Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now the Cyclone Tracy monument, it's now being described by
the Lord mayor's a public artwork. It's seen a lot
of discussion on the show in recent weeks. As we
all know, following last Tuesday's interview with the Lord Mayor
Convact Scalus Territorians were left quite confused as to what
exactly the council is planning. Now we'd also seen in
(00:21):
the paper today. I'm also seen in the paper today
that there's an ad for the tender for this area.
So look, if you miss the interview with convat Scarlets
last week, take a listen first off to what he
had to say.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Well, it's not going to be a monument. It's going
to be a public art, a piece of art which
actually it shows the forces of nature and that was
the original idea.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
So what is this?
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Is it a monument for cyclone tracing? So why has
it been referred to with you properly? So we're getting
seven So seven hundred thousand dollars is going to a
public artwork, absolutelyublic artwork for what public heard.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
The same way that the Jellyfisi in front of the.
Speaker 4 (01:06):
East Points.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
So is out funding from the federal government in any
way linked to it supposed to be a monument for
cycle and tracing.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
I'm telling you and I have said before, this is
not the monument. The real memorial is going to be
in Niche point. Richard Craidwick has spoken and asked the
committee has actually agreed to actually.
Speaker 4 (01:27):
Approve this do so.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
That was the Lord me.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
That's part of what the Lord mayor Convat Scalas had
to say last week. Now the Minister for Police, a
Minister for Fanny Bay, Brent Potter, joins me in the studio.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Good morning to your brandning.
Speaker 4 (01:39):
Katy, and morning to all the parents on school holidays.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
I get shout out to all the parents on school
holidays grandparents helping out as well well.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
Now, Minister you started a petition last week after hearing
concerns from locals about the situation with this monument or artwork.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
What's been the response?
Speaker 5 (01:57):
Check this morning, Cady over one thousand see injuries about
one thousand and thirty three, and I understand that it's
gone through a process with counsel.
Speaker 4 (02:05):
I'm not an art connoisseur.
Speaker 5 (02:07):
I wasn't here for Tracy, so I couldn't say what
meets the expectations of those survivors. But it was pretty
evident when we did some phone banking and from the
people that came and saw me, even on Friday Lollipop,
they were unhappy with the memorial in its current form.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
Yeah. Look, people do not seem happy with it at all.
I'm not opposed in any way, shape or form to
Bundilla Beach being being done up. In fact, I think
that that's something that needs to happen. But what people
were expecting is that if there was going to be
a monument there for Cyclone Tracy, that it was going
to be something that people wanted.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
Now we know.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
We had Cyclone Tracy survivors make contact with us last
week to make sure that I had a copy of
a pressure release which went out in March this year.
Now it reads fifty years after Cyclone Tracy devastated Darwin.
The Albanezy and Laula governments are going to honor the
memory of those who died and those whose lives were
irrevocably changed with the permanent monument and separate permanent memorial
(03:03):
in Darwin. The Australian government is giving a total of
six hundred thousand dollars to the Northern Territory Government to
work in partnership with stakeholders to install a kinetic monument
at Bundela Beach as well as a memorial designed.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
By local artists for East Point.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
Now, from what I'm reading, the federal governments obviously provided
this money, but the Northern Territory Government is set to
administer the roll out. Is the funding which is being
spent by the Council being done so in line with
the funding agreement?
Speaker 5 (03:32):
Yeah, I believe so, I think, and we talk about
the tender being released for Bundelas to be really clear,
during the BI election, I committed three million for that activation.
I believe that's the stage one where she saw the
tender Ford decreated to. The Monuments Council is doing a
really good job in the delivery of that commitment that
I promised through and the work they're doing is fantastic.
But the funding from the federal government to the Territory
(03:53):
government has been divvied up between two council and I
believe there's some funding going out to the East Point
memorial for the survivors out there, but obviously there's concern
with what is being put at Bundella well, We're.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
Too from here though, Brent, because it seems as though
people do not want the kinetic sculpture that the Council's
got planned for Bundella.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
You are urging them to reconsider.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
The Chief Minister has urged them to have another think
about it, The Opposition leader's urging them to have another
think about it. Like everybody seems to be in agreement
besides the Council that we need to rethink on this.
Speaker 5 (04:29):
Yeah, listen, I think it's pretty clear that there needs
to be a rethink. I mean it is a decision
for Council and the councilors to go there, and I
mean they did go through a process through their own
Tracy committee and taking it to the elected members and
they've voted on it. And I think at the end
of the day, though, with that many people that are concerned,
I think it's right to go and have a review
of it and see what can be done. Can the money,
(04:50):
is it too late to change it? If it is
too late, can we change the color? What can be done?
Because I think it's pretty clear that people aren't happy,
and I think it's incumbent all of us and we
get something wrong to own those you know, to own
it and so what we can do to right the
wrong and you know we've seen that recently with us,
and I think this is a good example of something
that should be reviewed.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
So we're too from here.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
We just got to wait and see what the Council
decides to do. Even though it's federal government funding that
is in conjunction with the Northern Territory government, like I
would have thought, you guys have some swap.
