Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
We spoke a little bit earlier this morning to the
(00:03):
Allied Health Union about their concerns around pay. But look,
we know the Northern Territory government signaled that it may
review its wages policy after public sector workers voted down
a proposed enterprise agreement offering a three percent to annual
pay increase. The Minister for Public Service, Joe Hersey, or
(00:23):
the Minister for Public Employment, I should say, Joe Hersey,
has expressed disappointment at the result, calling the offer generous. Now,
she said the proposed three percent rise was well above
Darwin's consumer price index, which sits at one point six
percent for the year to June twenty twenty five, and
the governments now considering an application, as I understand it,
(00:44):
to the Fair Work Commission. Now joining us on the
line is the Minister for Public Employment, Joe Hersey.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Good morning to you, Good morning Katie, and good morning listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
Minister you, I would imagine that you're disappointed that workers
voted down what you've described as a generous payoffer. Are
you surprised by this outcome?
Speaker 2 (01:06):
Well, I think given that you know the cost of
given that we are in a cost of living sort
of you know, every everyone struggling with the cost of living,
I should say, and we have been negotiating in good faith.
I do think it was a generous offer. Katie. You know,
this is a twelve point five percent over five over
four years, and as you've just said, it is well
(01:28):
above the one point six percent of CPI, so it
is actually real wages growth. And we have to remember
that under the previous government there was a pay freeze.
So you know, I don't know why the unions didn't
go into bat for the public servants in that time period,
and you know, so they didn't have a pay freeze,
(01:48):
and now they're obviously wanting to play catch up. But
you know, we were left an eye watering debt from
the previous government and we have to be fiscally responsible.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
You've said that you're now considering adjusting the government's wages
policy in you know, in light of what's going on,
in light of our CPI. What's that going to actually
mean for public sector workers? I mean, could we wind
up in a situation here where they don't actually get
offered that three percent it goes backwards.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
Well, I have an appointment with the Commissioner this afternoon
and we'll be discussing the next steps, you know, but
potentially we will could send that to Fair Work and
maybe things won't necessarily be as good as an outcome.
And I think, you know, as I said, twelve point
(02:40):
five percent over four years is a considerable wage increase.
And you know, if I go back to my own
experience in the private sector, Kadie, in the private sector,
people don't get a pay increase every year. You know,
if staff wanted an increase when I was had staff
in my previous business, they would come to you and
(03:03):
they would be, you know, putting their case on the
table of why they needed it. Not unlike these people,
you know, the public servants are. But it doesn't mean
to say that a pay increase happened every year. So
again it's a very I think it's a generous offer.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
So from your perspective, it's not going to go up.
In fact, the very opposite could happen here if they
don't come to the table, and if they don't sort
of accept this offer, you are going to go to
the Fair Work Commission and it could actually go down.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
They are the discussions that we will be having in
our meeting this afternoon, and that could be the case now.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
I know it's not the only area obviously where you know,
where there's sort of negotiations underway. We did catch up
with their Health Services Union's NT branch secretary Billy Elrick
this morning about our allied health professionals. They've held rallies
over the last couple of days. I guess the situation
while we're still talking about public servants, it's a little
(04:04):
bit different in the sense that, you know, we need
to attract and retain these allied health professionals here to
the Northern Territory and we need to have them competitive
with what they are in other states. Where are things
that with their negotiations.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Yes, so you know, again the Minutes for Health in
that area has been negotiating with the federal counterparts as well,
because what we need to make sure, Katie, is that
we have a place where people want to come to
the territory and stay. And with our reducing crime agenda
(04:42):
that we have been going forward with, you know, they're
all the things that we are trying to address to
make sure that we get people that want to come
to the territory and put down routes and stay here.
So you know, negotiations across this aure going in good faith,
and I just go back to this offer that we're
talking about here today, which is twelve point five percent
(05:04):
over four years, and I think it's you know, with
the terms and conditions that they have towards that as well,
I do think it was a generous office. So yes,
I am disappointed, and I understand that, you know, people
will put their case forward.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Minister. Look, we've got a lot of public servants that
listen to this show. I know a lot of the
health professionals listen to the show as well. What is
your message for them this morning? You know, it doesn't
sound like a further increase is on the table. You know,
what's your message for them this morning? Because they may
be feeling undervalued by the Northern Territory government at this point.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
And I was just about to say, Katie, we value
all of our public service out there who put themselves
on the frontline or work for the government each and
every day, and we do value their work. But what
also needs to be under stood is that we are
in a you know, we have to be fiscally responsible.
