Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, as we know, Parliament is being urgently recalled today
to pass legislation to strengthen Deckland's law with additional changes
to the Bail Act. The Chief Minister joining us on Monday,
saying she's made it clear for people who commit serious
offenses that their standing point is no bail for all
serious offenses. Courts will only be able to consider bail
(00:22):
where they are satisfied there's no further risk to the community. Now,
the Chief Minister is going to be joining us on
the show in about fifteen minutes time. Joining me on
the show now is the Speaker of the Northern Territories
Legislative Assembly, Robin Lamley. Good morning to you, Robin.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Good morning Katie.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Robin. What is the process of recalling parliament and is
it quite an unusual thing to do?
Speaker 2 (00:47):
It's very unusual, Katie, in my fifteen years of being
in Parliament. This is the second time that we've done this.
You mentioned earlier five years ago, almost to the day
we we sat to pass COVID legislation, and that was
a recalling of Parliament to sit for I think it
(01:10):
was around four or five hours and after the business
was done we walked out with our masks and that
was it. So it is unusual and it's obviously been
triggered by the Chief Minister. She called me last week
and asked if Parliament could sit today Wednesday for this
(01:31):
very important legislation that is going to be passed.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
So, Robin, how will today work? I mean, does it
roll out like a normal day of parliament? Talk us through.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Us So it's pretty much the same as any other day.
We start with a prayer and acknowledgment of country and
then we go straight into business. How it is different
today from other days is that we will be working
through lunch. Normally we start at ten and we break
the lunch at twelve, back again at two for question time.
(02:02):
Today we just go straight through. We start at ten
and we will not break for lunch. There'll be no
question time, there'll be no adjournment, debates at the end
of the night. It will just be the business of government,
as they've outlined.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
So no question time, not that usual sort of stuff.
Is it is literally a situation here where debate on
the legislation is going to happen and then we come
to a point where there's a vote at the end
of it.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Correct, Yes, it's all about this serious business of government
that they've prioritized and decided to change legislation Accordingly, Robin, I'm.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
Not sure whether you're able to sort of take your
hat off as the speaker for a moment. Is it
something that you like, because I know that this issue
of crime and what we've seen across the Northern territory
is something you've been really really passionate about over a
long pereriod of time in terms of fixing it. Is
it something that when you are the speaker, are you
(03:05):
able to then step out from that role to also
discuss or are you not in a situation where you'll
be able to do that? Inside of Parliament today, I.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Can do that on any motion of any matter of
business before Parliament, I can step out of the chair,
go down to the floor and participate. But generally speaking,
speakers don't do that. They do occasionally, probably for issues
that are highly relevant to their particular electorates or constituents,
(03:38):
but usually I'm there purely to manage the House and
make sure that the business is conducted in a way
that is parliamentary. So today I won't be speaking, but
it doesn't mean to say at some point in the
future I will step down and have my say.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
Yeah, Robin, in terms of your role as a local member,
can I ask how are you feeling about these changes?
I mean, do you think that they're going to make
some kind of difference.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Look, I was brief yesterday with the other backbenches yesterday
late yesterday afternoon when when the government was ready to
share the nature of their bill. I have a few thoughts. Yes,
I absolutely support what they're doing. I guess my question
is why didn't they do this a few months ago?
(04:34):
I guess, like a lot of things in the Northern Territory, politically,
things evolve. But you know, I think just not taking
away that presumption of bail all together is a very
powerful mechanism. And to put it back on the police
and the judges who issue bail that they now need
(05:00):
to ensure that the person that they're bailing will not
commit a serious violence of fans or prescribed defense endangering
the safety of their community. Like we know that there's
been plenty of cases of people, kids and adults having
been released on bail with horrendous histories of violence. So
(05:20):
now presumably anyone with any sort of violent background will
not be given bail, and maybe that's well over due.
I think. I think that we've been waiting for this
to be put in place for a long time.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
And Robin, I know there's a lot of discussion as well,
you know, people saying we've got to stop this crime
before it even starts, and I totally agree with that.
You know, we do need some serious change to the
whole behavior that we are seeing. But the fact is
we've got a gaping wound that needs a tornique. You know,
it needs to be sorted out, and then you need
to be working at the same time on those other
(05:56):
things to stop young people getting involved in offenses. But
we cannot continue to have a situation where people who
are committing very serious violent offenses are on bail.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
Absolutely, that's the bottom line. So that's what this legislation does.
By the look of it, It closes down any possibility
that serious offenders will be bailed and then go on
to offend while they're on bail, which, as I said, overdue.
This is what we need to just close that gap
(06:30):
and hopefully create a safer community.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
Yeah. Well, Robin Lamley, Speaker of the Northern Territory. Actually,
before I let you go very quickly. We had heard
that there was potentially going to be I don't know
whether it was a rally or a bit of a
protest outside of Parliament. Has anything been raised with you
or have you heard anything of that effect.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
I'm not aware of any protests at the front of
Parliament House this morning. That doesn't mean to say that
people haven't gathered to protests. That not all protests come
to our attention. People don't. You don't need to. It's
not mandatory to advise Parliament House of a protest. As
long as it's ordly, you can front up out the
(07:10):
front anytime and protest, so I don't necessarily hear about
them all. But no, I'm not aware of that today.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
No. Well, Robin Lamley really appreciate your time. As always,
I'll let you go. I know it's going to be
a busy one. Thank you, Thank you for your time.