Speaker 5 (05:16):
Believe it's gone through that, Like, it's gone through the
correct channels. That's the I think the point here, Like
they've made it pretty clear. It's gone through their Tracy committee.
The committee made recommendations and a bunch of submissions around.
Speaker 4 (05:25):
The art piece.
Speaker 5 (05:26):
I don't know what the others were or who the
other submitters were. And then it's been agreed to by
the council. So for all insensitive purposes, from what I know,
and I'm happy to be corrected, it has met the
funding agreement.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
So it's going ahead.
Speaker 5 (05:39):
Well, it's up to council, right, Like I think there's
still time for them to have those discussions. If not
and there is no they can't have any changes, well
then they just need to tell us.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
Why all right, I'll move along, listener. Question Territory day.
There's one happening obviously at Mindle. We know that that's
common sense has prevailed. It's going back to Mindle, but
also one at the waterfront. Is the government paying for both?
Speaker 4 (05:59):
I don't believe. So.
Speaker 5 (06:00):
I believe the Waterfront are conducting their own small event
to supplement and support their local businesses there. And then
we'll obviously have the Mindle Beach fireworks back at Mindle
Beach and a sense of black come.
Speaker 4 (06:12):
So that's good.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
Are you Are you sure that there's not going to
be sort of any risks that NT major events are
going to have to deal with with those sacred sites
as a result of it going back there.
Speaker 5 (06:21):
There is always risk. I mean everyone that runs a
business or work health and safety. You try to mitigate
the risk as best you can. We're able to help
nt mech with some of the financial assurances around their
risk mitigation and everyone that doesn't know they are an
independent company with their own board and so they have
different risk thresholds. But it's good to be able to
support them and get it back to me.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
What do you mean in terms of financial assurances?
Speaker 5 (06:41):
Well, if there's damage to a sacred site, you know,
there's obviously conversation that can potentially.
Speaker 4 (06:44):
Come from that.
Speaker 5 (06:45):
They foot the bill, well, they at the end of
the day, they're a company with a set budget, and
we've said to them, if there is any risk, will
support you. So and there will be some cost to
the change to move it back to Mendel, I'm sure,
and I made that pretty clear in estimates that once
the activity is complete, will be able to what.
Speaker 4 (07:00):
Those figures were.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
So we don't know how much.
Speaker 5 (07:02):
Well, until we pay the invoices like anything, and see
those invoices and do the acquittals, I can't tell you.
But it's not substantial. And that was we were lucky
enough to get the change done in the time that
we weren't going to be exponentially increasing cost.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
All right, Moving along, sixty four police recruits are graduating
on Friday.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
Where are they going to be based?
Speaker 5 (07:19):
This is a fantastic yet come. I've been talking about
it for a long time, Katie. So you're going to
see fourteen of those remaining Darwin thirty five are going
to head down to Alice Springs. You're going to see
another sixteen or so go to Catherine five to ten
and then one to Lake Avella, so that one lucky
person going out to join the other members out there.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
Yeah right, all right, well that's good news hopefully, I
mean hopefully they're going to help to deal with some
of the issues that we've seen over recent times. When
it comes to those police numbers, I mean, last week
in estimates we know not it wrapped up, and the
final day of Parliament obviously taking place last week, some
pretty concerning numbers when it comes to the police portfolio
(07:58):
in terms of the calls to the call center expected
to peak at one hundred and ninety nine thousand calls
to the emergency call center. That is the forecast for
this financial year. It equates to around five hundred and
forty five calls every day.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
How are you.
Speaker 5 (08:14):
Dealing with thatsh got to get more call takers, Katie.
That's the value of announced twenty five additional call takers.
I think what was missing out of that narrative in
relation to the calls to the triple ile one through
one trip or four. Not all of those are calls
for assistance from police what we find and some are
obviously and we've seen an increase and the crime stats
would indicate that there are others that call triple zero
(08:37):
for superfluous reasons to talk to someone or to ask
them just wasted calls. There are others that, as we
saw before, that are related to crime, and they're increasing,
and we've got to put more police call takers with
twenty five over the next year into that agency. We're
also looking at other options to report crimes as they occur,
because there's some that are non emergency but at the
(08:57):
moment they should be going online. But the functionality is
in there and so the commissioner's working through that.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
Do you have any idea how long people are waiting
for those calls to be responded to.
Speaker 5 (09:07):
As in a call for police to arrive or waiting
on the phone. Well, that depends on what the actual
instant is, Katie. Because you have a tiered one, two,
and three system, and you know we see a person
entering a home, when someone's there, that'll be a priority
one call at most times.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
How long would people be waiting for that?
Speaker 5 (09:22):
Well, available cars will go so like that is a
priority call and people get sent to that. So if
they're on a job that's say a Priority three, they'll
be reappropriated to go down there and respond to that call.
