Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Issues around problem tenants in public housing. It's something that's
been raised on this show literally for years. The Northern
Territory government this morning's saying they're going to be taking
action to tackle anti social behavior and clawback thirty nine
million dollars in rent arears by introducing public housing reform
to the Parliament this week. The Minister for Housing, Local
(00:23):
Government and Community Development as well as Health, Steve Edgington,
joins me on the line. Good morning to you.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Steve, Good morning Cody, Good morning to the listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Now what exactly are these changes going to include when
we talk about public housing reform, Well.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Codie, as we said, we do need to take some
real positive action to claw back the amount of andy
social behavior going on in public housing, not only here
in the Greater Darwin area, but right across the Northern
Territory including Catherine Tennant Creek and Alice Springs and of
course in remote areas as well. But also what we've
(01:02):
seen over the last three to four years is the
amount of rental arrears now has reached a staggering thirty
nine million dollars. So we do need to take some
real positive action. So what we're focused on Katie is
looking at strengthening the policy to fast track evictions where necessary.
We will be doing a full review of the visitor management,
(01:24):
tenancy management, and also the current red card policy which
is often talked about. We do need to have a
very close look at debt reform and also how we
particularly reinvigorate that debt management policy. But also we do
want to have a very close look at the Housing
(01:47):
Act to ensure that public housing safety officers, to ensure
that that law is not only there to help public
housing safety officers, but the laws are there to ensure
that the chief execut even the staff working in the
department to have the powers they need to get on
with the job.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
I mean, do they feel at the moment like their
hands are tied, like people are behaving badly, not adhering
to what's expected of their leases, and they can't really
do anything.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Look, I think what we've seen over the last eight years, Katie,
not only when it comes to dealing with crime, but
what we've seen from the labor government is a real
hands off approach. What we need to ensure is that
there's no more slaps on the wristso to speak. We
need to get on top of this issue because we
get many, many reports from people living in those neighborhoods
(02:38):
that are being subject to whether it's loud music, whether
it's fighting, screaming, alcohol related is years right through all
hours of the night. This is impacting on people going
to work, and it's impacting on kids going to school.
People they need to feel safe and secure in their neighborhoods.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
So Steve, in terms of these potential changes, in some instances,
we've been contacted by people who say they've made so
many complaints they've lost count and nothing ever eventuates. So
what exactly is going to change and how can you
guarantee it's going to make a difference for somebody who
lives next door to a problem tenant.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Well, let me give you one example, Cadie, and that
I've been presented with a whole lot of information on
matters that have previously caused a number of concerns in
neighborhoods around the territory. I'll give you one example. One
particular tendency, there was sixty two red card demerit points,
but rather than deal with that, the former Labor government
(03:38):
moved them into a new three bedroom house and since
then there's been one hundred and fifty eight to further
reports of andy social behavior at that particular tenancy. So
we need to act. We need to ensure that our
staff have the backing, and I back our staff and
I want to give them the confidence of our government
that when they do act, they have our full support.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
So it's unbelievable. Sixty two red card demerits and then
they get moved into another house, a three bedroom house,
and there's what one hundred and fifty odd complaints made
about them, Like that is insane.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
Oh, it's incredible, Katie. And this is just one example.
I've got other examples that are being presented to me
where a particular house I believe was moved from a
problem tenancy rather than dealing with the tenancy. I have
one example where a tenant was moved three times, with
(04:38):
taxpayers footing the bill of around about eighty three thousand
dollars to help facilitate those transfers. We can't be transferring
problem tenants to other areas. What we need to do
is tackle those issues head on and deal with the
actual issue. If it needs to be an eviction, we
need to go down that pathway.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
Look, it makes you blood boy thinking that that much
of taxpayers money has been wasted to move somebody who's
a problem tenant around. I mean the other side of
this though, is if you move somebody out, if they
get kicked out, where are they going to go? And
does that then cause an issue where you've got antisocial
behavior on the streets? What is going to happen.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Look, it's a real concern. But what we need to
do is we need to draw the line somewhere and
at this stage, what we want to do is make
sure that eviction obviously is the last resort, but we
can't have you incidents of sixty two red cards. What
we want to do is ensure that there's an early
intervention and support for tenancies that are at risk. We're
(05:42):
going to follow that process to ensure that tenants get
the full support that they need. We certainly don't want
to be throwing people vulnerable people out on the street.