Well, as we know, Parliament is being urgently recalled today
to pass legislation to strengthen Deckland's law with additional changes
to the Bail Act. The Chief Minister joining us on Monday,
saying she's made it clear for people who commit serious
offenses that their standing point is no bail for all
serious offenses. Courts will only be able to consider bail
(00:22):
where they are satisfied there's no further risk to the community. Now,
the Chief Minister is going to be joining us on
the show in about fifteen minutes time. Joining me on
the show now is the Speaker of the Northern Territories
Legislative Assembly, Robin Lamley. Good morning to you, Robin.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Good morning Katie.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Robin. What is the process of recalling parliament and is
it quite an unusual thing to do?
Speaker 2 (00:47):
It's very unusual, Katie, in my fifteen years of being
in Parliament. This is the second time that we've done this.
You mentioned earlier five years ago, almost to the day
we we sat to pass COVID legislation, and that was
a recalling of Parliament to sit for I think it
(01:10):
was around four or five hours and after the business
was done we walked out with our masks and that
was it. So it is unusual and it's obviously been
triggered by the Chief Minister. She called me last week
and asked if Parliament could sit today Wednesday for this
(01:31):
very important legislation that is going to be passed.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
So, Robin, how will today work? I mean, does it
roll out like a normal day of parliament? Talk us through.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Us So it's pretty much the same as any other day.
We start with a prayer and acknowledgment of country and
then we go straight into business. How it is different
today from other days is that we will be working
through lunch. Normally we start at ten and we break
the lunch at twelve, back again at two for question time.
(02:02):
Today we just go straight through. We start at ten
and we will not break for lunch. There'll be no
question time, there'll be no adjournment, debates at the end
of the night. It will just be the business of government,
as they've outlined.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
So no question time, not that usual sort of stuff.
Is it is literally a situation here where debate on
the legislation is going to happen and then we come
to a point where there's a vote at the end
of it.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Correct, Yes, it's all about this serious business of government
that they've prioritized and decided to change legislation Accordingly, Robin, I'm.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
Not sure whether you're able to sort of take your
hat off as the speaker for a moment. Is it
something that you like, because I know that this issue
of crime and what we've seen across the Northern territory
is something you've been really really passionate about over a
long pereriod of time in terms of fixing it. Is
it something that when you are the speaker, are you
(03:05):
able to then step out from that role to also
discuss or are you not in a situation where you'll
be able to do that? Inside of Parliament today, I.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Can do that on any motion of any matter of
business before Parliament, I can step out of the chair,
go down to the floor and participate. But generally speaking,
speakers don't do that. They do occasionally, probably for issues
that are highly relevant to their particular electorates or constituents,
(03:38):
but usually I'm there purely to manage the House and
make sure that the business is conducted in a way
that is parliamentary. So today I won't be speaking, but
it doesn't mean to say at some point in the
future I will step down and have my say.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
Yeah, Robin, in terms of your role as a local member,
can I ask how are you feeling about these changes?
I mean, do you think that they're going to make
some kind of difference.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Look, I was brief yesterday with the other backbenches yesterday
late yesterday afternoon when when the government was ready to
share the nature of their bill. I have a few thoughts. Yes,
I absolutely support what they're doing. I guess my question
is why didn't they do this a few months ago?
(04:34):
I guess, like a lot of things in the Northern Territory, politically,
things evolve. But you know, I think just not taking
away that presumption of bail all together is a very
powerful mechanism. And to put it back on the police
and the judges who issue bail that they now need
(05:00):
to ensure that the person that they're bailing will not
commit a serious violence of fans or prescribed defense endangering
the safety of their community. Like we know that there's
been plenty of cases of people, kids and adults having
been released on bail with horrendous histories of violence. So
(05:20):
now presumably anyone with any sort of violent background will
not be given bail, and maybe that's well over due.
I think. I think that we've been waiting for this
to be put in place for a long time.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
And Robin, I know there's a lot of discussion as well,
you know, people saying we've got to stop this crime
before it even starts, and I totally agree with that.
You know, we do need some serious change to the
whole behavior that we are seeing. But the fact is
we've got a gaping wound that needs a tornique. You know,
it needs to be sorted out, and then you need
to be working at the same time on those other
(05:56):
things to stop young people getting involved in offenses. But
we cannot continue to have a situation where people who
are committing very serious violent offenses are on bail.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
Absolutely, that's the bottom line. So that's what this legislation does.
By the look of it, It closes down any possibility
that serious offenders will be bailed and then go on
to offend while they're on bail, which, as I said, overdue.
This is what we need to just close that gap
(06:30):
and hopefully create a safer community.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
Yeah. Well, Robin Lamley, Speaker of the Northern Territory. Actually,
before I let you go very quickly. We had heard
that there was potentially going to be I don't know
whether it was a rally or a bit of a
protest outside of Parliament. Has anything been raised with you
or have you heard anything of that effect.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
I'm not aware of any protests at the front of
Parliament House this morning. That doesn't mean to say that
people haven't gathered to protests. That not all protests come
to our attention. People don't. You don't need to. It's
not mandatory to advise Parliament House of a protest. As
long as it's ordly, you can front up out the
(07:10):
front anytime and protest, so I don't necessarily hear about
them all. But no, I'm not aware of that today.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
No. Well, Robin Lamley really appreciate your time. As always,
I'll let you go. I know it's going to be
a busy one. Thank you, Thank you for your time.
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