Speaker 4 (09:30):
And we saw that. We see that over the weekend
with the amount of units are on the road.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
Are you, like, are you concerned that we don't have
enough cars on the road to be able to get
out to some of those Tier ones or even the
you know, even the Category three. Like it may not
be urgent in terms of triarging from that police perspective,
but you know, to a family that's been broken into,
or to you know, let's say a child that's been
threatened by other kids and had his bike stolen or
(09:56):
something like that, you know, it's a big deal.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
To them all.
Speaker 5 (09:59):
I think it was the number one when I became
the Police Minister late last year. I think we're in
a way better position than we were then. I think
morale within the police force is changing. We've seen as
an example for your listeners, the attrition raiders of the
thirty first of March was six percent or just over
six percent. When I took over, it was in the
high tens going down to the seven and then we're
now at the six. So there's definitely a change coming.
(10:20):
The Police Review has made a huge impact. The new
police commissioner with his assistant commissioners. Now the new commanders
have been announced as well, so we're seeing a structure
change within the organization and that.
Speaker 4 (10:30):
Gets people back to work.
Speaker 5 (10:32):
I mean, a significant injection of half a billion dollars
sends a really clear message to our front line that
they're supported.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
Yep. Look absolutely, I think it's a good thing that
the attrition rates obviously getting better. But I suppose the
question here is do we have enough police to go
out when territorianes actually need them? Well?
Speaker 4 (10:48):
We do.
Speaker 5 (10:48):
I mean, look at the video that we saw over
the weekend of the stolen motivic. We don't want to
see it, but there was a substantial amount of police
vehicles in pursuit of that, and that was on a
bit one of our busiest nights, being a Friday night.
We have enough resource, is what we.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
Can aunt people stolen from Off the.
Speaker 5 (11:02):
Top of my head, it was a Northern Suburbs suburb, K.
I don't know the detail. I'm happy to get it
for you, but I guess the point I'm making is
that we can't equate for someone calling in sick for
being sick. But in terms of the rostering, the and
what we put on the roster. We've got a significant
amount of resources available that we put on. It's not
just the van you see, it's the unmarked cars. As
you know, people are starting to see there was RBTs
(11:22):
have been back out in force and we're getting people
that are drink driving, but concerningly, drug driving is becoming
a significant issue across the territory. So I believe we've
got enough resources. We need more, but we're getting better
than where we were.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
With that stolen car in the Northern suburbs. So was
it kids? What happened?
Speaker 5 (11:39):
It was older teenagers, but they were all apprehended and
from what I know, they're on remand at the moment.
Speaker 3 (11:44):
Were they like, were they on bail before that?
Speaker 4 (11:47):
I believe one of them was. The others weren't.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
And so what happened. They'd stolen a car from somewhere
and go on stom car.
Speaker 5 (11:54):
And put themselves and other people in danger and you know,
thinking it's all fun and games until someone gets hurt.
Policed in the amazing job apprehending those individuals, and thankfully
it was late at night.
Speaker 3 (12:03):
And what the vision's obviously gone viral.
Speaker 5 (12:05):
It's on one of the social media platforms and we
follow this and I've said to you before, Cardie, I
follow the pages because it gives you an indicator of
what's happening as well.
Speaker 4 (12:12):
But police did an amazing job.
Speaker 5 (12:14):
Those individuals are before the courts, and I believe we've
just opened up the Youth Justice residential facility in Tenant
Creek last week.
Speaker 4 (12:21):
I think it was off the top of my head.
Speaker 5 (12:23):
You know, I'm hoping one of those individuals goes down
there and has an alternative to don Dale, because we
need to try their options and people want boot camps.
Speaker 4 (12:29):
Well, we've opened up the first of the four that
we announced.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
So how many kids were actually arrested with that stolen vehicle?
Speaker 1 (12:33):
Three?
Speaker 3 (12:34):
All three got caught, all three court. What night was
that on?
Speaker 5 (12:37):
I think it was Friday, Candie. But I'm happy to
get your details and flicker through for the team.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
Keen to find out.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
And I've no doubt someone will see this the vision
if we haven't already seen it. Now, moving along in
relation to the consultation that's underway with remote communities around
the reintroduction of alcohol in some of those communities. Who
are the consultants that are doing the.
Speaker 5 (12:55):
Work, So the moment the panel expression of interest to
establish the Panel of consultants STEAM. So I can't tell
you who's been confirmed, but there is a local law
firm as an example. It do one for Barunga to
get their alcohol management plan up and they did an
amazing job getting it done in a really short amount
of time, getting you the consultation. I've been pretty clear
and estimates, so I think it's gone on too long.
Like I understand, we need to have some control measures
(13:17):
in place for alcohol, but what it has invariably done
is push people in our ten centers to access alcohol.
We need to have an ability for people to access
alcohol on community so they're not coming into town and
at the end of the day learning to live with
it because come twenty twenty seven, you know that's when
strongest futures again will lapse. And I want to have
plans in plays before twenty twenty seven.
