Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now we know that Parliament resumes in the Northern Territory
next week and the Greens Member for Nightcliff, Cat macdamara,
is going to be moving two motions when parliament resumes,
both set to be debated on Wednesday. Now. One is
on renters rights and the other is on climate change.
The Member for Nightcliff, Cat Magdamara joins me on the line.
Good morning to you, Cat.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Morning, Katie morning everyone.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Good to have you on the show. Now tell me
in terms of the two motions that are set to
be debated next week, the first is around renters' rights.
What are you proposing with that motion?
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Yeah, Katie. So look, we have a really huge proportion
of renters in the territory and in my own electorate
even over fifty five percent are renters. But I do know,
if I'm speaking to people in my electorate that renters
are really struggling in this cost of living crisis. And also,
you know, as with many things in the territory, unfortunately
we we have don't have the greatest legislation in terms
(00:54):
of renters rights in our Tendency Act, like in particular,
one issue that's been brought up again and again is
that we don't have an independent bond board, so that
is something that I'm going to be urging the government
to look at implementing now. We are the only place
in Australia without one, and it just makes things so
much simpler for landlords and tenants in terms of getting
and especially the tenants getting their bond back to enable
(01:16):
them to move on to the next property.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
Yeah, so how exactly would it work talk us through
this bond board and how exactly it would work?
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Well, look, I mean there's slightly different models in each
state and territory. So first of all, we don't have
to reinvent the wheel. We can just look at what's
running now and what's going to fit best here. But
basically it's a central independent body that everyone's bonds gets
paid towards and so I think for most of them,
and how they fund the operations of that is the
interest that accumulates from the bond is then it's sort
of this circulating thing that's how it funds. And so
(01:47):
what it means is that you apply back to the
bond Board to get your bond back. And just what
it stopped is at the moment we've got a situation
where it's landlords or real estate agents holding the bonds,
which is quite unusual and really just sets us lves.
That's a lot of conflict in terms of getting the
bonds back. We just need an independent body to take
care of that. So you could make your claim if
(02:09):
there is any issues that can get sorted out, but
not have this. What we're seeing right now is like
long costly you know, anti cat tribunals to get bonds back.
And particularly I've heard stories from renters and this minds you, Katie,
people who are landlords right back in the Eastern States
who've come here for work, you know, doctors and nurses
or whatever, and their renters here and they say, oh
(02:31):
my god, I've never been treated so terribly as a renter.
I've you know, fought for six months. I did nothing wrong.
I had to fight for six or twelve months to
get my bond back. So it's just it's a bit
of a crisis at the moment in the territory. And
it's just as simple. It's it's not that hard, right,
It's actually the work's been done. We know what needs
to be done. We just need a government to get
on with it and do it.
Speaker 1 (02:49):
It's a really tough one though, I think, because you know,
there are a lot of mum and dad kind of
investors in the Northern territory as well that might have
a second property that they are renting out as a
you know, as a form of trying to get ahead.
Like they're certainly not rich, they're doing it to try
and get ahead. They end up with a bad tenant.
I've got one friend in particular who's just had a
(03:10):
tenant move out. They've coused ten thousand dollars worth of
damage in six months, you know, So it's really it
is actually really tough.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
Yeah, and looked up. The thing is that I don't
think landlords need to be worried because there are landlords
in the rest of the country that managed to navigate that.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Right.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
They've got bondboards in the It doesn't stop in those situations.
You know, if there is conflict damage, of course that
needs to be remediated and they're awaye with that. So
the rest of the country landlords still managed to get
you know, they've got their bonds and whether they if
they have damage or not. It's just that here in
the territory it's swung so far the other way and
(03:45):
it's just causing us long and costly delayed. I mean,
we look at our rates of homelessness. There are people
I've spoken to that have been homeless in between houses
because they had to fight to get their bonds back.
