The Week That Was – 8th December 2023

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Time for the week that was and joining us in
the studio this morning from the colp Marie Claire Boothby,
good morning to.

Speaker 2 (00:06):
You, Good morning Katy, and to your listeners, We've got
from the Northern Territory News.

Speaker 1 (00:09):
Cam Smith, Good morning to you, Cam morning, Katy, good
to have you on the show. And from the Labor Party,
well is the Minister for Business and various other portfolios.
Joel Bauden, Good morning to you, good morning, thanks so
much for your time this morning. Everyone. Now, before we
get into the issues of the week, we know that
the story that has really captivated the Northern Territory and

(00:30):
indeed the whole of Australia and around the world is
the Outback wrangler Matt Wright, facing the Supreme Court of
the Northern Territory next month in relation to the chopper
crash that killed Chris Willow Wilson. We know that arriving
at the Darwin Local Court yesterday morning with his wife,
he was confronted by dozens of journalists and camera cruz

(00:50):
from across the country. Now, mister Wright was committed to
stand trial on one count of attempting to pervert the
course of justice, which was listed for Jane eighteen. His
other six charges were adjourned until June in the local court.
Now co accues Neil Mellon and Michael Burbich also face court.
Both pleaded guilty to destroying a mobile phone and preventing

(01:13):
it from being used as evidence, and there are other
charges were dropped. Now, we do indeed need to be
incredibly careful what we say in relation to this due
to the fact that we now know well both all
of this is going to go through the court process.
So look, I did just want to start the show
by keeping our listeners up to date with exactly what's

(01:35):
going on. But as I said, I think we all
need to be pretty careful given the fact that it
is before the courts.

Speaker 3 (01:40):
Yeah, absolutely, it is before the courts. The judicial process
will go through.

Speaker 4 (01:44):
It was interesting though, just to see former Senator Nigel
Scully and make a guest appearance on one of the.

Speaker 3 (01:50):
Cameramen and journos there.

Speaker 4 (01:53):
It was a very interesting to see Nigel involved and
you might just say he was carrying on a little bit.

Speaker 1 (01:59):
It was. It's really interesting to see that and it
was really I mean, you know, look, we always expect
when there is a big case like this that there's
going to be a throng of journalists outside the courthouse.
We've seen it in the past when some of the
major stories that have you know, have really put the
Northern Territory on the global stage, have been in the news.
But yeah, it was interesting to see just just what

(02:20):
was going on outside the courthouse and to see the
former senator there.

Speaker 4 (02:24):
Yeah, the hustle and bustlele, he got caught up in it.
I mean, that's what happens.

Speaker 3 (02:27):
Obviously.

Speaker 4 (02:28):
Journalists are doing their job and former senators going and
got in the middle of it and caused a bit
of a ruckus.

Speaker 1 (02:34):
Interesting interesting times. Indeed, well look let's move along because
there is so much to cover off on this morning.
And yesterday afternoon, after I'd finished the show for the AVA,
I was made aware of a situation which had occurred
earlier in the week. At about two pm on Wednesday,
As I understand it, an eighty five year old woman,
a mum, a grandma, a great grandma, went to a

(02:58):
very popular and public venue in the community to meet
a friend for coffee. Now, when getting out of her car,
she was thrown to the ground and mugged by three girls.
As we understand one of them a teenager, two of
them miners. Now this open letter which has been written
by Poppy Palitus, who I know plenty of people listening

(03:19):
to the show this morning will know she has written
this open letter to the Chief Minister and had described
exactly what's happened to her mum, her eighty five year
old mum. She said, none of the girls showed any care,
concern or respect for an elderly woman who's been a
local resident and active contributor to the community for nearly

(03:41):
sixty five years. My mother did not provoke them in
any way. They brazenly attacked her and ran off, leaving
her lying on the ground. She said that luckily two
kind gentlemen helped her up and kept her safe and
with no way of calling any of her family for help,
as her phone was in her bag. She described where