We know that there's domestic violence victims, we know that
there's people with other issues that makes them vulnerable. We
don't want to be throwing them out on the street.
But we have to draw the line.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Somewhere, Minister, in terms of the rental areas. Thirty nine
million dollars is the figure which you've outlined over what
period of time was that accumulated?
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Well, as I said, you've just got to go back
to twenty twenty one, the previous cabinet waived a debt
of sixty nine point seventy one million dollars. So that
was just under four years ago that a debt of
sixty nine million dollars was waived. So at the moment
that's already accrued up to thirty nine million dollars of
(06:33):
outstanding rent.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
So in those few years we've now gone back up
to thirty nine million dollars in rental areas. Is that
just in urban housing or remote as well?
Speaker 2 (06:45):
That at the moment, I think that figure in front
of me is just urban housing. And what we've seen
through that thirty nine million dollars is that just in
urban For example, there's one four hundred and twenty two
tenancies that have crude substantial debt. Those one four hundred
and twenty two tenancies in the urban areas of the
(07:06):
Northern Territory have accumulated debts of over ten thousand dollars.
So this is the situation that we've been left with
by labor.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
But like, how are we not in a situation and
you know, I'm going like, let's assume that you know,
whether people have got jobs or they don't have jobs,
and they are you know, they're in public housing because
they are in a difficult situation. I mean, how are
we not able to ensure that that gets paid, that
(07:38):
their rent gets paid, you know, at the same time
that they're buying groceries, like that money is not going
to be wasted and that it actually goes to rent.
Because let's be really blunt about it as well, in
a lot of cases, people aren't paying like the full
you know, the full rental market that ordinarily like that
ordinary people would be on the private market. They're already
(07:58):
getting subsidized, aren't they.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
Well, exactly, there's a whole range of concessions in place
for people living in public housing. But just one of
the examples that I've been provided with Codie is when
people sign up to a tenancy in public housing, there's
an opportunity for people to work with SENALINK and have
an automatic deduction coming out of their SENALINK payment to
(08:21):
pay for their rent. We have many examples of where
people have signed up to pay their rent, coming straight
out a Centerlink. But once that payment agreement is in place,
we've got many examples of tenants going into Cenlink within
days to cancel that payment. What it's actually doing is
creating the run around for housing staff to try and
(08:44):
chase these people down and get them to sign up
to an agreement to pay. The whole system needs to
be looked at, and we want to work with the
federal government to ensure that there's systems in place to
ensure that when people sign up to make a payment
from their rent that they can't go in and canceled
that the day after. All it's doing is creating the
run around for the staff across the board. Yep.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
So Steve, where to with this thirty nine million dollars
in rental areas? I mean, does it just need to
be wiped wiped off now?
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Well? No, Well we'll be pursuing as much of that
as possible. That there may be rent that can't be recovered,
but what we want to do is make sure that
tenants are held accountable and we make sure that we
make it very clear what the government's expectations is when
it comes to paying rent. We need to follow through
(09:34):
with this and the staff are going to be back
to go out and collect that rent.
Speaker 1 (09:39):
If you have just joined us. We are speaking to
Minister Steve Edgington. He has got the Housing portfolio as
well as Health minister. How quickly are these changes going
to come into place? When we look at the housing
issues that we've got in the Northern Territory right.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
Now, right well over the next six months, we can
certainly take action in regard to strengthening policy to fast evictions,
but there will be need to look at the Housing Act.