Eventually got through Anti cat got their bonds back because
they did nothing wrong, but it took them to months
to do that.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Now, talk me through some of the proposed changes in
terms of the rental freeze or a two year rent freeze,
and also the limit on rental increases to two persent
to every two years. Why is that required?
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Look, this is just a mechanism. And look I'm not
the first one. This has been floated in other states
and territories and also overseas. I think there are some
European countries that have looked at and actually implemented rent freezers.
But particularly here in Australia, we've just had this. You know,
we've got this housing bubble. Housing here, unlike Europe, has
been looked at at a way to accumulate personal wealth
at the cost to most other people. And we've just
(04:39):
got this cost living crisis that is biting everyone hard,
but particularly renters. And it just it's a way that
we can try and just even things out for a
little while, let people catch up, kind of put it.
You know, people shouldn't be getting rate increases for no
reason every six months. It's just not fair.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
I've got a message that's just come through that says, Hi, Katie.
Can you please ask kat magnamara how she thinks it's
a fair practice to freeze rent for two years? What
gives her the right to tell us what we can
and cannot do with the property that we worked bloody
hard for. Why not work towards a body that here's
the grievances of tenantss. Oh wait, we have one, says
(05:16):
this person. And we already have little to say about pets.
And don't get me started about the damage that they
can do tier six hundred thousand dollars investment. We've sacrificed
a lot, and we worked tirelessly to be where we are. Yes,
my partner and I still have to go to work.
We cannot afford to retire, says that text.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
And look, I'm not this is a thing too that
it's not this either or right, black or white. You know,
like there are some landlords out there that are great landlords.
That's great what I'm trying to do is even it
up a bit. And look, the thing is I'm putting.
What I'm putting is I've done research, spoken to people
across the country. I'm putting things on the table that
are innovatives, like visionary things to really help bring down
(06:00):
that cost for people. And look, if the government doesn't
want to get on board with it, that's fine. But
like what I'm doing is I'm going to be emailing
every single member of the government to say, look, I'm
really encouraging your input on my motions. So you know,
I know I've put a lot of things in this motion, right,
but you know, if you just want to say pick
three things, okay, you know, if you really do care
about renters, if you really do care about the cost
of living and the impact that's having on families and pensioners,
(06:22):
like meet me at the table with this, let me
know what you think is doable and what you think isn't.
Because i want to start improving things with people here
in the territory and I'm always going to just aim
high and see what i can get done.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
In terms of the minimum standards for energy efficiency and
heating and cooling requirements. What would they look like if
you were able to, you know, to get the government
to come to the table on this.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
Yeah, look, that one is tricky because a lot of
that's in the details. And that's why i'm kind of,
you know, once again, because I'm on the cross bench.
I'm not the government. I don't have ministers and departments
and whole teams that can research this. This is just
something that's saying, like I want to put to the government, like,
this is something you need to look into, right that
there are minimums standards in other places, So particularly places
(07:08):
that are really cold, you need to have minimum stands
for heating because it's just not feasible to have people
freeze in the death and how the same in a
hot place like here, you need to have minimum stands
for cooling. So I haven't got into the details of
what that would look like because that's an enormous body
of work. What I'm trying to do is to say, hey, government,
this is an important point that has not been investigated
(07:30):
and has not been covered. Can you come to the
table and can you start looking into that.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
I definitely get what you're trying to do, and I
can understand it, you know, there is no doubt that
there are plenty of people that are struggling if they're
trying to get a rental property. You know, it can
be really bloody expensive. But then on the other side
of things, I guess there's a bit of irony there
in the sense that you know, you're pushing for a
rental freeze for two years and that two percent, but
(07:55):
then also expecting people that have those properties to have that,
you know, to up the anti I guess when it
comes to you know, cooling and heating those homes. So
it's a tough one. You know, like if you're investing,
if you're not seeing any return on your rental, well,
why would you then be spending that additional money on it? Well?