Speaker 1 (13:34):
So how many communities are being consulted and what's the
timeframe I believe it was. Is it four that are
at that point where they're potentially pretty close?
Speaker 5 (13:42):
So four have submitted. I believe we're about to submit,
so they're ready to go. They'll go through Department of
hell through Chief Minister's Department. It'll come up through us
and they'll be engagement with the FEDS and that won't
just look at how they manage the facility itself, it'll
look at everything what our DV supports structures in place
in community, what's the policing arrangement, what's the education arrangement,
what's the measures the metrics that if you don't have
(14:03):
school attendance, well then the club doesn't open. As an example,
but there's about another thirty odd that are actively engaged
in developing it, and then another hundred that have registered
their interest.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
So how quickly with the four that are pretty well
at that at the point of end of of their submissions,
how soon could they have alcohol in those communities?
Speaker 5 (14:23):
Again, well, let's say they submitted today, it ll be
as fast as the department can assess it. And then
there's money allocated from the FEDS to actually implement the
plan when it's approved. So arguably the implementation with the
longest part, because you need to set up all the
frameworks that you've agreed to in the plan. But I've
made it very clear to both departments by twenty twenty
seven there needs to be alcohol management plans in place
(14:43):
so that we if some communities want to transition out
in twenty twenty seven, we've got examples of what works
in some communities.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
Just a couple of quick ones.
Speaker 1 (14:50):
Are Aboriginal health professionals at the table for those discussions, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (14:53):
They are.
Speaker 5 (14:53):
So. The funding that comes through this involves the Aboriginal
health organizations both in central desert and up in the.
Speaker 3 (14:58):
Top satell likes of am Sand Congress.
Speaker 5 (15:00):
Yeah, off the top of my head, whether it's those
particular agencies, but there are Aboriginal controlled health agencies that
are involved in this.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
All right, Then regarding those social clubs, what will some
of the rules be around consumption? It sounds like you
said that kids have to go to.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
School for a start.
Speaker 5 (15:12):
It's an example of what one measure may look like.
Every individual community and its informed consent, right, so they
need to tell us what they think the metrics need
to be, and every one of them may be different
on some communities. There will be measures that are pulled
from one used on another because it works. I just
used as an example because I think that is a
good metric to be using. I think that should be
one of those ones that if we can't get kids
to school, well then maybe the club doesn't open like
(15:34):
we need to. Because at the end of the day,
the way that we get where we are now to
where we need to be with everyone working in the territory,
Like the Chief is said, education is so important.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
All right, quick listener question that came in on Friday,
Hi Katie, could you please find out why after the
government has a meanded the Weapons Control Legislation to allow
bottle shop security guards to be armed with pepper spray
and also police Minister Potter has stated in the NT
News that it was a common sense measure to improve
community safety. However, the security companies have refused to train
(16:03):
or arm any of their guards. After talking to many
guards around town, it appears it's never going to happen.
Speaker 3 (16:09):
Sees this concerned territories.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
Also, these guards cannot speak up as they're all employed
on a casual basis, but they now but they will
find themselves out of work if they do speak up.
So this person essentially wondering why why they're not forced
to do so, Why the companies aren't forced to do so.
Speaker 5 (16:28):
I don't think government should be forcing a company to
hand over a controlled weapon to its staff that potentially
that company doesn't want to have it as a part
of their tools in their trade.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
There are some Are you worried though, that some of
those security guards aren't going to have that extra measure.
Speaker 5 (16:39):
Well, of course I've done what I said I would,
which was get them the ability to apply. I get
the license, get the training, and deploy the OC spray.
I can't force a private company to take that up.
It's the same with firearms licenses. Government sets up the framework
for those that want to become hunters and go and
get a firearm and meet all the conditions, but we're
not forcing that for every territory to go and do it.
Speaker 4 (16:58):
The framework's there.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
If those businesses though to territorianes as it being like
an extra measure to keep people.
Speaker 5 (17:03):
Safe, well, it is an extra measure to keep people safe.
And I know there is at least I know. I
was talking to one earlier and I'm going to talk
to them after this that is interested in progressing forward
and that they've got some of those tickets. So I mean,
other than setting the framework and the access and the
available in the license, I can't do much more than that.
Speaker 4 (17:17):
If they take it up. Fantastic, that's what we want.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
So the reality is that no, are there no bottle
shops with security that are actually using it.
Speaker 5 (17:23):
There are some right now that are working through the process.
So I can tell you there are some bottle shops
that have said indicated they're working with the company that
they have as a security to get that rolled out
on their bottom.
Speaker 3 (17:31):
I didn't indicate that it was a waste of time
from the government.
Speaker 5 (17:33):
No, I think it shows that we'll do what needs
to be done to keep territory and safe. At the
end of the day, if those private companies decide not
to take it up, that's a decision for the company
and the strategy that they want to play inside the
private security market.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
All Right, we better leave it there. Minister for Police,
Brent Potter, thank you for your time this morning.