At the moment, the pathway to eviction involves quite a
convolute of approach, not only through the Department, through the CEO,
(10:15):
but there's an appeals mechanism that goes to What we
need to do is have a look at that whole
process to see whether that can be streamlined. But also
when it comes to the red card policy, we can
strengthen that. Now we can make sure that we're out
talking to people about not only dealing with the rent,
(10:37):
but ensuring that people are familiar with the requirements of
their tenancy agreement and that means dealing with excessive rent debts.
You know, we untidy are This is a common complaint
that we hear about property damage, we hear about anti
social behavior. Our staff will be out and about talking
to those tenants dealing with the red policy. But also
(11:01):
there's an opportunity to put tenants on what's called an
Acceptable Behavior Agreement. That's basically a warning system and an
agreement where tenants need to work with the department to
ensure they're doing the right thing.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
Minister, a couple of really quick ones. Can you tell
us how many people are on the waiting list in
the Northern Territory at the moment to get public housing.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
Well, I don't have the numbers, Katie, but what I
can tell you is that the wait list at the
moment is anywhere between eight to ten years wow, right
across the Northern Territory. So that's a big indication that
we have not only a high number of people on
the wait list, but to get a public house you
need to be waiting eight to ten years. What we
can't do is have tenants in houses that are doing
(11:43):
the wrong thing when there's other tenants that are waiting
to have a roof over your head.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
All right, let's move along. There is quite a bit
for us to cover off this morning. I know you'll
press for time because Parliament is obviously sitting in the
Northern Territory. But lating to the show yesterday we received
the Auditor Generals. It was tabled to the Legislative Assembly
on three reviews conducted under the Public Information Act. One
of those incidents related to your social media posts about
(12:10):
the cost of implementing new digital health system, the new
digital health system known as ACACIA. It featured Opposition leader
Selena Rubo, the former Health Minister, with text saying sixty
one million dollar budget a secret exposed or secret documents
revealed now. The Order to General found the post breached
(12:30):
the Public Information Act by failing to provide a source
for the facts and omitting context. Now. According to that report,
the social media post did not tell the whole story
and implied wrong or dishonest behavior by the leader of
the Opposition in her capacity as the former Minister for Health.
(12:51):
Minister Edgington. Did you ask your staff to create that
post or how did it come about?
Speaker 2 (12:57):
I created the post my self. There was a social
media tile that I included in my post. But what
I did include in that post was factual information. Which
was detailed in my media release that same day. What
it did as the Order to General said that the
sixty one million dollar over over budget wasn't referenced well.
(13:21):
The information that I got directly was from the Health
Department themselves. So I'm not sure whether he wants me
to put a footnote on my social media post. But
what I can confirm is that the sixty one million
dollar overspend on the Acacia system was never made public
by the Labor government and so that.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
Part of it wasn't wrong obviously what you'd put on there,
and I note that that is said in the report
as well. But Minister, I mean, is it an appropriate
use of a minister's time to be making a social
media tile to say that do you think well?
Speaker 2 (13:53):
The social media tile, as I said, was included in
the Facebook post. It's very important in my role as
a minister and also as the Member for Berkley to
keep my constituents informed of the work that I'm doing.
This is relevant information that the public needs to know.
It is in the public interest for people to have
(14:14):
factual information about what's going on in government. This is
about us being open and transparent and exposing where Labour
failed to keep the public informed and actually hid the
cost of sixty one million dollars from the public.
Speaker 1 (14:27):
I will say that it's obviously not only your office,
it was in the spotlight with this the Opposition's office
also in the sights of the Order to General for
making a poster of you superimposed onto a rainbow flag.
The Order to General said the poster falls outside the
scope of public information laws. Though do you think that
that needs to be pursued further?
Speaker 2 (14:50):
Well, the Order to General has made their finding. But
what I've said about my post is that mine was factual.