(04:02):
Poppy lived, and one of those men thankfully came looking
for her. Now, she said, I cannot even begin to
express my feelings of raw anger, rage and fear that
they'd really hurt mum. She was shaking, she was crying,
she was confused, and aside from physical pain, I could

(04:23):
see her emotional pain. She clung to me as I
tried to comfort her and calm her. Poppy goes on
to say the police arrived promptly and did a fantastic
job on the ground, as did my family, the patrons
and employees of the venue, and with the help of
phone tracking, they were able to locate these perpetrators. Of course,

(04:44):
only one of them could be arrested, as the others
are protected because of their age. Poppy writes in this letter,
Chief Minister, regardless of what happens in the courts, the
fact that this is even happening in our own community
firms the system is broken. You're in charge of a
political party that continually dishes up excuses under the guise

(05:08):
of protectionism and weak laws that do not provide any
consequences for the offenders. There is nothing to protect the
general public from what is simply disgusting behavior perpetrated on
innocent members of the community. Why do we constantly end
up having to see the perpetrators paraded as the victims

(05:28):
when our focus should be on the actual victims themselves. Now,
this letter goes on to outline exactly how long her
mum has been a citizen of Darwin, since nineteen fifty nine.
I mean, it is disgusting, and I've got to say
I thought we'd reached There's so many times this year

(05:50):
where I've thought that we've reached the lowest point that
we could reach. I mean, we kicked off the year
in Alice Springs with the situation that unfolded there and
the terrible, terrible behavior that we've seen unfolding in Alice Springs. Further,
a few weeks later, we were in a situation where
a young man was allegedly murdered in a bottle shop.

(06:10):
We've had an international student allegedly murdered in the home
in which he was living. We have had a woman
allegedly murdered outside a hotel in our CBD where the
Indigenous Affairs Minister was staying. We have had Leah Bennett
appear on this show and tell us about the way
in which she was subjected to an assault allegedly at

(06:34):
the hands of a group of young girls. We have
now got a great grandmother who has been mugged while
getting out of her car and knocked to the ground. Honestly,
I feel like crying. I just think it's terrible some
of the stuff that we're seeing go on and it's

(06:54):
it's too much.

Speaker 2 (06:56):
And Katie, it is absolutely horrific. When I read that letter,
I was a bit like you. I felt quite emotional
about it, but also very angry because that letter, the
way in which she's written it is exactly what territorians
are feeling like right across the territory. That's what they
talk to me about all the time because they've either

(07:18):
been through something similar or they too are fearful to
go and do just the simple things in life that
we love to do. I mean, having a coffee at
a coffee shop. You should absolutely feel safe to do that.
I mean, even last night, Katie, talking about these decisions
that we make. I was driving around at night doing
some events and some kids' activities, and it was after

(07:41):
dark and I was running out of fuel and I
was thinking to myself, right, where do I go for fuel?

Speaker 5 (07:46):
It's late.

Speaker 2 (07:47):
I need to make sure that I go somewhere safe.
And I know that other Territorians think the same thing.
And this is now happening during the day. You know,
all of those incidents that you have just said is appalling.
And the problem we have is that the government keeps
talking about all the things that they're doing, and the
keep going cap in hand to Canberra for more money.

(08:10):
But unless we change our system, which is completely broken.
We need there's legislation changes, there's changes in the way
that decisions are made by government, then things aren't going
to get better.

Speaker 5 (08:22):
And we know.

Speaker 2 (08:23):
From just pure statistics how things are skyrocketing and every
type of crime that you can think of here in
the territory. But we have a government that won't admit
that we are an absolute crisis.

Speaker 5 (08:35):
We're in an emergency.

Speaker 2 (08:36):
We can't afford to continue to have our territory and
people living in fear and having these attacks on them
every single day.

Speaker 1 (08:44):
I mean, it's at an absolute low point when you've
got a great grandma being.

