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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now we know the Greens Member for Nightcliff Kat McNamara
or she was under the microscope last week after the
Colp government voted to refer her to the Privileges Committee
on the final day of Parliament over the use of
her electorate office by the Greens. Now Kat joins me
on the line. Good morning to your cat.

Speaker 2 (00:19):
Morning Katie, morning everyone.

Speaker 1 (00:20):
Now, Kat, you were absent on the afternoon of that
final day of parliament. To those out there listening this
morning who aren't aware, where were you?

Speaker 2 (00:30):
Oh right? So Katie, Yeah, I've been in Parliament for
the whole sitting up until then, so you know, done
on my speeches and contributions and things from the community
like petitions, but people might not be where that. People
sort of come in and out of the chamber all
the time in parliament you offer meetings or interviews. And
I had been there for the first half the day,
but on the very final day, I just I had

(00:51):
to catch a flight interstate for my dear friend of
mine's wedding to get there in time.

Speaker 1 (00:55):
And did you I mean, usually if you've got to leave,
you know, leave the Northern Territory, you let the speaker
know that you are going. Was that something that you'd
done or was it a bit of an oversight? Oh?

Speaker 2 (01:07):
Well, mostly kay, from my I understand I've spoken to.
The procedure is that if you're away, you seek leave
if you're going to miss a whole day of parliament.
So I haven't missed the day. I've been unwell, as
members can be unwell, and then you seek leave to be
away for the day. But because I've been there for
the first half of the day, and then people live
earlier all the time, like I wouldn't be aware when

(01:27):
other members have left early for various reasons. So as
far as I'm aware, that's not a process that I
needed to do.

Speaker 1 (01:33):
Now, the COLP has an accused you of misusing member
entitlements over a Greens Party event in the community room,
so that was happening on the same afternoon and the lines,
I guess they'd sort of blurred them by making it
sound as though you were at that. Were you at that? No,
it doesn't sound like it.

Speaker 2 (01:54):
Well no, not all. They hadn't kind of blurred them.
They have explicitly put out factually incorrect misinformation about and
crucially Katie when I contacted them, when I found out
when I saw them media release they put out but
essentially lying and saying that I had left Parliament to
a tennis event blah blah blah. I contacted them directly,
contacted the minisesoutpulla release, contacted the media person and said

(02:15):
a few of them said hey, I wasn't actually there.
I'm inter state. You need to retract that and correct it,
and they refused. So that to me, I mean, is
obviously incredibly disappointing that apparently the truth doesn't even matter
in these kind of things. But yeah, no, so just
to be clear to everyone, I wasn't involved in the event.
You needed to planning whatsoever and I wasn't there.

Speaker 1 (02:36):
I guess the issue is so that a party political
event happened at your office and that is against the rules.
Why did you allow that to happen?

Speaker 2 (02:48):
Sure, so very happy to speak about this. So basically,
also in case you're aren't aware, we have most officers
have community rooms and ours is used flat out, which
is fantastic. We have lots of community groups using that,
so I don't I'm not in charge of I don't
oversee all the bookings obviously because that's a lot. So
that's delegated to my staff. Now, unfortunately, my electure officer

(03:08):
was away during this time, and so the person who
was filling in had booked in this event whilst not
being aware of, say like the inappropriate or appropriate uses
of the room. So look, I'm this process of the
Privileges Committee, like I'm you know, I'm glad that it exists.
We obviously need this kind of oversight to make sure
things happen correctly. So I'm really looking forward to going

(03:29):
before them, whatever the process is going to be, and
getting some clarification on this and also getting to clear
the air a bit on it.

Speaker 1 (03:35):
Look, I did question if it was a political distraction
last week, and I'll go to that in a second,
but I guess, you know, again, the problem is is
that you sort of leave yourself a bit open here
because there'll be people listening that are saying, well, hang on,
you know, this was on Facebook that this event was happening,
and it was on social media. So how can she then,
as a local member, say that she wasn't aware that

(03:57):
it was happening at her office.