Mine was a use of my time to inform the
p public. Clearly, what Labor did putting posters up in
men's toilets in public in a public place here in
Parliament House shows that they're busy playing politics, playing political games,
(15:12):
rather than getting on with the job of representing these
I mean, is yours much different?
Speaker 1 (15:16):
Though? I get what you're saying that obviously the figure
that you've included is real, but is yours much of
a better use of time? I think I just sort
of feel like people are a bit kind of over
this stuff.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
Well exactly, and I think you know, obviously I stand
by what I did. I don't shy away from putting
that information out in public. I believe it's a good
use of my time putting up posters. Clearly the Opposition
leader has come out and acknowledged that that happened. Look,
there's better things for the Opposition to be doing at
(15:49):
the moment rather than putting posters up around Parliament.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
And look, I think people will also feel like there's
probably better things for the Health Minister to be doing
as well than making Facebook posts about the Health minister.
But do you know what our listeners and the public
will decide that for themselves. Because I want to ask
you some questions about some health issues. Just very quickly.
(16:13):
I've been contacted by a mum who's due to give
birth in August. She's wondering what birth and post natal
KIRA is going to look like for her as she
is due to pay some pretty large fees soon. What
is it going to look like for this expectant mum
who's due in.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
August, well due in August. What we do know is
that Healthscope have decided and made a decision to close
their services on June the sixth, So originally one hundred
and fourteen expectant mothers were going to be affected by
the decision. But what we do know by them extending
to June is that forty five families will be affected
(16:51):
by that closure at the Royal Darwen Hospital. We have
prepared for additional birthing at the World Hospital and any
expectant mother can expect that will provide the best possible
service in the Royal daren Hospital, but they've been doing
that for years. Our midwives and obstetricians are doing a
(17:13):
fantastic job. But if that mother has private care, then
what we will be doing is working with that private
health provider to ensure that that mother has proper antiinatal
care and there's an opportunity to spend a couple of
days in a Yeah, look she.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
Does, and I know that there's other mums that do
as well. And in fact, there's actually a whole forum
of mums on social media at the moment that are
due later in the year that do have that private
health cover that are wondering what's next for them. How
is it going to be communicated with those expectant mums
that do have private health I mean, is that something
(17:52):
that they're obstetrician, Like, where's that process going to kind
of kick in? I guess if they are looked after
privately through their obstetrician, but they are now going to
need to give birth at the public hospital.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
Look, I believe those communications have been happening between the
dal And Private Hospital and now the Royal Darwen Hospital.
So we have set up a person of contact. I
don't have the number in front of me, but we
only have a contact. We certainly have a contact within
the Health department to ensure that we're providing accurate information
(18:30):
to expectant mothers and their families. We want to make
sure that they have the best possible birthing experience moving forward, all.
Speaker 1 (18:41):
Right, before I let you go. Yesterday we spoke to
the former Children's Commissioner, Colin and Gwynn, who was cleared
of a charge of abusive office almost two years ago
after prosecutors could not produce enough evidence to continue her trial.
Now she had been accused of attempting to hire a
friend who had previously acted in the role as assistant
Children's Commissioner. The impact that that has had on her
(19:04):
and her family has been terrible. Steve, do you think
there should be a government apology to colle Ain Gwynn.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
What need to look into that matter further. But look,
it's clear that this is just another example of the
way that Labor treated some of these matters when they
are in government. The Labor government was responsible for dealing
with that matter. If there's an apology that is due,
then certainly the Labor government should be coming out and
making that apology. The way that she was treated to
(19:36):
drag through the media, she was obviously absolved of committing
any offenses. This is a matter for the Labor government
to ensure that they deal with that matter effectively.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
Well. Steve Edgington, the Minister for Health, Minister for Housing,
thank you very much for your time this morning. I'll
let you go and get into Parliament.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
Good morning to all the listeners.
Speaker 1 (19:54):
Thank thanks so much.