(06:05):
We have almost twelve billion dollar debt and we do
not have the money. We'd love to give everyone a
pay rise, but we do not have the money to
do that. So we have negotiated a very good offer
of three percent each year, as I said, compounding to
twelve point five percent over four years. And we have
been negotiating good faith. So this afternoon I will speak
(06:29):
with the Commissioner and will work out what those next
steps are.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
I'll be interested to know what happens next. Now, Minister
keen to also hear a little bit more as I
understand that the government has got some new incentives for
teaching staff. What's the goal with this?
Speaker 2 (06:45):
We do, Katie, and this afternoon, well, we've announced today
that the Teach Local Scholarship, and that is a four
year program that supports fifteen Territorians a year to become teachers.
Because we know that we want these students not to
go to an interstate university and potentially not come back
(07:07):
as sometimes happens. We want to grow our own and
have them here. So there's a scholarships, four year program
for fifteen Territorians per year to become teachers. And along
with that also there's the Teach Up North Incentive, and
that offerer offers up to twenty five student teachers a
(07:28):
five thousand dollars incentive to complete their final placement, so
they potentially will be down south to complete their final
placement here in the territory and commit also when they're done,
to at least two years of working in an anti
government school. And we know that, you know, we've heard
plenty of stories over the years of people that have
just come for a couple of years and they've stayed
(07:50):
for a lifetime. And you know, I am not a
born and bred Territorian, but have been here for thirty
five years, and you know i'd many of those stories
over that time. And so to grow our economy and
bring people to the territory, we've come up with these
incentives and I think it's you know, we know that
(08:12):
teaching is a very good profession to go into. We
know that we need students to go into meaningful pathways
of employment. And everyone would have a story about that
teacher that you know, really resonated with them while they
are being educated. And I think you know it's exciting times.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
Well, Minister for Public Employment here in the Northern Territory,
Joe Hersey, we will have to leave it there. Thank
you very much for your time this morning. Thanks Katie,
thank you, thanks so much.
We spoke a little bit earlier this morning to the
(00:03):
Allied Health Union about their concerns around pay. But look,
we know the Northern Territory government signaled that it may
review its wages policy after public sector workers voted down
a proposed enterprise agreement offering a three percent to annual
pay increase. The Minister for Public Service, Joe Hersey, or
(00:23):
the Minister for Public Employment, I should say, Joe Hersey,
has expressed disappointment at the result, calling the offer generous. Now,
she said the proposed three percent rise was well above
Darwin's consumer price index, which sits at one point six
percent for the year to June twenty twenty five, and
the governments now considering an application, as I understand it,
(00:44):
to the Fair Work Commission. Now joining us on the
line is the Minister for Public Employment, Joe Hersey.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Good morning to you, Good morning Katie, and good morning listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
Minister you, I would imagine that you're disappointed that workers
voted down what you've described as a generous payoffer. Are
you surprised by this outcome?
Speaker 2 (01:06):
Well, I think given that you know the cost of
given that we are in a cost of living sort
of you know, every everyone struggling with the cost of living,
I should say, and we have been negotiating in good faith.
I do think it was a generous offer. Katie. You know,
this is a twelve point five percent over five over
four years, and as you've just said, it is well
(01:28):
above the one point six percent of CPI, so it
is actually real wages growth. And we have to remember
that under the previous government there was a pay freeze.
So you know, I don't know why the unions didn't
go into bat for the public servants in that time period,
and you know, so they didn't have a pay freeze,
(01:48):
and now they're obviously wanting to play catch up. But
you know, we were left an eye watering debt from
the previous government and we have to be fiscally responsible.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
You've said that you're now considering adjusting the government's wages
policy in you know, in light of what's going on,
in light of our CPI. What's that going to actually
mean for public sector workers? I mean, could we wind
up in a situation here where they don't actually get
offered that three percent it goes backwards.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
Well, I have an appointment with the Commissioner this afternoon
and we'll be discussing the next steps, you know, but
potentially we will could send that to Fair Work and
maybe things won't necessarily be as good as an outcome.
And I think, you know, as I said, twelve point
(02:40):
five percent over four years is a considerable wage increase.
