Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
We know that the latest Northern Territory crime statistics, they
show that there's an overall drop in offending across the territory,
with crime down eleven percent and reduction in assaults, property
crime and vehicle thefts. We know them. We've spoken about
this that Palmerston is bucking the trend recording increases in burglaries,
assaults and thefts. And we're going to talk more about
(00:21):
Operation Ventura very shortly. But yesterday I spoke with the
Chief Minister, Lea Finocchio about the figures and the government's response. Today,
the opposition leader Selena Yubo joins me on the line.
Good morning, Selena, Good morning Katie. Great to have you
on the show now, Selena, crime stats. We've certainly been
talking about these crime stats over the last couple of days.
(00:42):
Will they show that there's been a decrease in crime
in a number of areas. From your perspective, do you
think that this shows the government's tough on crime stance
is working.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Well? Katie, I think people are starting to question that
very thought. Is it actually working? Is it just a
bit of a stopgap and a band aid solution. So
those crime stats are really important to see the month
on month comparison. I think it's really critical that Territorians
are able to see what's going down, what's trending up,
and asking the questions why, what are the methods that
(01:17):
are being used that are medium and long term, that
are going to create our safer communities and what's just
I guess the holding pattern of status quo. So unpacking
that data is so important. Obviously it was just released
on Fridays that we've been going through some of that
as of course you have as well, and thinking, I
know with the Chief Minister yesterday, but what's really working
and particularly for each community and region, there's differing data
(01:42):
and that's the worry. So why are things working in
one area and maybe not in the other And it
has to be consistency in that space.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Yeah, that's one of the things that we've spoken about
a bit further over the last twenty four hours, but
even towards the end of last week. And I know
that i'd spoken to you as well about Catherine last week.
So Mayor then joined us on the show on she's
pretty concerned about things in Catherine. She wrote to the
Chief Minister calling for a round table and some solutions.
The Chief Minister said that there is work going on,
(02:10):
but didn't feel that there's you know, I'm paraphrasing, another
talk fest was needed. Meanwhile, we've had locals on the
show who said that there needs to be a tougher approach,
one in particular saying that there are teenagers getting around
in groups in Catherine, some with ankle monitors on and
they're targeting seniors. I mean, Selena, what do you think
(02:31):
needs to happen specifically for Catherine.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
I think it's quite scary when we know that our
elderly and vulnerable senior Territorians are target That is a
very scary thot for anyone, and I think that there
needs to be some serious look at that specific concern.
The Chief Minister saying our things are okay or we've
got processes in place and that'll do is not good
(02:56):
enough quite frankly. And Joe hursey's our local member, as
you know, k she's the mesa Catherine. She's also a
government minister who sits at the Cabinet table, so it'd
be great to see her call out the Chief Minister
and say come to Catherine, support our community. And whilst
I don't represent Catherine. As people know, I live there,
my lecture office there, I'm growing my family there. But
I think it is an easy thing for Leofanokiario to
(03:18):
do to drive down to Froundalen to Catherine, to meet
with two minimums, to meet with businesses, to meet with
elderly seniors in Catherine and say what else can we
do to help? What are some of the local solutions
and what can we do as a government. I think
that is such an easy thing for her to do,
and for her to push back and for the mayor
to speak out and quite articulately speaking about the issues
(03:40):
and what she would like to see, and that leadership
that she is showing. I say, hats off to join
a holden. She's doing a great job representing Catherine. We
just need the NTI government to come to the table
as well.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
Look, I only got the information from Ben yesterday just
after eleven o'clock where he was saying to me that
there are kids getting around you know, did our targeting
sceniors with those ankle monitoring bracelets on? Like it just
blows my mind, Selena, because I think to myself, like
I don't know what the monitoring situation is if you've
got an ankle monitoring bracelet on. But surely being out,
(04:11):
you know, trying to target seniors is a breach of
any kind of of bail.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Oh yeah, and that's the sort of thing we need
the answers from the government, Katie. If people have already
got those questions locally, why isn't the government coming out
and explaining what's happening, what's not happening, what's going to
be done better. We're just not hearing that. We're hearing
radio silence. And Catherine always feels quite neglected on a whole.
You know, we're just that little bit further from Darwin.