Speaker 2 (08:16):
And I think that's the question. Look this, Katie, it
really enters into a much bigger conversation. So I think
Australia hasn't had enough. And that is the whole question
around what do we see around that we are using
housing right? Housing as a human right, But in Australia
we have been allowed to use housing as a mode
for personal wealth production. And I mean, look, what's the
(08:38):
worst thing right if a rental can't you know, s
freezing death in a house or heating overheating, or can't
give roof of ahead. What's the worst, They're going to
be homeless, a landlord doesn't find it financially viable to
keep their investment property. What's the worst, They're not going
to have an investment property. Like, those two things are
not equal, and I think it's time that we face
up to the reality of that.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
You do you get those that a lot of people
that have an investment are not rich, you know, like
you know, like for a senior for example, they might
have an investment property as part of their superannuation plan,
so that then they're not reliant on the government when
they retire, and they're not actually you know, they're not
sort of yeah, they're not needing the system. They're trying
(09:18):
to make themselves self sufficient.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
Yeah, sure, sure, Katie, I know that. You know, it's
I think about seventy percent. Unfortunately, most rental properties are
actually owned by investors that own more than one property.
But I hear what you're saying, and that The question, though,
is that do they still have the right I mean,
if people are living in houses with black mold and
no cooling, I mean I don't know.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
Are there examples of that in the Northern Territory? Like
do we have an issue with it? I guess is
what I'm asking as well? Ish we going to change it?
Do we? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (09:48):
Yes, absolutely, this is something that we've had, like dcls,
there's the advocates for renters that've got oh my gosh,
the cases that I have heard are just horrific with
things Katie myself, Okay, I have had the entire last
wet season a skylight that poured water for an entire
wet season. I had a six literre bucket under my
(10:11):
skylight for an entire wet season that wasn't getting fixed
as the rentery. So and this is the thing is
I'm not trying to make you know, We're not trying
to make all rental houses become you know, mansions. There's
just a bear standard that needs to be met. And
like if you're a landlord that's already maybe like great,
then this has something to do with you.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
Okay. One of the messages just coming through saying Katie,
who would pay for the bond board and who would
be on a board like that?
Speaker 2 (10:37):
So from my understanding, it's that the the interest that
a cruise from the bond sitting there goes back into
funding the ongoing maintenance of that board, So it's kind
of like a circular thing that sort of funds itself.
But look, this is one of the things too, and
I believed that the previous labor government actually looked into this.
(10:57):
So there is a report sitting somewhere on someone's in
someone's department entirely about implementing a bonboard. So like the
work's being done, we can just look into state get
it going here.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
Hey, the second motion that you are going to be
pushing forward next week is around climate change. What are
you calling for in this space?
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Yeah, Katie, So look, this is something that I'm just
seeing as such a gap that's missing here. It's been
with the previous government and this government. Is that we
are on the front lines of climate change, right, and
this happens climate wise everywhere in sort of the center
tropical regions of the planet. We get higher sea rise,
we get hotter temperatures, we get longer droughts, we get
more increased storm severity. We are on the front lines,
(11:39):
but our government are doing absolutely nothing to mitigate for
these risks. So what I'm doing is putting up a
motion that's just calling the government to a bunch of things,
looking at identifying what the key risks are to our
communities and importantly our economy and our infrastructure, analyzing those risks,
putting up costing the adaption and mitigation measures, looking at like,
(12:02):
for example, in our latest budget, right, there was no
climate risk adaption framework anywhere in that budget, when all
other states and territories have one to some degree. So
that is that, you know, you look at our economy,
look at our landscape here environment you go right, climate
change is coming, whether you want to believe it or not,
it's here, it's happening. How are we going to protect
our citizens? And I just think it's such a missing
(12:23):
piece of the territory government up here for both sides
of the major parties for so long, and it's negligible.
This is they are putting their heads in their sands.