And you know, if I go back to my own
experience in the private sector, Kadie, in the private sector,
people don't get a pay increase every year. You know,
if staff wanted an increase when I was had staff
in my previous business, they would come to you and
(03:03):
they would be, you know, putting their case on the
table of why they needed it. Not unlike these people,
you know, the public servants are. But it doesn't mean
to say that a pay increase happened every year. So
again it's a very I think it's a generous offer.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
So from your perspective, it's not going to go up.
In fact, the very opposite could happen here if they
don't come to the table, and if they don't sort
of accept this offer, you are going to go to
the Fair Work Commission and it could actually go down.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
They are the discussions that we will be having in
our meeting this afternoon, and that could be the case now.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
I know it's not the only area obviously where you know,
where there's sort of negotiations underway. We did catch up
with their Health Services Union's NT branch secretary Billy Elrick
this morning about our allied health professionals. They've held rallies
over the last couple of days. I guess the situation
while we're still talking about public servants, it's a little
(04:04):
bit different in the sense that, you know, we need
to attract and retain these allied health professionals here to
the Northern Territory and we need to have them competitive
with what they are in other states. Where are things
that with their negotiations.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Yes, so you know, again the Minutes for Health in
that area has been negotiating with the federal counterparts as well,
because what we need to make sure, Katie, is that
we have a place where people want to come to
the territory and stay. And with our reducing crime agenda
(04:42):
that we have been going forward with, you know, they're
all the things that we are trying to address to
make sure that we get people that want to come
to the territory and put down routes and stay here.
So you know, negotiations across this aure going in good faith,
and I just go back to this offer that we're
talking about here today, which is twelve point five percent
(05:04):
over four years, and I think it's you know, with
the terms and conditions that they have towards that as well,
I do think it was a generous office. So yes,
I am disappointed, and I understand that, you know, people
will put their case forward.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Minister. Look, we've got a lot of public servants that
listen to this show. I know a lot of the
health professionals listen to the show as well. What is
your message for them this morning? You know, it doesn't
sound like a further increase is on the table. You know,
what's your message for them this morning? Because they may
be feeling undervalued by the Northern Territory government at this point.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
And I was just about to say, Katie, we value
all of our public service out there who put themselves
on the frontline or work for the government each and
every day, and we do value their work. But what
also needs to be under stood is that we are
in a you know, we have to be fiscally responsible.
(06:05):
We have almost twelve billion dollar debt and we do
not have the money. We'd love to give everyone a
pay rise, but we do not have the money to
do that. So we have negotiated a very good offer
of three percent each year, as I said, compounding to
twelve point five percent over four years. And we have
been negotiating good faith. So this afternoon I will speak
(06:29):
with the Commissioner and will work out what those next
steps are.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
I'll be interested to know what happens next. Now, Minister
keen to also hear a little bit more as I
understand that the government has got some new incentives for
teaching staff. What's the goal with this?
Speaker 2 (06:45):
We do, Katie, and this afternoon, well, we've announced today
that the Teach Local Scholarship, and that is a four
year program that supports fifteen Territorians a year to become teachers.
Because we know that we want these students not to
go to an interstate university and potentially not come back
(07:07):
as sometimes happens. We want to grow our own and
have them here. So there's a scholarships, four year program
for fifteen Territorians per year to become teachers. And along
with that also there's the Teach Up North Incentive, and
that offerer offers up to twenty five student teachers a
(07:28):
five thousand dollars incentive to complete their final placement, so
they potentially will be down south to complete their final
placement here in the territory and commit also when they're done,
to at least two years of working in an anti
government school. And we know that, you know, we've heard
plenty of stories over the years of people that have
just come for a couple of years and they've stayed
(07:50):
for a lifetime. And you know, I am not a
born and bred Territorian, but have been here for thirty
five years, and you know i'd many of those stories
over that time. And so to grow our economy and
bring people to the territory, we've come up with these
incentives and I think it's you know, we know that
(08:12):
teaching is a very good profession to go into. We
know that we need students to go into meaningful pathways
of employment. And everyone would have a story about that
teacher that you know, really resonated with them while they
are being educated. And I think you know it's exciting times.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
Well, Minister for Public Employment here in the Northern Territory,
Joe Hersey, we will have to leave it there. Thank
you very much for your time this morning. Thanks Katie,
thank you, thanks so much.
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