Now the Cyclone Tracy monument, it's now being described by
the Lord mayor's a public artwork. It's seen a lot
of discussion on the show in recent weeks. As we
all know, following last Tuesday's interview with the Lord Mayor
Convact Scalus Territorians were left quite confused as to what
exactly the council is planning. Now we'd also seen in
(00:21):
the paper today. I'm also seen in the paper today
that there's an ad for the tender for this area.
So look, if you miss the interview with convat Scarlets
last week, take a listen first off to what he
had to say.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Well, it's not going to be a monument. It's going
to be a public art, a piece of art which
actually it shows the forces of nature and that was
the original idea.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
So what is this?
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Is it a monument for cyclone tracing? So why has
it been referred to with you properly? So we're getting
seven So seven hundred thousand dollars is going to a
public artwork, absolutelyublic artwork for what public heard.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
The same way that the Jellyfisi in front of the.
Speaker 4 (01:06):
East Points.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
So is out funding from the federal government in any
way linked to it supposed to be a monument for
cycle and tracing.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
I'm telling you and I have said before, this is
not the monument. The real memorial is going to be
in Niche point. Richard Craidwick has spoken and asked the
committee has actually agreed to actually.
Speaker 4 (01:27):
Approve this do so.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
That was the Lord me.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
That's part of what the Lord mayor Convat Scalas had
to say last week. Now the Minister for Police, a
Minister for Fanny Bay, Brent Potter, joins me in the studio.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Good morning to your brandning.
Speaker 4 (01:39):
Katy, and morning to all the parents on school holidays.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
I get shout out to all the parents on school
holidays grandparents helping out as well well.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
Now, Minister you started a petition last week after hearing
concerns from locals about the situation with this monument or artwork.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
What's been the response?
Speaker 5 (01:57):
Check this morning, Cady over one thousand see injuries about
one thousand and thirty three, and I understand that it's
gone through a process with counsel.
Speaker 4 (02:05):
I'm not an art connoisseur.
Speaker 5 (02:07):
I wasn't here for Tracy, so I couldn't say what
meets the expectations of those survivors. But it was pretty
evident when we did some phone banking and from the
people that came and saw me, even on Friday Lollipop,
they were unhappy with the memorial in its current form.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
Yeah. Look, people do not seem happy with it at all.
I'm not opposed in any way, shape or form to
Bundilla Beach being being done up. In fact, I think
that that's something that needs to happen. But what people
were expecting is that if there was going to be
a monument there for Cyclone Tracy, that it was going
to be something that people wanted.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
Now we know.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
We had Cyclone Tracy survivors make contact with us last
week to make sure that I had a copy of
a pressure release which went out in March this year.
Now it reads fifty years after Cyclone Tracy devastated Darwin.
The Albanezy and Laula governments are going to honor the
memory of those who died and those whose lives were
irrevocably changed with the permanent monument and separate permanent memorial
(03:03):
in Darwin. The Australian government is giving a total of
six hundred thousand dollars to the Northern Territory Government to
work in partnership with stakeholders to install a kinetic monument
at Bundela Beach as well as a memorial designed.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
By local artists for East Point.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
Now, from what I'm reading, the federal governments obviously provided
this money, but the Northern Territory Government is set to
administer the roll out. Is the funding which is being
spent by the Council being done so in line with
the funding agreement?
Speaker 5 (03:32):
Yeah, I believe so, I think, and we talk about
the tender being released for Bundelas to be really clear,
during the BI election, I committed three million for that activation.
I believe that's the stage one where she saw the
tender Ford decreated to. The Monuments Council is doing a
really good job in the delivery of that commitment that
I promised through and the work they're doing is fantastic.
But the funding from the federal government to the Territory
(03:53):
government has been divvied up between two council and I
believe there's some funding going out to the East Point
memorial for the survivors out there, but obviously there's concern
with what is being put at Bundella well, We're.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
Too from here though, Brent, because it seems as though
people do not want the kinetic sculpture that the Council's
got planned for Bundella.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
You are urging them to reconsider.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
The Chief Minister has urged them to have another think
about it, The Opposition leader's urging them to have another
think about it. Like everybody seems to be in agreement
besides the Council that we need to rethink on this.
Speaker 5 (04:29):
Yeah, listen, I think it's pretty clear that there needs
to be a rethink. I mean it is a decision
for Council and the councilors to go there, and I
mean they did go through a process through their own
Tracy committee and taking it to the elected members and
they've voted on it. And I think at the end
of the day, though, with that many people that are concerned,
I think it's right to go and have a review
of it and see what can be done. Can the money,
(04:50):
is it too late to change it? If it is
too late, can we change the color? What can be done?
Because I think it's pretty clear that people aren't happy,
and I think it's incumbent all of us and we
get something wrong to own those you know, to own
it and so what we can do to right the
wrong and you know we've seen that recently with us,
and I think this is a good example of something
that should be reviewed.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
So we're too from here.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
We just got to wait and see what the Council
decides to do. Even though it's federal government funding that
is in conjunction with the Northern Territory government, like I
would have thought, you guys have some swap.