So what I've done is I've put forward a motion
and it lists a bunch of really achievable things that
they can start doing to start working on mitigating climate
risks in the territory. You know, you cannot talk about
wanting to improve a territory economy without looking at the
(12:46):
risks that climate change posess to our economy.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
It's just bonkers, Kat, Do you reckon you're going to
have the support of labor or other independents or even
members of the colp on these.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
Look I always go in hopeful, Tavy, because if I
want and hopeful, then how could I be here at
the end of the day. I'm always coming in here
in good faith. I'm looking at stuff that's worked in
other places. I'm speaking to people on the ground, I'm
looking at the evidence, and I'm going what are the
gaps here? What do we need to improve things here
in the territory. So I would hope like hell that
(13:17):
the government opposition could meet me at the table and
even entertain a conversation with me about this. Obviously, they
voted down my last two motions. My motion to implement
a proper lobbyist register they voted against, and my motion
to help regulate the gambling in the street they voted against.
Because I'd rather work for gambling companies than everyday people.
But you know what, I'm going to keep trying, Kat,
(13:37):
just very quickly.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
I know that we contacted your office about this, and
you've already given us a response. But during the week
we had claims coming through that from some listeners that
you and also the member for Drysdale obviously him out
in Palmerston, you and Alice Springs that you were counsel
will you were campaigning for that council election. Were you
handing out how to vote for the Greens candidate or
(13:59):
for for the Allice Springs mayor for Asta, who is
believed to be Greens aligned.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
No, no, no, no. So I was in Alice Springs
for the voluntary sister Dying inquiry. So I've been traveling.
I sit on that committee. I've been traveling to all
remote locations do that. I had about ten minutes of
my trip to go in between leading that and heading
to the airport, and I ducked by to say hello
to Astor, who I knew from as you know, she
(14:28):
was a previous candidate for the Greens. And I had
my child there with me. So no, I was not campaigning.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
Well, I know we've certainly been asking as well whether
it is appropriate. You've said obviously you weren't, but we've
sort of been asking whether it is appropriate because, as
I said, there was also claims that Clinton Howe who's
obviously the member for Dryster was doing something similar, I guess,
or he may say as well that he was out
there talking to one of the candidates in Palveston. I mean,
(14:57):
do you think it's appropriate to have for any kind
of political involvement in those council campaigns? So I will say,
you know, I actually thought with the Greens having somebody
run and being pretty open and honest about that, I
would prefer that, like I'd prefer actually no whether somebody's
party aligned and didn't have a big issue with it,
(15:17):
But like, what are your thoughts on politics in councilation?
Speaker 2 (15:21):
No, I agree, Katie. I don't understand why in the
territory because I know other places in Australia the council
candidates do get endorsed by their parties. So I've actually
been confused about what I do think that it probably
would be better so people to know who they're voting
for it you say, are and then there's a party
absolutely for some reason that's not allowed here. And you
know what, I was very conscious of this when I
dropped down past the center because I was in town
(15:42):
getting some drinks and food for the plane ride back.
You know, and we said, oh, we'll take a photo
with asked to say hi, And I mean anyone that
was down there can see I was running around after
my eighteen months old. There was absolutely no fliers being
handed out, but I was really conscious of it because
we've got to be really careful as electing representatives, especially
the last election. You heard there was a lot a
lot of upset from people who thought that people you know,
(16:04):
members who were on the clock handing out polling booths,
doing party work. That's a very difficult line to walk
and I'm high for hyper conscious of it. So no, yeah,
I hear you, Katie. I think it's reasonable to ask
those questions. I mean, anyone who actually saw me down
there would know that that was not the case. But yeah,
I think it's a reasonable reasonable to be careful about that.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
Yeah. Well, kat mag Damara, good to speak with you
this morning. Appreciate your time and we'll find out. We'll
see how things go next week in Parliament. We might
talk again.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
Yeah, thanks so much, Key, thank you
Speaker 1 (16:33):
Thanks for your time.