We're not as big as Alice Springs of course, which is,
(04:37):
you know, several thousand times bigger than us, but we're
still an important part of the territory. We are the
hub for the Big Rivers region. It's one of the
largest regions in the Northern Territory. So there's a lot
relying on Catherine being a service center, being a service hub,
being a home for many people, but also the opportunity
for growth in the territory's economy. But we just don't
(04:58):
have a plan around from the NT government, from the
colp and I think that's a real shame considering we
have Joe Jersey as our local member who's also a minister.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
Well, we'll stay on to the situation in Catherine. I
know that we've spoken a lot about it yesterday and
we certainly had people saying that it was bad. We
had somebody else contact us saying, oh, it's no worse
than it's always been. So look, I don't live there,
obviously you do. You've got a better grasp Ontot than
I as to those local residents, and they are my
eyes and ears, so I'm sure they'll be in contact
with me and let me know what they think needs
(05:28):
to happen. Selena, let's talk health. We know the Northern
Territory government say that restoring private maternity services at Darwin
Private Hospital is a priority. They're set to hold some
crisis talks. What do you want to see happen here?
Speaker 2 (05:44):
Yeah, I think this is dragged on well and truly
too far, Katie. And it's been frustrating. It's been quite
hurtful and emotional for many women and families in the territory,
this particular service not having the attention that it should
good from the antique government. I think people are sick
of the blame game. They just want to see a
solution and they want to see proactive planning around maternity services,
(06:08):
particularly for the top end. So enough of the blame game.
Let's just see the government get on with the job
and delivers the territorians, but particularly to make sure women
and families with their babies are safe or able to
access those services and don't have some of those harring
stories that we've been hearing, you know, quite publicly, and
it is a very hugely personal thing when someone's pregnant,
(06:29):
when their family is expecting, if they're high risk with
a pregnancy. You know, there's a lot of anxiety. Of course,
service excitement, of course, I don't want to take away
from that amazing time of people's lives. But if someone
is worried about the service or accessing facilities when they're
having their baby could be their first baby, it could
be their fifth baby, could be their tenth baby, then
that's not okay for our particularly our capital city. So
(06:51):
there needs to be a proactive response to maternity services.
Get over the blame game. People don't want to hear
that crap. They just want to hear that they're doing
the job government should be doing and that maternity services
the future of the territory, literally babies being born every day,
is being supported by the government, Selena.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
The government says that they're prepared to expand the bid,
buy back arrangements and back a further well a future,
I should say, operator, do you support that approach or
should the government be doing more to secure the hospitals,
like to secure the future. More broadly, what do you
reckon needs to happen.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Well, there's a few things, and I've just obviously I
don't want to be hypocritical with saying don't do the
blame game. But there were two proposals Katie around the
private obstetricians being able to look at plans to keep
the maternity services open in the private hospital. They were
rejected or not approved. We don't know why by the
anti government, So that needs to be explained to territory
(07:50):
ends of why there was no process or explanation for
dismissal or non approval of that of those proposals, because
if they were going to help keep more services than
maternity running for the top end, then of course this
should have been explored or given the go ahead. We
(08:10):
don't have any response from the government. It's like it
didn't even happen, Katie, and that's not good enough. But
in terms of when we're seeing where the dollars and
the figure, you know, where the dollars and the spence
should be for our health services, there just has to
be an open plan about it. We'd have to know
who's delivering the services, how facilities are being upgraded or extended.
Do we have some of the extra support for the
(08:32):
workforce around better rostering, so our midwives and our nurses
and our doctors can really put all there, all in
which they do every day, but not be exhausted and
burnt out and we don't lose more people in that
very important space. So more and more of that process
needs to be openly provided by the government, and we
need to see where the dollars are going. We need
(08:53):
to see that there is a process around the infrastructure,
there's a process around the workforce, and there's a process
about the expansion.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
Well, well, look, we're going to catch up with Steve
Edgington on the show. Hopefully we're just waiting to hear back,
but hopefully tomorrow so we might be able to ask
a few of those questions. Selena, you are out on
the road this morning, are you.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Yeah, I've been traveling out Bush. It's a very odd
day because it looks like it's going to rain. I
heard it Rain and Darlin the other day and postrange
for this home of Year. But yeah, traveling at Bush
now that I'm able to get it out about. We
had quite a few roads closed because of obviously the
extended wet but just wanting to get back out in
the electorate and speak to people about things that are
(09:34):
important that they want me to ask, particularly around the
estimates which is coming up in June, so we can
really delve down to where's our territory money going, and
who's benefiting and who's not benefiting and why.