Speaker 5 (05:16):
Believe it's gone through that, Like, it's gone through the
correct channels. That's the I think the point here, Like
they've made it pretty clear. It's gone through their Tracy committee.
The committee made recommendations and a bunch of submissions around.
Speaker 4 (05:25):
The art piece.
Speaker 5 (05:26):
I don't know what the others were or who the
other submitters were. And then it's been agreed to by
the council. So for all insensitive purposes, from what I know,
and I'm happy to be corrected, it has met the
funding agreement.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
So it's going ahead.
Speaker 5 (05:39):
Well, it's up to council, right, Like I think there's
still time for them to have those discussions. If not
and there is no they can't have any changes, well
then they just need to tell us.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
Why all right, I'll move along, listener. Question Territory day.
There's one happening obviously at Mindle. We know that that's
common sense has prevailed. It's going back to Mindle, but
also one at the waterfront. Is the government paying for both?
Speaker 4 (05:59):
I don't believe. So.
Speaker 5 (06:00):
I believe the Waterfront are conducting their own small event
to supplement and support their local businesses there. And then
we'll obviously have the Mindle Beach fireworks back at Mindle
Beach and a sense of black come.
Speaker 4 (06:12):
So that's good.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
Are you Are you sure that there's not going to
be sort of any risks that NT major events are
going to have to deal with with those sacred sites
as a result of it going back there.
Speaker 5 (06:21):
There is always risk. I mean everyone that runs a
business or work health and safety. You try to mitigate
the risk as best you can. We're able to help
nt mech with some of the financial assurances around their
risk mitigation and everyone that doesn't know they are an
independent company with their own board and so they have
different risk thresholds. But it's good to be able to
support them and get it back to me.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
What do you mean in terms of financial assurances?
Speaker 5 (06:41):
Well, if there's damage to a sacred site, you know,
there's obviously conversation that can potentially.
Speaker 4 (06:44):
Come from that.
Speaker 5 (06:45):
They foot the bill, well, they at the end of
the day, they're a company with a set budget, and
we've said to them, if there is any risk, will
support you. So and there will be some cost to
the change to move it back to Mendel, I'm sure,
and I made that pretty clear in estimates that once
the activity is complete, will be able to what.
Speaker 4 (07:00):
Those figures were.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
So we don't know how much.
Speaker 5 (07:02):
Well, until we pay the invoices like anything, and see
those invoices and do the acquittals, I can't tell you.
But it's not substantial. And that was we were lucky
enough to get the change done in the time that
we weren't going to be exponentially increasing cost.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
All right, Moving along, sixty four police recruits are graduating
on Friday.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
Where are they going to be based?
Speaker 5 (07:19):
This is a fantastic yet come. I've been talking about
it for a long time, Katie. So you're going to
see fourteen of those remaining Darwin thirty five are going
to head down to Alice Springs. You're going to see
another sixteen or so go to Catherine five to ten
and then one to Lake Avella, so that one lucky
person going out to join the other members out there.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
Yeah right, all right, well that's good news hopefully, I
mean hopefully they're going to help to deal with some
of the issues that we've seen over recent times. When
it comes to those police numbers, I mean, last week
in estimates we know not it wrapped up, and the
final day of Parliament obviously taking place last week, some
pretty concerning numbers when it comes to the police portfolio
(07:58):
in terms of the calls to the call center expected
to peak at one hundred and ninety nine thousand calls
to the emergency call center. That is the forecast for
this financial year. It equates to around five hundred and
forty five calls every day.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
How are you.
Speaker 5 (08:14):
Dealing with thatsh got to get more call takers, Katie.
That's the value of announced twenty five additional call takers.
I think what was missing out of that narrative in
relation to the calls to the triple ile one through
one trip or four. Not all of those are calls
for assistance from police what we find and some are
obviously and we've seen an increase and the crime stats
would indicate that there are others that call triple zero
(08:37):
for superfluous reasons to talk to someone or to ask
them just wasted calls. There are others that, as we
saw before, that are related to crime, and they're increasing,
and we've got to put more police call takers with
twenty five over the next year into that agency. We're
also looking at other options to report crimes as they occur,
because there's some that are non emergency but at the
(08:57):
moment they should be going online. But the functionality is
in there and so the commissioner's working through that.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
Do you have any idea how long people are waiting
for those calls to be responded to.
Speaker 5 (09:07):
As in a call for police to arrive or waiting
on the phone. Well, that depends on what the actual
instant is, Katie. Because you have a tiered one, two,
and three system, and you know we see a person
entering a home, when someone's there, that'll be a priority
one call at most times.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
How long would people be waiting for that?
Speaker 5 (09:22):
Well, available cars will go so like that is a
priority call and people get sent to that. So if
they're on a job that's say a Priority three, they'll
be reappropriated to go down there and respond to that call.