Now we know that Parliament resumes in the Northern Territory
next week and the Greens Member for Nightcliff, Cat macdamara,
is going to be moving two motions when parliament resumes,
both set to be debated on Wednesday. Now. One is
on renters rights and the other is on climate change.
The Member for Nightcliff, Cat Magdamara joins me on the line.
Good morning to you, Cat.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Morning, Katie morning everyone.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Good to have you on the show. Now tell me
in terms of the two motions that are set to
be debated next week, the first is around renters' rights.
What are you proposing with that motion?
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Yeah, Katie. So look, we have a really huge proportion
of renters in the territory and in my own electorate
even over fifty five percent are renters. But I do know,
if I'm speaking to people in my electorate that renters
are really struggling in this cost of living crisis. And also,
you know, as with many things in the territory, unfortunately
we we have don't have the greatest legislation in terms
(00:54):
of renters rights in our Tendency Act, like in particular,
one issue that's been brought up again and again is
that we don't have an independent bond board, so that
is something that I'm going to be urging the government
to look at implementing now. We are the only place
in Australia without one, and it just makes things so
much simpler for landlords and tenants in terms of getting
and especially the tenants getting their bond back to enable
(01:16):
them to move on to the next property.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
Yeah, so how exactly would it work talk us through
this bond board and how exactly it would work?
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Well, look, I mean there's slightly different models in each
state and territory. So first of all, we don't have
to reinvent the wheel. We can just look at what's
running now and what's going to fit best here. But
basically it's a central independent body that everyone's bonds gets
paid towards and so I think for most of them,
and how they fund the operations of that is the
interest that accumulates from the bond is then it's sort
of this circulating thing that's how it funds. And so
(01:47):
what it means is that you apply back to the
bond Board to get your bond back. And just what
it stopped is at the moment we've got a situation
where it's landlords or real estate agents holding the bonds,
which is quite unusual and really just sets us lves.
That's a lot of conflict in terms of getting the
bonds back. We just need an independent body to take
care of that. So you could make your claim if
(02:09):
there is any issues that can get sorted out, but
not have this. What we're seeing right now is like
long costly you know, anti cat tribunals to get bonds back.
And particularly I've heard stories from renters and this minds you, Katie,
people who are landlords right back in the Eastern States
who've come here for work, you know, doctors and nurses
or whatever, and their renters here and they say, oh
(02:31):
my god, I've never been treated so terribly as a renter.
I've you know, fought for six months. I did nothing wrong.
I had to fight for six or twelve months to
get my bond back. So it's just it's a bit
of a crisis at the moment in the territory. And
it's just as simple. It's it's not that hard, right,
It's actually the work's been done. We know what needs
to be done. We just need a government to get
on with it and do it.
Speaker 1 (02:49):
It's a really tough one though, I think, because you know,
there are a lot of mum and dad kind of
investors in the Northern territory as well that might have
a second property that they are renting out as a
you know, as a form of trying to get ahead.
Like they're certainly not rich, they're doing it to try
and get ahead. They end up with a bad tenant.
I've got one friend in particular who's just had a
(03:10):
tenant move out. They've coused ten thousand dollars worth of
damage in six months, you know, So it's really it
is actually really tough.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
Yeah, and looked up. The thing is that I don't
think landlords need to be worried because there are landlords
in the rest of the country that managed to navigate that.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Right.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
They've got bondboards in the It doesn't stop in those situations.
You know, if there is conflict damage, of course that
needs to be remediated and they're awaye with that. So
the rest of the country landlords still managed to get
you know, they've got their bonds and whether they if
they have damage or not. It's just that here in
the territory it's swung so far the other way and
(03:45):
it's just causing us long and costly delayed. I mean,
we look at our rates of homelessness. There are people
I've spoken to that have been homeless in between houses
because they had to fight to get their bonds back.