Issues around problem tenants in public housing. It's something that's
been raised on this show literally for years. The Northern
Territory government this morning's saying they're going to be taking
action to tackle anti social behavior and clawback thirty nine
million dollars in rent arears by introducing public housing reform
to the Parliament this week. The Minister for Housing, Local
(00:23):
Government and Community Development as well as Health, Steve Edgington,
joins me on the line. Good morning to you.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Steve, Good morning Cody, Good morning to the listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Now what exactly are these changes going to include when
we talk about public housing reform, Well.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Codie, as we said, we do need to take some
real positive action to claw back the amount of andy
social behavior going on in public housing, not only here
in the Greater Darwin area, but right across the Northern
Territory including Catherine Tennant Creek and Alice Springs and of
course in remote areas as well. But also what we've
(01:02):
seen over the last three to four years is the
amount of rental arrears now has reached a staggering thirty
nine million dollars. So we do need to take some
real positive action. So what we're focused on Katie is
looking at strengthening the policy to fast track evictions where necessary.
We will be doing a full review of the visitor management,
(01:24):
tenancy management, and also the current red card policy which
is often talked about. We do need to have a
very close look at debt reform and also how we
particularly reinvigorate that debt management policy. But also we do
want to have a very close look at the Housing
(01:47):
Act to ensure that public housing safety officers, to ensure
that that law is not only there to help public
housing safety officers, but the laws are there to ensure
that the chief execut even the staff working in the
department to have the powers they need to get on
with the job.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
I mean, do they feel at the moment like their
hands are tied, like people are behaving badly, not adhering
to what's expected of their leases, and they can't really
do anything.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Look, I think what we've seen over the last eight years, Katie,
not only when it comes to dealing with crime, but
what we've seen from the labor government is a real
hands off approach. What we need to ensure is that
there's no more slaps on the wristso to speak. We
need to get on top of this issue because we
get many, many reports from people living in those neighborhoods
(02:38):
that are being subject to whether it's loud music, whether
it's fighting, screaming, alcohol related is years right through all
hours of the night. This is impacting on people going
to work, and it's impacting on kids going to school.
People they need to feel safe and secure in their neighborhoods.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
So Steve, in terms of these potential changes, in some instances,
we've been contacted by people who say they've made so
many complaints they've lost count and nothing ever eventuates. So
what exactly is going to change and how can you
guarantee it's going to make a difference for somebody who
lives next door to a problem tenant.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Well, let me give you one example, Cadie, and that
I've been presented with a whole lot of information on
matters that have previously caused a number of concerns in
neighborhoods around the territory. I'll give you one example. One
particular tendency, there was sixty two red card demerit points,
but rather than deal with that, the former Labor government
(03:38):
moved them into a new three bedroom house and since
then there's been one hundred and fifty eight to further
reports of andy social behavior at that particular tenancy. So
we need to act. We need to ensure that our
staff have the backing, and I back our staff and
I want to give them the confidence of our government
that when they do act, they have our full support.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
So it's unbelievable. Sixty two red card demerits and then
they get moved into another house, a three bedroom house,
and there's what one hundred and fifty odd complaints made
about them, Like that is insane.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
Oh, it's incredible, Katie. And this is just one example.
I've got other examples that are being presented to me
where a particular house I believe was moved from a
problem tenancy rather than dealing with the tenancy. I have
one example where a tenant was moved three times, with
(04:38):
taxpayers footing the bill of around about eighty three thousand
dollars to help facilitate those transfers. We can't be transferring
problem tenants to other areas. What we need to do
is tackle those issues head on and deal with the
actual issue. If it needs to be an eviction, we
need to go down that pathway.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
Look, it makes you blood boy thinking that that much
of taxpayers money has been wasted to move somebody who's
a problem tenant around. I mean the other side of
this though, is if you move somebody out, if they
get kicked out, where are they going to go? And
does that then cause an issue where you've got antisocial
behavior on the streets? What is going to happen.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Look, it's a real concern. But what we need to
do is we need to draw the line somewhere and
at this stage, what we want to do is make
sure that eviction obviously is the last resort, but we
can't have you incidents of sixty two red cards. What
we want to do is ensure that there's an early
intervention and support for tenancies that are at risk. We're
(05:42):
going to follow that process to ensure that tenants get
the full support that they need. We certainly don't want
to be throwing people vulnerable people out on the street.