Speaker 4 (09:30):
And we saw that. We see that over the weekend
with the amount of units are on the road.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
Are you, like, are you concerned that we don't have
enough cars on the road to be able to get
out to some of those Tier ones or even the
you know, even the Category three. Like it may not
be urgent in terms of triarging from that police perspective,
but you know, to a family that's been broken into,
or to you know, let's say a child that's been
threatened by other kids and had his bike stolen or
(09:56):
something like that, you know, it's a big deal.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
To them all.
Speaker 5 (09:59):
I think it was the number one when I became
the Police Minister late last year. I think we're in
a way better position than we were then. I think
morale within the police force is changing. We've seen as
an example for your listeners, the attrition raiders of the
thirty first of March was six percent or just over
six percent. When I took over, it was in the
high tens going down to the seven and then we're
now at the six. So there's definitely a change coming.
(10:20):
The Police Review has made a huge impact. The new
police commissioner with his assistant commissioners. Now the new commanders
have been announced as well, so we're seeing a structure
change within the organization and that.
Speaker 4 (10:30):
Gets people back to work.
Speaker 5 (10:32):
I mean, a significant injection of half a billion dollars
sends a really clear message to our front line that
they're supported.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
Yep. Look absolutely, I think it's a good thing that
the attrition rates obviously getting better. But I suppose the
question here is do we have enough police to go
out when territorianes actually need them? Well?
Speaker 4 (10:48):
We do.
Speaker 5 (10:48):
I mean, look at the video that we saw over
the weekend of the stolen motivic. We don't want to
see it, but there was a substantial amount of police
vehicles in pursuit of that, and that was on a
bit one of our busiest nights, being a Friday night.
We have enough resource, is what we.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
Can aunt people stolen from Off the.
Speaker 5 (11:02):
Top of my head, it was a Northern Suburbs suburb, K.
I don't know the detail. I'm happy to get it
for you, but I guess the point I'm making is
that we can't equate for someone calling in sick for
being sick. But in terms of the rostering, the and
what we put on the roster. We've got a significant
amount of resources available that we put on. It's not
just the van you see, it's the unmarked cars. As
you know, people are starting to see there was RBTs
(11:22):
have been back out in force and we're getting people
that are drink driving, but concerningly, drug driving is becoming
a significant issue across the territory. So I believe we've
got enough resources. We need more, but we're getting better
than where we were.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
With that stolen car in the Northern suburbs. So was
it kids? What happened?
Speaker 5 (11:39):
It was older teenagers, but they were all apprehended and
from what I know, they're on remand at the moment.
Speaker 3 (11:44):
Were they like, were they on bail before that?
Speaker 4 (11:47):
I believe one of them was. The others weren't.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
And so what happened. They'd stolen a car from somewhere
and go on stom car.
Speaker 5 (11:54):
And put themselves and other people in danger and you know,
thinking it's all fun and games until someone gets hurt.
Policed in the amazing job apprehending those individuals, and thankfully
it was late at night.
Speaker 3 (12:03):
And what the vision's obviously gone viral.
Speaker 5 (12:05):
It's on one of the social media platforms and we
follow this and I've said to you before, Cardie, I
follow the pages because it gives you an indicator of
what's happening as well.
Speaker 4 (12:12):
But police did an amazing job.
Speaker 5 (12:14):
Those individuals are before the courts, and I believe we've
just opened up the Youth Justice residential facility in Tenant
Creek last week.
Speaker 4 (12:21):
I think it was off the top of my head.
Speaker 5 (12:23):
You know, I'm hoping one of those individuals goes down
there and has an alternative to don Dale, because we
need to try their options and people want boot camps.
Speaker 4 (12:29):
Well, we've opened up the first of the four that
we announced.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
So how many kids were actually arrested with that stolen vehicle?
Speaker 1 (12:33):
Three?
Speaker 3 (12:34):
All three got caught, all three court. What night was
that on?
Speaker 5 (12:37):
I think it was Friday, Candie. But I'm happy to
get your details and flicker through for the team.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
Keen to find out.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
And I've no doubt someone will see this the vision
if we haven't already seen it. Now, moving along in
relation to the consultation that's underway with remote communities around
the reintroduction of alcohol in some of those communities. Who
are the consultants that are doing the.
Speaker 5 (12:55):
Work, So the moment the panel expression of interest to
establish the Panel of consultants STEAM. So I can't tell
you who's been confirmed, but there is a local law
firm as an example. It do one for Barunga to
get their alcohol management plan up and they did an
amazing job getting it done in a really short amount
of time, getting you the consultation. I've been pretty clear
and estimates, so I think it's gone on too long.
Like I understand, we need to have some control measures
(13:17):
in place for alcohol, but what it has invariably done
is push people in our ten centers to access alcohol.
We need to have an ability for people to access
alcohol on community so they're not coming into town and
at the end of the day learning to live with
it because come twenty twenty seven, you know that's when
strongest futures again will lapse. And I want to have
plans in plays before twenty twenty seven.