Eventually got through Anti cat got their bonds back because
they did nothing wrong, but it took them to months
to do that.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Now, talk me through some of the proposed changes in
terms of the rental freeze or a two year rent freeze,
and also the limit on rental increases to two persent
to every two years. Why is that required?
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Look, this is just a mechanism. And look I'm not
the first one. This has been floated in other states
and territories and also overseas. I think there are some
European countries that have looked at and actually implemented rent freezers.
But particularly here in Australia, we've just had this. You know,
we've got this housing bubble. Housing here, unlike Europe, has
been looked at at a way to accumulate personal wealth
at the cost to most other people. And we've just
(04:39):
got this cost living crisis that is biting everyone hard,
but particularly renters. And it just it's a way that
we can try and just even things out for a
little while, let people catch up, kind of put it.
You know, people shouldn't be getting rate increases for no
reason every six months. It's just not fair.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
I've got a message that's just come through that says, Hi, Katie.
Can you please ask kat magnamara how she thinks it's
a fair practice to freeze rent for two years? What
gives her the right to tell us what we can
and cannot do with the property that we worked bloody
hard for. Why not work towards a body that here's
the grievances of tenantss. Oh wait, we have one, says
(05:16):
this person. And we already have little to say about pets.
And don't get me started about the damage that they
can do tier six hundred thousand dollars investment. We've sacrificed
a lot, and we worked tirelessly to be where we are. Yes,
my partner and I still have to go to work.
We cannot afford to retire, says that text.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
And look, I'm not this is a thing too that
it's not this either or right, black or white. You know,
like there are some landlords out there that are great landlords.
That's great what I'm trying to do is even it
up a bit. And look, the thing is I'm putting.
What I'm putting is I've done research, spoken to people
across the country. I'm putting things on the table that
are innovatives, like visionary things to really help bring down
(06:00):
that cost for people. And look, if the government doesn't
want to get on board with it, that's fine. But
like what I'm doing is I'm going to be emailing
every single member of the government to say, look, I'm
really encouraging your input on my motions. So you know,
I know I've put a lot of things in this motion, right,
but you know, if you just want to say pick
three things, okay, you know, if you really do care
about renters, if you really do care about the cost
of living and the impact that's having on families and pensioners,
(06:22):
like meet me at the table with this, let me
know what you think is doable and what you think isn't.
Because i want to start improving things with people here
in the territory and I'm always going to just aim
high and see what i can get done.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
In terms of the minimum standards for energy efficiency and
heating and cooling requirements. What would they look like if
you were able to, you know, to get the government
to come to the table on this.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
Yeah, look, that one is tricky because a lot of
that's in the details. And that's why i'm kind of,
you know, once again, because I'm on the cross bench.
I'm not the government. I don't have ministers and departments
and whole teams that can research this. This is just
something that's saying, like I want to put to the government, like,
this is something you need to look into, right that
there are minimums standards in other places, So particularly places
(07:08):
that are really cold, you need to have minimum stands
for heating because it's just not feasible to have people
freeze in the death and how the same in a
hot place like here, you need to have minimum stands
for cooling. So I haven't got into the details of
what that would look like because that's an enormous body
of work. What I'm trying to do is to say, hey, government,
this is an important point that has not been investigated
(07:30):
and has not been covered. Can you come to the
table and can you start looking into that.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
I definitely get what you're trying to do, and I
can understand it, you know, there is no doubt that
there are plenty of people that are struggling if they're
trying to get a rental property. You know, it can
be really bloody expensive. But then on the other side
of things, I guess there's a bit of irony there
in the sense that you know, you're pushing for a
rental freeze for two years and that two percent, but
(07:55):
then also expecting people that have those properties to have that,
you know, to up the anti I guess when it
comes to you know, cooling and heating those homes. So
it's a tough one. You know, like if you're investing,
if you're not seeing any return on your rental, well,
why would you then be spending that additional money on it? Well?