We know that there's domestic violence victims, we know that
there's people with other issues that makes them vulnerable. We
don't want to be throwing them out on the street.
But we have to draw the line.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Somewhere, Minister, in terms of the rental areas. Thirty nine
million dollars is the figure which you've outlined over what
period of time was that accumulated?
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Well, as I said, you've just got to go back
to twenty twenty one, the previous cabinet waived a debt
of sixty nine point seventy one million dollars. So that
was just under four years ago that a debt of
sixty nine million dollars was waived. So at the moment
that's already accrued up to thirty nine million dollars of
(06:33):
outstanding rent.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
So in those few years we've now gone back up
to thirty nine million dollars in rental areas. Is that
just in urban housing or remote as well?
Speaker 2 (06:45):
That at the moment, I think that figure in front
of me is just urban housing. And what we've seen
through that thirty nine million dollars is that just in
urban For example, there's one four hundred and twenty two
tenancies that have crude substantial debt. Those one four hundred
and twenty two tenancies in the urban areas of the
(07:06):
Northern Territory have accumulated debts of over ten thousand dollars.
So this is the situation that we've been left with
by labor.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
But like, how are we not in a situation and
you know, I'm going like, let's assume that you know,
whether people have got jobs or they don't have jobs,
and they are you know, they're in public housing because
they are in a difficult situation. I mean, how are
we not able to ensure that that gets paid, that
(07:38):
their rent gets paid, you know, at the same time
that they're buying groceries, like that money is not going
to be wasted and that it actually goes to rent.
Because let's be really blunt about it as well, in
a lot of cases, people aren't paying like the full
you know, the full rental market that ordinarily like that
ordinary people would be on the private market. They're already
(07:58):
getting subsidized, aren't they.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
Well, exactly, there's a whole range of concessions in place
for people living in public housing. But just one of
the examples that I've been provided with Codie is when
people sign up to a tenancy in public housing, there's
an opportunity for people to work with SENALINK and have
an automatic deduction coming out of their SENALINK payment to
(08:21):
pay for their rent. We have many examples of where
people have signed up to pay their rent, coming straight
out a Centerlink. But once that payment agreement is in place,
we've got many examples of tenants going into Cenlink within
days to cancel that payment. What it's actually doing is
creating the run around for housing staff to try and
(08:44):
chase these people down and get them to sign up
to an agreement to pay. The whole system needs to
be looked at, and we want to work with the
federal government to ensure that there's systems in place to
ensure that when people sign up to make a payment
from their rent that they can't go in and canceled
that the day after. All it's doing is creating the
run around for the staff across the board. Yep.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
So Steve, where to with this thirty nine million dollars
in rental areas? I mean, does it just need to
be wiped wiped off now?
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Well? No, Well we'll be pursuing as much of that
as possible. That there may be rent that can't be recovered,
but what we want to do is make sure that
tenants are held accountable and we make sure that we
make it very clear what the government's expectations is when
it comes to paying rent. We need to follow through
(09:34):
with this and the staff are going to be back
to go out and collect that rent.
Speaker 1 (09:39):
If you have just joined us. We are speaking to
Minister Steve Edgington. He has got the Housing portfolio as
well as Health minister. How quickly are these changes going
to come into place? When we look at the housing
issues that we've got in the Northern Territory right.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
Now, right well over the next six months, we can
certainly take action in regard to strengthening policy to fast evictions,
but there will be need to look at the Housing Act.