Speaker 1 (09:45):
Hey, just a really quick one before I let you go.
I'd heard this morning was being reported by ABC News
that the Bachelor residents are concerned that the temporary you know,
the temporary accommodation that had been set up following the floods,
that it was going to be made a more permanent facility.
They've got concerns about that happening. Have you heard much
in that space.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
I haven't heard that exact announcement today, but no doubt
my colleague Duran Young, he's the men for Daily, has
been very closely connected to all of his constituents in Bachelor.
He represents Bachelor also the families from Mayu from Vami River,
(10:26):
so he will definitely be on the pulse, that's for sure.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
But like it hasn't been announced by more than territory government,
I don't think, but the residents there I think have
raised concerns, like they're worried that that might happen. So
I just wondered whether you know, whether you guys had
heard much. But I'm sure I'll be able to get
in contact with Duran and see what he knows.
Speaker 2 (10:47):
Oh, definitely, and he would be hearing everything on the
ground locally. He's you know, he's spent almost a week
in and out of Bachelor when the changes happened, and
people from the three so the two different communities were
in the township, so he's very well versed in people's concerns.
But also what are the opportunities to support families who
are displaced for longer? But yeah, be very interested to
(11:11):
hear Katie if there is an official announcement. I think people. Obviously,
the residents who are displaced, the residents who are in
Bachelor Township, deserve to know anything that is being planned
for the medium and long term. I think that should
always be discussed across every community that is affected by
any decision of government. So I think that makes sense
that people know what the plans.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
Are for them. I will certainly see what we can
find out. Selena Hubo, the opposition leader. Always good to
catch up with you. Thank you very much for your
time this morning.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
Thank you so much, Katie,
We know that the latest Northern Territory crime statistics, they
show that there's an overall drop in offending across the territory,
with crime down eleven percent and reduction in assaults, property
crime and vehicle thefts. We know them. We've spoken about
this that Palmerston is bucking the trend recording increases in burglaries,
assaults and thefts. And we're going to talk more about
(00:21):
Operation Ventura very shortly. But yesterday I spoke with the
Chief Minister, Lea Finocchio about the figures and the government's response. Today,
the opposition leader Selena Yubo joins me on the line.
Good morning, Selena, Good morning Katie. Great to have you
on the show now, Selena, crime stats. We've certainly been
talking about these crime stats over the last couple of days.
(00:42):
Will they show that there's been a decrease in crime
in a number of areas. From your perspective, do you
think that this shows the government's tough on crime stance
is working.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Well? Katie, I think people are starting to question that
very thought. Is it actually working? Is it just a
bit of a stopgap and a band aid solution. So
those crime stats are really important to see the month
on month comparison. I think it's really critical that Territorians
are able to see what's going down, what's trending up,
and asking the questions why, what are the methods that
(01:17):
are being used that are medium and long term, that
are going to create our safer communities and what's just
I guess the holding pattern of status quo. So unpacking
that data is so important. Obviously it was just released
on Fridays that we've been going through some of that
as of course you have as well, and thinking, I
know with the Chief Minister yesterday, but what's really working
and particularly for each community and region, there's differing data
(01:42):
and that's the worry. So why are things working in
one area and maybe not in the other And it
has to be consistency in that space.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Yeah, that's one of the things that we've spoken about
a bit further over the last twenty four hours, but
even towards the end of last week. And I know
that i'd spoken to you as well about Catherine last week.
So Mayor then joined us on the show on she's
pretty concerned about things in Catherine. She wrote to the
Chief Minister calling for a round table and some solutions.