Speaker 4 (08:49):
Rolled, and that is an absolute low point. CODI, You're right,
it's disgusting and it's outrageous. I actually personally know Poppy
and her family. Our children are friends, and so I've
spent a bit of time with Poppy over the years.
In fact, we caught up just recently and we were
talking about how we can develop young young boys and
young men better and whether or not we could weave
that into a men shared program.

Speaker 3 (09:10):
So it is just awful to hear that.

Speaker 4 (09:12):
That's a harrowing affair and a harrowing event, especially for
someone who's been here since nineteen fifty nine. They just
should not have to deal with that going out for
a cup of coffee.

Speaker 1 (09:21):
But Joel, what do you think though, then, about the
fact you know, given the fact that you do, like
you actually personally know this family, And I think we
can all agree that we don't want a situation where
kids under the age of twelve are being locked up
and the key thrown away, But like, what do you
think of the fact that then allegedly two of these
kids are under the age of criminal responsibility. This woman

(09:45):
is going to be lucky if she is feeling safe
enough to leave the house again unaccompanied and there is
no consequence for what they do it.

Speaker 4 (09:54):
Yeah, those two under the age of criminal responsibility need
to be dealt with in the manner that changes their behavior,
because behaviors outrageous.

Speaker 1 (10:01):
This is the thing, and this is where I think
the community is at. And look, I know that you
are a genuine member of the community, and I know
that you, I know you care, But where the community
is at at the moment is they do not feel
that the government that you are part of is responding
in a way to this crisis that they feel it

(10:21):
needs to be responded to. Like, people do not feel safe.
If you've got elderly women that cannot go and have
a coffee with their friends, how are you guys even
doing your jobs if they can't do that.

Speaker 4 (10:34):
Yeah, we have to address the immediate issue, right which
is kids who are acting out and are taking advantage
of antlie woman.

Speaker 3 (10:40):
That is just absolutely outrageous and well.

Speaker 1 (10:43):
It's not acting out, it's breaking the law. It is.

Speaker 4 (10:45):
It's breaking the law, and so they're breaking the law
and they should be dealt with under the law. As
you said, those who are under the age of criminal
responsibility are dealt with in a different manner. We have
to be really, really tough on that type of sentencing.
That is not incarceration for someone who's under the age
of twelve and that's the age of criminal responsibility.

Speaker 3 (11:04):
We have to be tough and we have to work hard.

Speaker 4 (11:06):
It's great that they were able to locate them and
then we have to deal with them in their appropriate manner.

Speaker 1 (11:10):
So the problem now is that it's the way in
which they're being dealt with is not stopping others from offending. Like,
we've got a situation where these kinds of things are
continuing to happen. And like I said, I really thought
it was a low point for us. There's a lot
of times so I've thought that it was a low
point this year. But one of the low points that
I found was when Leah Bennett was rolled in broad

(11:32):
daylight in our CBD when she was leaving work in
the afternoon by a group of young girls, you know.
So this is not a once off. Now we've got
a situation where young people think they can do whatever
they want.

Speaker 4 (11:49):
Yeah, And as you said, it's been a really tough year.
A number of a number of the instance you mentioned
who are actually in my electorate and I've been dealing
with them personally again and Daren's so small that I know, Poppy,
you know, And a number of the instance you talked
about were within the electorate and I was dealing directly
with the families, the families, the international education community in

(12:11):
that Bangladesh group. And it is it's awful and it
makes you, you know, your heart just sink to think
that this is happening in our community.

Speaker 3 (12:19):
It's terrible.

Speaker 1 (12:20):
Well, and I suppose the thing is, though, like for
all of us, it does make your heart sink and
it makes you feel really upset that we're at this point.
But the difference is, I suppose between you and I,
is that you're a minister now and that you're actually
in a position where you can make some change and
where you can actually make a difference. So for you
this morning, I mean, what do you say to the

(12:40):
police's family. What are you going to do to try
and sort this shit show out that we are currently experiencing.

Speaker 3 (12:49):
Yeah, and it's a fair question.