At the moment, the pathway to eviction involves quite a
convolute of approach, not only through the Department, through the CEO,
(10:15):
but there's an appeals mechanism that goes to What we
need to do is have a look at that whole
process to see whether that can be streamlined. But also
when it comes to the red card policy, we can
strengthen that. Now we can make sure that we're out
talking to people about not only dealing with the rent,
(10:37):
but ensuring that people are familiar with the requirements of
their tenancy agreement and that means dealing with excessive rent debts.
You know, we untidy are This is a common complaint
that we hear about property damage, we hear about anti
social behavior. Our staff will be out and about talking
to those tenants dealing with the red policy. But also
(11:01):
there's an opportunity to put tenants on what's called an
Acceptable Behavior Agreement. That's basically a warning system and an
agreement where tenants need to work with the department to
ensure they're doing the right thing.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
Minister, a couple of really quick ones. Can you tell
us how many people are on the waiting list in
the Northern Territory at the moment to get public housing.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
Well, I don't have the numbers, Katie, but what I
can tell you is that the wait list at the
moment is anywhere between eight to ten years wow, right
across the Northern Territory. So that's a big indication that
we have not only a high number of people on
the wait list, but to get a public house you
need to be waiting eight to ten years. What we
can't do is have tenants in houses that are doing
(11:43):
the wrong thing when there's other tenants that are waiting
to have a roof over your head.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
All right, let's move along. There is quite a bit
for us to cover off this morning. I know you'll
press for time because Parliament is obviously sitting in the
Northern Territory. But lating to the show yesterday we received
the Auditor Generals. It was tabled to the Legislative Assembly
on three reviews conducted under the Public Information Act. One
of those incidents related to your social media posts about
(12:10):
the cost of implementing new digital health system, the new
digital health system known as ACACIA. It featured Opposition leader
Selena Rubo, the former Health Minister, with text saying sixty
one million dollar budget a secret exposed or secret documents
revealed now. The Order to General found the post breached
(12:30):
the Public Information Act by failing to provide a source
for the facts and omitting context. Now. According to that report,
the social media post did not tell the whole story
and implied wrong or dishonest behavior by the leader of
the Opposition in her capacity as the former Minister for Health.
(12:51):
Minister Edgington. Did you ask your staff to create that
post or how did it come about?
Speaker 2 (12:57):
I created the post my self. There was a social
media tile that I included in my post. But what
I did include in that post was factual information. Which
was detailed in my media release that same day. What
it did as the Order to General said that the
sixty one million dollar over over budget wasn't referenced well.
(13:21):
The information that I got directly was from the Health
Department themselves. So I'm not sure whether he wants me
to put a footnote on my social media post. But
what I can confirm is that the sixty one million
dollar overspend on the Acacia system was never made public
by the Labor government and so that.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
Part of it wasn't wrong obviously what you'd put on there,
and I note that that is said in the report
as well. But Minister, I mean, is it an appropriate
use of a minister's time to be making a social
media tile to say that do you think well?
Speaker 2 (13:53):
The social media tile, as I said, was included in
the Facebook post. It's very important in my role as
a minister and also as the Member for Berkley to
keep my constituents informed of the work that I'm doing.
This is relevant information that the public needs to know.
It is in the public interest for people to have
(14:14):
factual information about what's going on in government. This is
about us being open and transparent and exposing where Labour
failed to keep the public informed and actually hid the
cost of sixty one million dollars from the public.
Speaker 1 (14:27):
I will say that it's obviously not only your office,
it was in the spotlight with this the Opposition's office
also in the sights of the Order to General for
making a poster of you superimposed onto a rainbow flag.
The Order to General said the poster falls outside the
scope of public information laws. Though do you think that
that needs to be pursued further?
Speaker 2 (14:50):
Well, the Order to General has made their finding. But
what I've said about my post is that mine was factual.