The Chief Minister said that there is work going on,
(02:10):
but didn't feel that there's you know, I'm paraphrasing, another
talk fest was needed. Meanwhile, we've had locals on the
show who said that there needs to be a tougher approach,
one in particular saying that there are teenagers getting around
in groups in Catherine, some with ankle monitors on and
they're targeting seniors. I mean, Selena, what do you think
(02:31):
needs to happen specifically for Catherine.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
I think it's quite scary when we know that our
elderly and vulnerable senior Territorians are target That is a
very scary thot for anyone, and I think that there
needs to be some serious look at that specific concern.
The Chief Minister saying our things are okay or we've
got processes in place and that'll do is not good
(02:56):
enough quite frankly. And Joe hursey's our local member, as
you know, k she's the mesa Catherine. She's also a
government minister who sits at the Cabinet table, so it'd
be great to see her call out the Chief Minister
and say come to Catherine, support our community. And whilst
I don't represent Catherine. As people know, I live there,
my lecture office there, I'm growing my family there. But
I think it is an easy thing for Leofanokiario to
(03:18):
do to drive down to Froundalen to Catherine, to meet
with two minimums, to meet with businesses, to meet with
elderly seniors in Catherine and say what else can we
do to help? What are some of the local solutions
and what can we do as a government. I think
that is such an easy thing for her to do,
and for her to push back and for the mayor
to speak out and quite articulately speaking about the issues
(03:40):
and what she would like to see, and that leadership
that she is showing. I say, hats off to join
a holden. She's doing a great job representing Catherine. We
just need the NTI government to come to the table
as well.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
Look, I only got the information from Ben yesterday just
after eleven o'clock where he was saying to me that
there are kids getting around you know, did our targeting
sceniors with those ankle monitoring bracelets on? Like it just
blows my mind, Selena, because I think to myself, like
I don't know what the monitoring situation is if you've
got an ankle monitoring bracelet on. But surely being out,
(04:11):
you know, trying to target seniors is a breach of
any kind of of bail.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Oh yeah, and that's the sort of thing we need
the answers from the government, Katie. If people have already
got those questions locally, why isn't the government coming out
and explaining what's happening, what's not happening, what's going to
be done better. We're just not hearing that. We're hearing
radio silence. And Catherine always feels quite neglected on a whole.
You know, we're just that little bit further from Darwin.
We're not as big as Alice Springs of course, which is,
(04:37):
you know, several thousand times bigger than us, but we're
still an important part of the territory. We are the
hub for the Big Rivers region. It's one of the
largest regions in the Northern Territory. So there's a lot
relying on Catherine being a service center, being a service hub,
being a home for many people, but also the opportunity
for growth in the territory's economy. But we just don't
(04:58):
have a plan around from the NT government, from the
colp and I think that's a real shame considering we
have Joe Jersey as our local member who's also a minister.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
Well, we'll stay on to the situation in Catherine. I
know that we've spoken a lot about it yesterday and
we certainly had people saying that it was bad. We
had somebody else contact us saying, oh, it's no worse
than it's always been. So look, I don't live there,
obviously you do. You've got a better grasp Ontot than
I as to those local residents, and they are my
eyes and ears, so I'm sure they'll be in contact
with me and let me know what they think needs
(05:28):
to happen. Selena, let's talk health. We know the Northern
Territory government say that restoring private maternity services at Darwin
Private Hospital is a priority. They're set to hold some
crisis talks. What do you want to see happen here?
Speaker 2 (05:44):
Yeah, I think this is dragged on well and truly
too far, Katie. And it's been frustrating. It's been quite
hurtful and emotional for many women and families in the territory,
this particular service not having the attention that it should
good from the antique government. I think people are sick
of the blame game. They just want to see a
solution and they want to see proactive planning around maternity services,
(06:08):
particularly for the top end. So enough of the blame game.
Let's just see the government get on with the job
and delivers the territorians, but particularly to make sure women
and families with their babies are safe or able to
access those services and don't have some of those harring
stories that we've been hearing, you know, quite publicly, and
it is a very hugely personal thing when someone's pregnant,
(06:29):
when their family is expecting, if they're high risk with
a pregnancy. You know, there's a lot of anxiety. Of course,
service excitement, of course, I don't want to take away
from that amazing time of people's lives. But if someone
is worried about the service or accessing facilities when they're
having their baby could be their first baby, it could
be their fifth baby, could be their tenth baby, then
that's not okay for our particularly our capital city. So
(06:51):
there needs to be a proactive response to maternity services.