Speaker 4 (12:50):
And being elevated into the ministry does give me additional
seat at the table. Since I've started, we've had a
number of meetings at cabinet and I have expressed my views,
which are privately held views within the cabinet, around how
we can work with this. And we've seen it with
the Summer Plan in Alice Springs. I contributed a lot
to that growing up in Alice Springs, and I think
we need to do more and replicate that Alice Springs,

(13:13):
Tenant Creek, Catherine and Darwin because we know this period
of time is also one where kids are out of school,
they're about to break for school if they haven't already,
and then they're doing things that means that they're going
to get in go like they shouldn't be breaking the law.
They just absolutely shouldn't be breaking the law. We need
to educate our kids and say to hey, don't do this.
Absolutely don't do this. There's no excuse and you can't

(13:35):
break the law.

Speaker 2 (13:37):
I can't even imagine what those cabinet conversations must be like,
because you would absolutely be hearing from community members right
across your cabinet of exactly what they're feeling and what
they're going through. And of course you all know of
the horrific incidences. The Chief Minister came out in March
after deck On Lavity was stabbed to death and she
did say, and you remember this, we need to stop

(13:57):
crying before it takes hold. And yet you've almost done
everything to enable more criminals to be out in the streets.
I mean, everything seems to be focused on let's give
them cuddles, let's give them therapy, let's talk about programs.

Speaker 5 (14:13):
But there's no consequences at all for this.

Speaker 2 (14:15):
And I mean the classic example of reducing increasing the
age of criminal responsibility, Like you said, Katie. These kids
are out in the street and they are doing they're
breaking the law. They're causing absolute misery and horror for
everyone around them, and it's because we have a government
that is will not or cannot deal with the fact

(14:35):
that we need to have changed there.

Speaker 1 (14:37):
I think it's because and Joel, please correct me if
I'm wrong, but I feel as though the problem that
we've got right now within the Northern Territory cabinet is
you've got some members of the cabinet whose ideological views
will not actually allow you to deal with the issue
at hand.

Speaker 4 (14:54):
Yeah, I'm not going to speak about ideology within the
cabinet room, but what I would say is there are
consequences when someone breaks the law. They are dealt with
in the way that the law sets out. And incarceration
rates are the highest in the western world. So there
are prisons that are full. And I've said that before
this on this prom The prisons are full and we
are giving consequences those who break the law. As you said,

(15:16):
the age of criminal responsibility is twelve, so someone who
is under twelve is not dealt within the same way
as someone who is fourteen or fifteen. And that's part
of the legal setup that we are within and that
the government has to preside over it. Now we're just
talking about the Matt Right case and the judiciary deals
with that. There are issues without our community that we
have to try and address, and we have.

Speaker 3 (15:37):
To continue to work.

Speaker 4 (15:38):
We've done a number of different things in the last
little while, you know, the wandering, the OC spray, transit
officers able to have OC spray now on buses. We
have to continue to work even harder, especially as I said,
during this period of time, which is the Christmas holiday, Pa, If.

Speaker 1 (15:53):
Those things aren't going to help the grammar that's been rolled, and.

Speaker 4 (15:59):
I understand that what I will commit to doing is
going to see Poppy because I know Poppy and her
family and having a conversation with them and seeing how
they're going and checking on them, but also then connecting
with Brent Potter, who's the new police Minister, and he's
working feverishly at this point to address a number of
these issues.

Speaker 1 (16:17):
Well, look, Poppy is going to join us on the
show this morning just after ten o'clock and tell us
more about exactly what's gone on. But Joel, does your
cabinet right now agree with each other on the approach
that you're taking towards crime or are there some of
you that think you need to go a bit harder
here and sort this out.

Speaker 4 (16:35):
Yeah, without going into the cabinet conversations, there are always
robust debates, and I think that's good. I think it's
good on a show like this. I think that's good
in the community, in the parliament and also in the cabinet.
So we do have a robust conversation and a debate
and then we come to a consensus position.