Speaker 2 (08:16):
And I think that's the question. Look this, Katie, it
really enters into a much bigger conversation. So I think
Australia hasn't had enough. And that is the whole question
around what do we see around that we are using
housing right? Housing as a human right, But in Australia
we have been allowed to use housing as a mode
for personal wealth production. And I mean, look, what's the
(08:38):
worst thing right if a rental can't you know, s
freezing death in a house or heating overheating, or can't
give roof of ahead. What's the worst, They're going to
be homeless, a landlord doesn't find it financially viable to
keep their investment property. What's the worst, They're not going
to have an investment property. Like, those two things are
not equal, and I think it's time that we face
up to the reality of that.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
You do you get those that a lot of people
that have an investment are not rich, you know, like
you know, like for a senior for example, they might
have an investment property as part of their superannuation plan,
so that then they're not reliant on the government when
they retire, and they're not actually you know, they're not
sort of yeah, they're not needing the system. They're trying
(09:18):
to make themselves self sufficient.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
Yeah, sure, sure, Katie, I know that. You know, it's
I think about seventy percent. Unfortunately, most rental properties are
actually owned by investors that own more than one property.
But I hear what you're saying, and that The question, though,
is that do they still have the right I mean,
if people are living in houses with black mold and
no cooling, I mean I don't know.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
Are there examples of that in the Northern Territory? Like
do we have an issue with it? I guess is
what I'm asking as well? Ish we going to change it?
Do we? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (09:48):
Yes, absolutely, this is something that we've had, like dcls,
there's the advocates for renters that've got oh my gosh,
the cases that I have heard are just horrific with
things Katie myself, Okay, I have had the entire last
wet season a skylight that poured water for an entire
wet season. I had a six literre bucket under my
(10:11):
skylight for an entire wet season that wasn't getting fixed
as the rentery. So and this is the thing is
I'm not trying to make you know, We're not trying
to make all rental houses become you know, mansions. There's
just a bear standard that needs to be met. And
like if you're a landlord that's already maybe like great,
then this has something to do with you.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
Okay. One of the messages just coming through saying Katie,
who would pay for the bond board and who would
be on a board like that?
Speaker 2 (10:37):
So from my understanding, it's that the the interest that
a cruise from the bond sitting there goes back into
funding the ongoing maintenance of that board, So it's kind
of like a circular thing that sort of funds itself.
But look, this is one of the things too, and
I believed that the previous labor government actually looked into this.
(10:57):
So there is a report sitting somewhere on someone's in
someone's department entirely about implementing a bonboard. So like the
work's being done, we can just look into state get
it going here.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
Hey, the second motion that you are going to be
pushing forward next week is around climate change. What are
you calling for in this space?
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Yeah, Katie, So look, this is something that I'm just
seeing as such a gap that's missing here. It's been
with the previous government and this government. Is that we
are on the front lines of climate change, right, and
this happens climate wise everywhere in sort of the center
tropical regions of the planet. We get higher sea rise,
we get hotter temperatures, we get longer droughts, we get
more increased storm severity. We are on the front lines,
(11:39):
but our government are doing absolutely nothing to mitigate for
these risks. So what I'm doing is putting up a
motion that's just calling the government to a bunch of things,
looking at identifying what the key risks are to our
communities and importantly our economy and our infrastructure, analyzing those risks,
putting up costing the adaption and mitigation measures, looking at like,
(12:02):
for example, in our latest budget, right, there was no
climate risk adaption framework anywhere in that budget, when all
other states and territories have one to some degree. So
that is that, you know, you look at our economy,
look at our landscape here environment you go right, climate
change is coming, whether you want to believe it or not,
it's here, it's happening. How are we going to protect
our citizens? And I just think it's such a missing
(12:23):
piece of the territory government up here for both sides
of the major parties for so long, and it's negligible.
This is they are putting their heads in their sands.