Speaker 2 (03:59):
Look, it's just it said. Unfortunately, I think confluence of
events having uh, you know, my electro office away and
these things booked in and look, it's look, it's absolutely
I'm looking forward to this process to get clarification on
what and what isn't allowed, and then I can definitely
put in some stronger boundaries and guidelines for my staff
in this office. I just want to make it clear
that if this is the first time Degreenes have ever

(04:20):
used the office or anything like this, you know, it's
it's mostly used for all different kinds of community groups
that come in and use it. And you know, like
I said, like, I'm really open to hearing, to seeing
what the privileged Committee process will be, and then putting
in some better guidelines in my office.

Speaker 1 (04:35):
Do you think it's appropriate for party political events to
be held at electoral offices?

Speaker 2 (04:41):
Yeah, so, I mean there is obviously a good reason
for caution around this because people want to make sure
that you're not doing party stuff, like the members are
not doing party stuff, you know, during their working hours
for the party and things like that. And I have
been since this all hit the news, I sort of
have been inundated with people sending me screenshots and videos
of other electorate offices being used for similar things. So

(05:03):
I'm really looking to get some clarity on this, yea,
and yeah, so look, definitely, definitely And the Greens have
told me that they if it's found to be an
inappropriate use of the room, that they're happy to refund
the hour and a half of lighting and air conditioning
for the use of the room. And yeah, well I've
got once again, like you know, this is what the
privileges process is for. And so I'm happy to come

(05:26):
back on the show after it's finished and let you
know how it went.

Speaker 1 (05:28):
I know that Jonathan Parry had said at the time
that they got advice that it was appropriate use. Do
you know where he got that advice from.

Speaker 2 (05:35):
Oh no, I'm a little I'm still trying to wigh
through the details of that, and so I'm not sure
if they got clear cut advice on that. I think
I think a lot of I guess a lot of
the things often can be kind of they aren't actually
clear cut. It's just, you know, things are interpretation. You've
got to be careful that lines aren't crossed, which is
all really fair enough. So I can't I can't speak

(05:56):
for what the Greens.

Speaker 1 (05:57):
Are well, particularly and you know, I think particular when
you are a politician. I know that you and I
have spoken before about integrity and about people doing the
right things. So I guess that if you're going to,
you know, to be a politician that does that, then
you've got to make sure that you're doing it right
from your perspective as well. Oh.

Speaker 2 (06:14):
Absolutely, absolutely, Katie. And that's why I, like, you know,
I'm very open to this process. I'm very much cheened
to be part of it. I mean, I'm glad the
Prilitgic Committee exists exactly for this reason, right, And I mean,
the thing is, it's not going to stop me from
continuing to shine a light on the really serious integrity
issues and crises and allegations that are happening all the

(06:35):
time with this government. And I think that, you know,
I'm open to being transparent and getting to the bottom
of things, and I want to see the government do
the same like you know. For example, on a similar vein,
we had all the accusations about the white cars, the
inapropriate use of white cars, taxpayer fund of white cars,
and the shadow ministries, which means that all the backbenches
presumably get access to the white cars too. And when

(06:56):
the government was asked, hey, can you clarify the rules
your rules around white car they just refused, so I
would like to also see them be transparent around this
kind of stuff.

Speaker 1 (07:05):
Do you think that this whole process and the calling
out of your office being used for a party political event,
do you think it's a distraction.

Speaker 2 (07:14):
I mean, on one hand, no, I think that everyone,
every sitting member needs to be held accountable, and there
has to be transparency around the use of things like
you know, electro office and things like that. So and
that's why I'm happy to go through the process. But
there is also a part which you know, many many
people have pointed out to me over the last few
days a Lo've been contacted by so many people who
have said, well, this is clearly retaliation for, well, a

(07:39):
distraction from some of the very serious integrity issues that
they're facing, but also a retaliation for, say, like the
censure motion I put forward last week. So I think
there are a lot of people who can kind of
see it for what it truly is, which is like
a pretty pretty blatant political attack to try and kind
of silence me.

Speaker 1 (07:55):
You mentioned a few moments ago as well that people
have sent you photos and videos of other members using
their offers for party political events or activities. Who and where?