Speaker 1 (16:51):
But like seriously, because you know, look, you've been on
the show quite a few times. You're happy to come
and answer questions at a difficult question. You're part of
the community, as you've just said. You know, you're friends
with the politics family. You are in the community hearing
what people are saying. You must be pretty fed up
with having to look those people in the eye and

(17:13):
tell them what we're doing is enough when clearly it's not.

Speaker 4 (17:16):
Well, clearly, the one thing that I would go back
to in previous shows here is that I've never said
it's enough. We have to continue to work, we have
continue to try new options because clearly it's not working.
As you said, right, We're trying things and they don't work.
So we have to continue to evolve, and we have
to continue to look for better or new or different
options to deal with what is a scourge on our

(17:37):
community and on elderly, on young, on students, whatever is.

Speaker 3 (17:41):
We have to continue to work and try to address this.

Speaker 1 (17:45):
Cam You've lived here for a long time. I mean,
it's it. Have you ever had to report on these
kinds of issues as much as what we are at
the moment.

Speaker 6 (17:53):
Not to this extent, Kadie. No. One of the incidents
you mentioned a list of missidents this year.

Speaker 7 (17:58):
One of them that took place was at a service
in my Lac not so long ago, a couple of
months ago, when an attendant lost his eye when a
stick was thrown. It turned out the person through the
stick with seven or eight you know, a minor, you know,
incredibly young age. I've just I just had this picture
of them being dropped off home by the police. These kids,
you know, the same of these two girls who were involved,

(18:21):
the two miners involved in the Politess incident. I just
want to know what happens at that other end when
those under twelves are let back into the community after
committing an offense and that no one I'm with you, KDD.
No one wants to see the key throwing away for
these kids. But I think as territories we have a
right to know what happened. Are they just being dropped
off home and that's it?

Speaker 4 (18:39):
Yeah, And there's a big piece to be discussed and
articulated by territory families as well, and what programs and
then what gets put in place when a child.

Speaker 3 (18:49):
Is dropped home.

Speaker 4 (18:49):
And I wasn't aware that that incident was a seven
or eight year old.

Speaker 3 (18:53):
I knew that they were a child.

Speaker 4 (18:56):
And when a child gets dropped home and they're in
either the care of their responsible adult or with territory
families doing their part, that's what we need to articulate
better so that there is an understanding that police pick
someone up, they realize the age of that child and
the action that's happened. They're taken to either a responsible

(19:16):
adult or into the care of territory families. And that's
a piece we need to work at much much better,
and we need to do it quicker to free the
police up, because you don't want to have the police
tied up with a minor looking for that response.

Speaker 2 (19:31):
So now that the laws have changed, Katie, and we
don't we have that age of criminal responsibility of anyone
under twelve isn't addressed by police or they're not in
front of the courts.

Speaker 5 (19:40):
I mean, where is that data? I mean, the police
data doesn't.

Speaker 2 (19:43):
Show that anymore, and it's pushed to territory families. But
all these questions that the community has about well what
happens to that child? It never gets answered. All we
hear is a bit of mumbo jumbo. And I mean
my question when I think about a seven or eight
year old out doing those sorts of things, is where
are their parents? If they're being dropped home to a
responsible parent in adverted comments, I mean there's a big

(20:06):
problem there. Most territories would not they would know exactly
where their kids are and they would not put up
with that. I mean this, the whole system is absolutely broken.
And when you change the laws so that they can
get away with more and they're not dealt with and
they can be all basically muddled up and just lots
of words, and it just doesn't give anyone any confidence.
And the government has been in power for seven years.

(20:28):
Things are worse now than they've ever been before. They
are not showing any signs and I don't I can
hear what Joel is saying, but it's not giving anyone
any confidence.

Speaker 5 (20:36):
It really is not.

Speaker 2 (20:37):
It's like you're saying nothing just to get through the show.

Speaker 5 (20:41):
That's what it feels like.