Mine was a use of my time to inform the
p public. Clearly, what Labor did putting posters up in
men's toilets in public in a public place here in
Parliament House shows that they're busy playing politics, playing political games,
(15:12):
rather than getting on with the job of representing these
I mean, is yours much different?
Speaker 1 (15:16):
Though? I get what you're saying that obviously the figure
that you've included is real, but is yours much of
a better use of time? I think I just sort
of feel like people are a bit kind of over
this stuff.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
Well exactly, and I think you know, obviously I stand
by what I did. I don't shy away from putting
that information out in public. I believe it's a good
use of my time putting up posters. Clearly the Opposition
leader has come out and acknowledged that that happened. Look,
there's better things for the Opposition to be doing at
(15:49):
the moment rather than putting posters up around Parliament.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
And look, I think people will also feel like there's
probably better things for the Health Minister to be doing
as well than making Facebook posts about the Health minister.
But do you know what our listeners and the public
will decide that for themselves. Because I want to ask
you some questions about some health issues. Just very quickly.
(16:13):
I've been contacted by a mum who's due to give
birth in August. She's wondering what birth and post natal
KIRA is going to look like for her as she
is due to pay some pretty large fees soon. What
is it going to look like for this expectant mum
who's due in.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
August, well due in August. What we do know is
that Healthscope have decided and made a decision to close
their services on June the sixth, So originally one hundred
and fourteen expectant mothers were going to be affected by
the decision. But what we do know by them extending
to June is that forty five families will be affected
(16:51):
by that closure at the Royal Darwen Hospital. We have
prepared for additional birthing at the World Hospital and any
expectant mother can expect that will provide the best possible
service in the Royal daren Hospital, but they've been doing
that for years. Our midwives and obstetricians are doing a
(17:13):
fantastic job. But if that mother has private care, then
what we will be doing is working with that private
health provider to ensure that that mother has proper antiinatal
care and there's an opportunity to spend a couple of
days in a Yeah, look she.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
Does, and I know that there's other mums that do
as well. And in fact, there's actually a whole forum
of mums on social media at the moment that are
due later in the year that do have that private
health cover that are wondering what's next for them. How
is it going to be communicated with those expectant mums
that do have private health I mean, is that something
(17:52):
that they're obstetrician, Like, where's that process going to kind
of kick in? I guess if they are looked after
privately through their obstetrician, but they are now going to
need to give birth at the public hospital.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
Look, I believe those communications have been happening between the
dal And Private Hospital and now the Royal Darwen Hospital.
So we have set up a person of contact. I
don't have the number in front of me, but we
only have a contact. We certainly have a contact within
the Health department to ensure that we're providing accurate information
(18:30):
to expectant mothers and their families. We want to make
sure that they have the best possible birthing experience moving forward, all.
Speaker 1 (18:41):
Right, before I let you go. Yesterday we spoke to
the former Children's Commissioner, Colin and Gwynn, who was cleared
of a charge of abusive office almost two years ago
after prosecutors could not produce enough evidence to continue her trial.
Now she had been accused of attempting to hire a
friend who had previously acted in the role as assistant
Children's Commissioner. The impact that that has had on her
(19:04):
and her family has been terrible. Steve, do you think
there should be a government apology to colle Ain Gwynn.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
What need to look into that matter further. But look,
it's clear that this is just another example of the
way that Labor treated some of these matters when they
are in government. The Labor government was responsible for dealing
with that matter. If there's an apology that is due,
then certainly the Labor government should be coming out and
making that apology. The way that she was treated to
(19:36):
drag through the media, she was obviously absolved of committing
any offenses. This is a matter for the Labor government
to ensure that they deal with that matter effectively.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
Well. Steve Edgington, the Minister for Health, Minister for Housing,
thank you very much for your time this morning. I'll
let you go and get into Parliament.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
Good morning to all the listeners.
Speaker 1 (19:54):
Thank thanks so much.
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