democracy. If we look elsewhere overseas, there are
many countries who they don't have the same freedoms that
we have, and I think it's really important that we
protect what we've got, but we also make that clear
so that the next generation can carry that through.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
Marian, what do you reckon your dad would say about
you stepping into that chair?
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Oh, look, I think he'll be And same with my mum, Kadie.
You know, as I said, I was one of eleven
kids growing up. Both of my parents worked really hard
and they you know, we had simple, a simple upbringing,
both in Darwin, but also on the here we Isreland,
and I think they'll both be chuffed. I think it's
(04:04):
but you know, the the I think the point of
all of that, Katie, is one thing that my father
was really strong on was the need for an education
and the need to go to school every day. And
you know, I remember him saying to us, you know,
over and over again, right up until he died. I
(04:27):
you know, I'm not a rich man. I'm not going
to leave you wealth. But the one wealth I am
going to give you is the education that your mother
and I have pushed you to achieve. And it's true,
it's the education key that we need to make sure that,
you know, our young people see the value of education
(04:50):
and how that can unlock those doors to greater opportunities.
And you know, I'm a testament of that. There are
many of us have achieved that because not because you know,
we thought education were sexy. It had to we had to.
It was, it was composed, and we knew that we
(05:11):
had to learn to go yep, We've got to We've
got to put back and and you know, try and
get our young people to see the value of that.
I was lucky. I had parents who stare that value.
They didn't have an education like I had, and they
wanted to instill that in all of their eleven children.
(05:31):
And that's what we you know, we we certainly you know,
and it's something that you know, I certainly want to
be able to work through fire Gray.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Now, Marion, I want to ask you. We know that
that the latest Closing the Gap report has been released.
The Productivity Commission says the latest report on Closing the
Gap showed mixed progress. How do you reflect on the
data and what do you know, what do you think
we need to be doing different here in the Northern Territory.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
Look, I think we can't keep going through productivity report
after productivity report to tell us that things are dire. Katie,
you know we're still not achieving the outcomes that we
should be achieving. And I know that Minister McCarthy, I'm
working with her very closely my role as a special envoy.
(06:22):
We'll start looking at advising you know, the Prime Minister,
Minister McCarthy, but all of the ministers of the federal government.
There needs to be a greater collaboration and are working
together with the Northern Territory government. I'm urging Chief Minister Finocchiaro.
You know, we've seen the comments from Minister Kale in
(06:45):
terms of the domestic violence and the coronial which I
thought was disappointing. And you know, I think that, you know,
the Northern Territory Government needs to come to the table
because the closing the gap is getting you know, we're
not closing the gap, it's getting wider. But it's only
going to close with all levels of government working together
(07:07):
because you know, as I said this morning on the
floor of the you know, the House of Representatives, Katie,
the Northern Territory Government's revenue is dependent on Commonwealth funding.
You know, the government most of that comes from the Commonwealth.
We all need to work together. It's not about stopping
the funding to the Northern Charity government. It's about recognizing
(07:32):
that everyone has a role here and we all need
to work together for the betterment of the Northern Territory
and the good governance of the Northern Territory. You know,
I recognize and I respect as the Chief Minister and
the COLP of the government, but there has to be
a working together with the Commonwealth government so that we
(07:52):
can achieve better outcomes and what we're seeing and the
Closing the Gap report, we can't have another one that
says it's still getting batter but we still do the
same thing over and over again. Things have got to change.
Speaker 1 (08:05):
Well and this, you know, this is a problem and
this is what a lot of people in the Northern
Territory are feeling at the moment, as you know, and
I mean we talk about closing the gap, we obviously
talk about meeting those different targets, but here in the
Northern Territory we know that you know, we are suffering
through some really bad crime and have done for a
number of years. I mean, we talk about the number
(08:27):
of people that are incarcerated, but quite often we don't
talk about the crime statistics and and you know the
impact that it's having on the community. I know that
for us. Over the last couple of weeks, we've seen
some really bad issues in Catherine and that is indeed
an electorate that you are the federal representative for Marian.
(08:48):
Have you had much of a discussion with people in
Catherine about some of the issues that they're battling at
the moment.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
Yeah, Look, and we've when I finish parliament, see, so
we finish our this last two weeks today, Katie, and
then I could go back to Alice Springs and then
I head back up the top. I'm going to try
and organize a number of round tables. One of them
(09:16):
so I want to get to Catherine and to meet
with the business community, but the community of Catherine to
look at. I know, I went to Happy Corner, so
the Corner store last time I was there, and they
were showing me, you know, what measures they had to
put in place and how you know both I've known
Anna and her husband for a long time and I
(09:37):
used to work in Catherine and to know that they've
had to move into their shop and to you know,
to camp there so that they could protect their shop inside.
She had been badly assaulted, you know, and the villificate
like the vile language that's been expressed. I mean, none
(09:58):
of us think it's okay. We do need to work
through with the community. But again, Katie, it does need
that leadership. It needs leadership from the NT, but it
needs all of us, including myself, to work through with
the Northern Territory Government, the police, with all of these
systems and to try and get a better outcome for
(10:21):
you know, the Catherine community, for Tenant Creek, for Alice,
even with what's happening in and around Darwin, but across
our remote communities as well, because you know, we've got
to stop shifting the chairs on the Titanic and removing
police out of those remote communities and moving them into
(10:42):
our town. So I think there's a whole lot of
discussion that we need to have, and I'm certainly up
for going to Catherine and sitting down with you know,
whether it's a business community meeting with you know, the
other community members, to look at what do we need
(11:05):
to do and how do we get commonwealth support like
we did with Alice Springs and can increte.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
I mean, one of the things that people are starting
to ask as well, Marian, I'm keen to get your
take on this is people are saying, you know, we're
some of the Aboriginal leadership in these instances as well
when you have got unfortunately, you know, and this is
something you and I have spoken about before in Alice Springs,
but in Catherine at the moment, young Aboriginal men breaking
(11:34):
into homes and assaulting women.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
And look, it's not on Katie. Look, none of us
think that it's okay, and it does need the Aboriginal
leadership to come to the table. I will certainly be
talking to some of those leaders, some of the native titleholders,
and to try and facilitate a you know, a round
(11:57):
table discussion. Bring the police, you know, the government, bring
everyone together to try and look at what do we
need to do to push this through. We've also got
to look at I think we did a lot of
investment and work with Alice Springs. We've done that. You know,
there's been the Barkley Regional deal, but there's been a
(12:18):
review and that's about to be handed down. So there's
been investment down in the South. We have to do
that same investment in and around Catherine. And I think
that it's important because some of those organizations are stretched
as well, and this will need the same level I
think of, you know, elevating the importance of trying to
(12:41):
deal with this stelf in Catherine as we did with
Alice Springs.
Speaker 1 (12:44):
Marion. Another quick one just before I let you go.
We've got people in Catherine contacting us about doctors and
bolk billing in Catherine, also questioning if there is going
to be a Medicare urgent care clinic in Catherine. This
person says that one was promised throughout the federal election campaign.
(13:05):
What is the situation.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
Yeah, look, we're working through. I'm working through with the
Health Minister, Katie. I'll when I go to Catherine, I'll
certainly talk through with those individuals about Catherine does need
an urgent care clinic. Absolutely, I don't disagree with that.
I'll talk to the federal Health Minister and I'll let
(13:33):
you know as Sinners, I've had those conversations and what
that timeline is.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
Well. Marion Scrimjaw, the Member fort LINGIARI and Special Envoy
for Remote Communities, good to speak with you this morning.
We'll talk to you.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
Soon, no worry. Thank you, Katie, thank you,
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