Speaker 1 (20:42):
It's reached the point I think as well, where people
are no longer listening. Unfortunately, there are people that have
switched off to it because they don't believe that it's
going to make a difference. They do feel the government's
got a you know, I won't say tougher because I
don't think that's the expectation of the community. But I
think the expectation of the community right now is that
something has to change, and it has to change fast.

(21:06):
You know, what we are seeing is not appropriate, it's
not acceptable, and people no longer feel safe and you
can no longer speak the words. People have got to
see the actions, and that's where we're at right now.
People want to see the government step up. They want
to see you do what you are employed to do,
what you are elected to do, and they want to
see it happen quickly. Yeah, all right, We're going to

(21:30):
take a very short break. You are listening to Mix
one oh four nine's three sixty. It is the week
that was. If you've got something on your mind, feel
free to send us a message. There are a lot
of messages coming through on the text line this morning.
I will get to those throughout the morning. And just
a reminder that we are going to be speaking to
Poppy Politis just after ten o'clock this morning and hearing

(21:50):
more about that incident involving her mum. A lot of
you quite concerned about that on the text line. Now
we know that Alice Springs, as I touched on before,
it's gone through a very tough year. There is no
other way to put it. Throughout the week, more cars
were stolen. There was also a sexual assault in the
early hours of Monday morning. As of a little earlier

(22:12):
in the week, that person was still at large. We
do know that new programs over the summer holiday period,
it has been announced, are going to well. They're aimed
at keeping young people healthy and engaged and promoting a
community safety across Central Australia. So the federal government announcing

(22:33):
or going some way to providing some more clarity, I
guess you'd say on exactly how much and how that
two hundred and fifty million dollars with the Plan for
a Better Safer Future for Central Australia is going to
be spent. So we are going to see a new targeted,
culturally led diversion program for up to fifty at risk

(22:54):
Aboriginal young people in Allie Springs over the coming months.
So for these kids identify fighters particularly at risk, there
is going to be a service tailored culturally lead activities
and interventions such as therapeutic camps and day trips. Look,
I think it's a step in the right direction. I'm
just not sure why it's only happening now, right at

(23:14):
the end of the year, and why we didn't try
and get something going a bit earlier.

Speaker 4 (23:19):
And it's a good point, Katie, because I grew up
in al Springs and I know that when I was young,
we were active, we were engaged and therefore hopefully didn't
need diversion programs the Summer plan.

Speaker 3 (23:32):
Brent Potter's been down there regularly.

Speaker 4 (23:34):
I'm actually down in our Springs next week and then
i'll be down there over the Christmas period. We travel
down there and holiday with the in laws in our springs.
It's really important to have programs, to have something now
organized sports stops and school stops. So we need to
have an engagement strategy, and I think having the pool

(23:54):
open and being free to get in with lunch and
dinner available, food available is a good start. When I
was young, we sshed to go to the pool almost
every night after school. Mum needed to look after four
or five kids, and she's like, all right, take us
to the pool.

Speaker 3 (24:07):
Well that's an option over this summer period.

Speaker 4 (24:09):
Not forgetting that it can get to forty or forty
five degrees during the day in Al Springs over the
Christmas period.

Speaker 1 (24:16):
Look, I think that's part of it. But again I
think a lot of people sort of questioning, you know,
why we are in a situation where kids are just
continuing to be out on the streets even throughout the
school year, so even at a time when you would
suspect that they are busy and when they do have
activities to be engaged in. As I said, you know,
throughout this week, Loan can, there's been quite a few

(24:37):
car theft incidents that I know. The NT News has
reported on that there's been, you know, one vehicle ramming
a security car and the police.

Speaker 6 (24:46):
It's back to the future. It's where we wear in January.

Speaker 3 (24:48):
It's sovious.

Speaker 7 (24:49):
Climactic is to do with the weather, and it's to
do with behavior, and you know, the tough issues for
governments to deal with, but something's got to be done
in an environment like Alice Springs.

Speaker 3 (25:00):
So Joel's putting forward these.