Get over the blame game. People don't want to hear
that crap. They just want to hear that they're doing
the job government should be doing and that maternity services
the future of the territory, literally babies being born every day,
is being supported by the government, Selena.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
The government says that they're prepared to expand the bid,
buy back arrangements and back a further well a future,
I should say, operator, do you support that approach or
should the government be doing more to secure the hospitals,
like to secure the future. More broadly, what do you
reckon needs to happen.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Well, there's a few things, and I've just obviously I
don't want to be hypocritical with saying don't do the
blame game. But there were two proposals Katie around the
private obstetricians being able to look at plans to keep
the maternity services open in the private hospital. They were
rejected or not approved. We don't know why by the
anti government, So that needs to be explained to territory
(07:50):
ends of why there was no process or explanation for
dismissal or non approval of that of those proposals, because
if they were going to help keep more services than
maternity running for the top end, then of course this
should have been explored or given the go ahead. We
(08:10):
don't have any response from the government. It's like it
didn't even happen, Katie, and that's not good enough. But
in terms of when we're seeing where the dollars and
the figure, you know, where the dollars and the spence
should be for our health services, there just has to
be an open plan about it. We'd have to know
who's delivering the services, how facilities are being upgraded or extended.
Do we have some of the extra support for the
(08:32):
workforce around better rostering, so our midwives and our nurses
and our doctors can really put all there, all in
which they do every day, but not be exhausted and
burnt out and we don't lose more people in that
very important space. So more and more of that process
needs to be openly provided by the government, and we
need to see where the dollars are going. We need
(08:53):
to see that there is a process around the infrastructure,
there's a process around the workforce, and there's a process
about the expansion.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
Well, well, look, we're going to catch up with Steve
Edgington on the show. Hopefully we're just waiting to hear back,
but hopefully tomorrow so we might be able to ask
a few of those questions. Selena, you are out on
the road this morning, are you.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Yeah, I've been traveling out Bush. It's a very odd
day because it looks like it's going to rain. I
heard it Rain and Darlin the other day and postrange
for this home of Year. But yeah, traveling at Bush
now that I'm able to get it out about. We
had quite a few roads closed because of obviously the
extended wet but just wanting to get back out in
the electorate and speak to people about things that are
(09:34):
important that they want me to ask, particularly around the
estimates which is coming up in June, so we can
really delve down to where's our territory money going, and
who's benefiting and who's not benefiting and why.
Speaker 1 (09:45):
Hey, just a really quick one before I let you go.
I'd heard this morning was being reported by ABC News
that the Bachelor residents are concerned that the temporary you know,
the temporary accommodation that had been set up following the floods,
that it was going to be made a more permanent facility.
They've got concerns about that happening. Have you heard much
in that space.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
I haven't heard that exact announcement today, but no doubt
my colleague Duran Young, he's the men for Daily, has
been very closely connected to all of his constituents in Bachelor.
He represents Bachelor also the families from Mayu from Vami River,
(10:26):
so he will definitely be on the pulse, that's for sure.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
But like it hasn't been announced by more than territory government,
I don't think, but the residents there I think have
raised concerns, like they're worried that that might happen. So
I just wondered whether you know, whether you guys had
heard much. But I'm sure I'll be able to get
in contact with Duran and see what he knows.
Speaker 2 (10:47):
Oh, definitely, and he would be hearing everything on the
ground locally. He's you know, he's spent almost a week
in and out of Bachelor when the changes happened, and
people from the three so the two different communities were
in the township, so he's very well versed in people's concerns.
But also what are the opportunities to support families who
are displaced for longer? But yeah, be very interested to
(11:11):
hear Katie if there is an official announcement. I think people. Obviously,
the residents who are displaced, the residents who are in
Bachelor Township, deserve to know anything that is being planned
for the medium and long term. I think that should
always be discussed across every community that is affected by
any decision of government. So I think that makes sense
that people know what the plans.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
Are for them. I will certainly see what we can
find out. Selena Hubo, the opposition leader. Always good to
catch up with you. Thank you very much for your
time this morning.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
Thank you so much, Katie,
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