Speaker 1 (13:34):
So how many communities are being consulted and what's the
timeframe I believe it was. Is it four that are
at that point where they're potentially pretty close?
Speaker 5 (13:42):
So four have submitted. I believe we're about to submit,
so they're ready to go. They'll go through Department of
hell through Chief Minister's Department. It'll come up through us
and they'll be engagement with the FEDS and that won't
just look at how they manage the facility itself, it'll
look at everything what our DV supports structures in place
in community, what's the policing arrangement, what's the education arrangement,
what's the measures the metrics that if you don't have
(14:03):
school attendance, well then the club doesn't open. As an example,
but there's about another thirty odd that are actively engaged
in developing it, and then another hundred that have registered
their interest.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
So how quickly with the four that are pretty well
at that at the point of end of of their submissions,
how soon could they have alcohol in those communities?
Speaker 5 (14:23):
Again, well, let's say they submitted today, it ll be
as fast as the department can assess it. And then
there's money allocated from the FEDS to actually implement the
plan when it's approved. So arguably the implementation with the
longest part, because you need to set up all the
frameworks that you've agreed to in the plan. But I've
made it very clear to both departments by twenty twenty
seven there needs to be alcohol management plans in place
(14:43):
so that we if some communities want to transition out
in twenty twenty seven, we've got examples of what works
in some communities.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
Just a couple of quick ones.
Speaker 1 (14:50):
Are Aboriginal health professionals at the table for those discussions, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (14:53):
They are.
Speaker 5 (14:53):
So. The funding that comes through this involves the Aboriginal
health organizations both in central desert and up in the.
Speaker 3 (14:58):
Top satell likes of am Sand Congress.
Speaker 5 (15:00):
Yeah, off the top of my head, whether it's those
particular agencies, but there are Aboriginal controlled health agencies that
are involved in this.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
All right, Then regarding those social clubs, what will some
of the rules be around consumption? It sounds like you
said that kids have to go to.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
School for a start.
Speaker 5 (15:12):
It's an example of what one measure may look like.
Every individual community and its informed consent, right, so they
need to tell us what they think the metrics need
to be, and every one of them may be different
on some communities. There will be measures that are pulled
from one used on another because it works. I just
used as an example because I think that is a
good metric to be using. I think that should be
one of those ones that if we can't get kids
to school, well then maybe the club doesn't open like
(15:34):
we need to. Because at the end of the day,
the way that we get where we are now to
where we need to be with everyone working in the territory,
Like the Chief is said, education is so important.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
All right, quick listener question that came in on Friday,
Hi Katie, could you please find out why after the
government has a meanded the Weapons Control Legislation to allow
bottle shop security guards to be armed with pepper spray
and also police Minister Potter has stated in the NT
News that it was a common sense measure to improve
community safety. However, the security companies have refused to train
(16:03):
or arm any of their guards. After talking to many
guards around town, it appears it's never going to happen.
Speaker 3 (16:09):
Sees this concerned territories.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
Also, these guards cannot speak up as they're all employed
on a casual basis, but they now but they will
find themselves out of work if they do speak up.
So this person essentially wondering why why they're not forced
to do so, Why the companies aren't forced to do so.
Speaker 5 (16:28):
I don't think government should be forcing a company to
hand over a controlled weapon to its staff that potentially
that company doesn't want to have it as a part
of their tools in their trade.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
There are some Are you worried though, that some of
those security guards aren't going to have that extra measure.
Speaker 5 (16:39):
Well, of course I've done what I said I would,
which was get them the ability to apply. I get
the license, get the training, and deploy the OC spray.
I can't force a private company to take that up.
It's the same with firearms licenses. Government sets up the framework
for those that want to become hunters and go and
get a firearm and meet all the conditions, but we're
not forcing that for every territory to go and do it.
Speaker 4 (16:58):
The framework's there.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
If those businesses though to territorianes as it being like
an extra measure to keep people.
Speaker 5 (17:03):
Safe, well, it is an extra measure to keep people safe.
And I know there is at least I know. I
was talking to one earlier and I'm going to talk
to them after this that is interested in progressing forward
and that they've got some of those tickets. So I mean,
other than setting the framework and the access and the
available in the license, I can't do much more than that.
Speaker 4 (17:17):
If they take it up. Fantastic, that's what we want.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
So the reality is that no, are there no bottle
shops with security that are actually using it.
Speaker 5 (17:23):
There are some right now that are working through the process.
So I can tell you there are some bottle shops
that have said indicated they're working with the company that
they have as a security to get that rolled out
on their bottom.
Speaker 3 (17:31):
I didn't indicate that it was a waste of time
from the government.
Speaker 5 (17:33):
No, I think it shows that we'll do what needs
to be done to keep territory and safe. At the
end of the day, if those private companies decide not
to take it up, that's a decision for the company
and the strategy that they want to play inside the
private security market.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
All Right, we better leave it there. Minister for Police,
Brent Potter, thank you for your time this morning.
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