Speaker 2 (08:10):
Oh, look, I mean they're on Facebook, so anyone can
go have a look. I don't really want to get
caught into the you know, he said, she said, I've
got the stuff. I'll be taken up with me to
privileges as well. Yes, because I think it's a genuine question. Aro.
I'm like, okay, hey, if this I'm getting pulled up
for this, this is some other evidence. Can maybe we
get some clearer guidelines, So I'll bring that with me

(08:30):
when I go to Privileges committee. I don't really think
it's very helpful for this whole dialogue to go. And
this is the thing is that I'm I'm not interested
in like the personal attacks for like political gain. I'm
just really interested in, you know, people acting in the
best uses of their community, making sure things are above board,
and that's what I want to do.

Speaker 1 (08:48):
Well. Look, I appreciate the fact that you've come on
and answered all of these questions because I know that
there's been plenty of people sort of wanting to know
what the go was. But I also wanted you to
come on because we wanted to ask you about this
petition that you launched into a review of safety measures
along Baggett Road. Now, we had Bill Yan on the
show yesterday, the Transport Minister. We asked him about this

(09:11):
and certainly spoke about the fact that you've launched this petition.
He reckons the departments working on it, including implementing lighting,
new technology as well. Do you think that goes far enough?
What do you reckon needs to happen along Baggott Road there?

Speaker 2 (09:26):
Yeah, good point. Look, I'd be very keen to see
those details of what the minister is talking about, because
lighting is one of the things that's mentioned in the
Menzies Health Report around some of the actions you can
take to improve safety. So this petition, actually I'm kind
of I'm giving a new energy. It actually was a
petition that started before I got in and with the

(09:46):
previous candidate Suki, and alongside there were some cyclists that
came and brought this to her attention that was some
really serious safety issues on the road. So I basically so, great, well,
let's re get this petition re gooing again. Because I've
had a lot of different groups from parents with kids,
cyclists and also drivers who've all said from different perspectives
around some of the ways that that road is really dangerous.

(10:08):
And so what I've done is because it's a road
that borders a whole bunch of our electorates, I have
contacted all the relevant MLAs for all the electrics wear
bag at road borders and said, hey, I'm doing this
petition on the request from a lot of community members
who are concerned about safety, would love some, you know,
cross parliamentary support on trying to improve the safety here.

(10:29):
I've got some feedback from the primary school as well.
So yeah, there are a whole bunch of things. And
that's why I've asked for a safety review because you know,
I'm obviously not an engineer, like I don't have all
the answers, but what the government must do a review into, Like, Okay,
we've got a whole bunch of pedestrian deaths happening here.
We've also got a lot of near misses. What are
the issues is at the bus stops? Is it the lighting?

(10:50):
Is it the speed? And we've got to kind of
we've got to make that road safe.

Speaker 1 (10:54):
I think, well, yesterday we had the Pedestrian Council on
the show Harold Scrooby, people went off when he suggested
that the speed limit should be slowed right down. You know,
they were not happy about that. But look, I do
think that there should be or there could be some
other safety measures to try to keep it safe for everybody,
particularly not you know, nobody wants to be in a

(11:15):
situation where a pedestrian is struck, not the person behind
the wheel of the vehicle, not the person who is
on the receiving end, you know, and there needs to
be some personal responsibility from all of us as well
to make sure that we're doing the right thing.

Speaker 2 (11:31):
Yeah, definitely, I know that Lauren speed limits tends to
get some people. It's not super popular among some groups
of people, But I will say that, I mean a
primary school you don't really want to be going. I'm
sure that most people, particularly the parents of the kids
at that school. Eighty kilometers alongside a primary school is
it doesn't feel safe. And look, that's why I've also

(11:53):
linked with the petition this report so Mendy's Health have done.
I think I think it was a ten year study
on pedestrian decima territory and so they've got like a
whole list of factors of what goes into those desks
like what are the contributing factors and what are some
of the actions that you can take to help reduce that?
And yes, one of the things is to reduce speed,
but that would be up to hopefully when we get
some kind of safety audit done and we can figure out, okay,

(12:14):
in this particular set here for this road, what would
work here?

Speaker 1 (12:17):
Well, Kat Magdamara, the Greens member for Nightcliff, We're gonna
have to leave it there. Thanks so much for your
time this morning. Much appreciate it.

Speaker 2 (12:24):
No worries, thanks Kay, Thank you.
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