So what I've done is I've put forward a motion
and it lists a bunch of really achievable things that
they can start doing to start working on mitigating climate
risks in the territory. You know, you cannot talk about
wanting to improve a territory economy without looking at the
(12:46):
risks that climate change posess to our economy.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
It's just bonkers, Kat, Do you reckon you're going to
have the support of labor or other independents or even
members of the colp on these.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
Look I always go in hopeful, Tavy, because if I
want and hopeful, then how could I be here at
the end of the day. I'm always coming in here
in good faith. I'm looking at stuff that's worked in
other places. I'm speaking to people on the ground, I'm
looking at the evidence, and I'm going what are the
gaps here? What do we need to improve things here
in the territory. So I would hope like hell that
(13:17):
the government opposition could meet me at the table and
even entertain a conversation with me about this. Obviously, they
voted down my last two motions. My motion to implement
a proper lobbyist register they voted against, and my motion
to help regulate the gambling in the street they voted against.
Because I'd rather work for gambling companies than everyday people.
But you know what, I'm going to keep trying, Kat,
(13:37):
just very quickly.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
I know that we contacted your office about this, and
you've already given us a response. But during the week
we had claims coming through that from some listeners that
you and also the member for Drysdale obviously him out
in Palmerston, you and Alice Springs that you were counsel
will you were campaigning for that council election. Were you
handing out how to vote for the Greens candidate or
(13:59):
for for the Allice Springs mayor for Asta, who is
believed to be Greens aligned.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
No, no, no, no. So I was in Alice Springs
for the voluntary sister Dying inquiry. So I've been traveling.
I sit on that committee. I've been traveling to all
remote locations do that. I had about ten minutes of
my trip to go in between leading that and heading
to the airport, and I ducked by to say hello
to Astor, who I knew from as you know, she
(14:28):
was a previous candidate for the Greens. And I had
my child there with me. So no, I was not campaigning.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
Well, I know we've certainly been asking as well whether
it is appropriate. You've said obviously you weren't, but we've
sort of been asking whether it is appropriate because, as
I said, there was also claims that Clinton Howe who's
obviously the member for Dryster was doing something similar, I guess,
or he may say as well that he was out
there talking to one of the candidates in Palveston. I mean,
(14:57):
do you think it's appropriate to have for any kind
of political involvement in those council campaigns? So I will say,
you know, I actually thought with the Greens having somebody
run and being pretty open and honest about that, I
would prefer that, like I'd prefer actually no whether somebody's
party aligned and didn't have a big issue with it,
(15:17):
But like, what are your thoughts on politics in councilation?
Speaker 2 (15:21):
No, I agree, Katie. I don't understand why in the
territory because I know other places in Australia the council
candidates do get endorsed by their parties. So I've actually
been confused about what I do think that it probably
would be better so people to know who they're voting
for it you say, are and then there's a party
absolutely for some reason that's not allowed here. And you
know what, I was very conscious of this when I
dropped down past the center because I was in town
(15:42):
getting some drinks and food for the plane ride back.
You know, and we said, oh, we'll take a photo
with asked to say hi, And I mean anyone that
was down there can see I was running around after
my eighteen months old. There was absolutely no fliers being
handed out, but I was really conscious of it because
we've got to be really careful as electing representatives, especially
the last election. You heard there was a lot a
lot of upset from people who thought that people you know,
(16:04):
members who were on the clock handing out polling booths,
doing party work. That's a very difficult line to walk
and I'm high for hyper conscious of it. So no, yeah,
I hear you, Katie. I think it's reasonable to ask
those questions. I mean, anyone who actually saw me down
there would know that that was not the case. But yeah,
I think it's a reasonable reasonable to be careful about that.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
Yeah. Well, kat mag Damara, good to speak with you
this morning. Appreciate your time and we'll find out. We'll
see how things go next week in Parliament. We might
talk again.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
Yeah, thanks so much, Key, thank you
Speaker 1 (16:33):
Thanks for your time.
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