Speaker 7 (25:01):
Measures that they're they're a start, there's something, but you know,
the government's focus is on a long term solution, you know,
a generational solution. I just not quite sure that's going
to be quick enough for the people that live in
the territory of them.

Speaker 2 (25:14):
But also you mentioned that you know, it's a summer plan,
Like I agree with you, Kaddy. These horrific incidences that
have been happening, and a lot of them are happening
with young people, have been happening all year at a
time where they are at school and are going to sport.
And we also know that though a lot of the
children around the territory are actually not going to school.

Speaker 3 (25:35):
So that's another issue.

Speaker 2 (25:36):
Rates are appalling, and I mean Natasha Files will continue
to say if you're in school, you're not committing crimes.
We can't even get these kids to school and I
think it just goes back to those.

Speaker 5 (25:48):
The programs that you talk about.

Speaker 2 (25:50):
What are they are they only just being stood up
for summer because they, you know, could they've been there
all year. I mean Marian Scrimmas came out this week, Yeah,
and she basically said to the labor government, her own
colleagues that you need to step up because those programs
went in place before they changed the age of criminal
responsibility on the show. I mean that was changed twelve
months ago. Imagine twelve months of the right programs with

(26:13):
the government that focuses on victims and making sure that
they're safe rather than focusing on.

Speaker 1 (26:19):
By Chancey Paig, the Attorney General, that they would all
be in place, that those programs would all be in place.
He had given us that commitment on this show. So
if that is not the case, why not.

Speaker 4 (26:31):
Well, there's a large number of not for profits or
NGOs as we call them in Alice Springs who do
run a wide range of different programs and they're the
ones that we we know about.

Speaker 3 (26:41):
In kids and adults utilize.

Speaker 4 (26:45):
I think the Summer Plan, though even though it's called
the Summer Plan, is something that we need to implement
over the longer term, like in Alis during the middle
part of the year, it's freezing cold, right, so you've
got to adapt your program or your plan for that
period of time. I think people forget in the top
band that Alice can get below zero in the winter
time and it's above forty five in the summer time.

Speaker 1 (27:05):
Look, I will say we have been told that Minister
for Territory Families Naiar kit and Minister for Police Brent
Potter are going to be holding a media event this
morning regarding the new Territory Families and Police corespond a
model to have child protection practitioners available at Alice Springs
Police station and a central safe place location in Palmerston. Look,

(27:28):
I think this is a good thing. I do think
that if we do have those Territory Families staff that
are able to respond, particularly when we're talking about some
of the youth crime that we've seen, and particularly when
you're talking about kids under the age of twelve, I
hope that this is something that does see some immediate impact.

Speaker 3 (27:48):
Kid's been really strong on this.

Speaker 4 (27:50):
She's coming to the Territory Famili's portfolio just recently, you know,
four or five weeks ago. She's been really strong and
not too still anyone's thunder. But they will be obviously
going out today and making further announcements along.

Speaker 3 (28:01):
With Brent Potter.

Speaker 4 (28:02):
They've got you've got two new ministers in new portfolios,
sorry new portfolios, one new minister on the other one.
But Brent and Naria kid clearly passionate and have been
empowered in their portfolios to make some change.

Speaker 1 (28:17):
Are they going to be operational like twenty four hours
a day.

Speaker 4 (28:20):
I'm not sure if it's twenty four hours a day.
Obviously the police are. I'm not one hundred percent sure
about the Territory Family's unit. But if we can stand
the Territory Family unit up as many hours as possible
during to day, because we know that it's not a
business hours model, right, It's not nine to five, it's
not eight to five or whatever it is.

Speaker 3 (28:38):
It's it's in the evening, in the night and in
the morning.

Speaker 7 (28:42):
It's a reflection just of the severity, in the seriousness
of what was going on in Alice in January. I've
just been told that ben Fordham's radiation pro Go on
two GB gives a ten thousand dollars prize for news
tip of the Year which Darren Clarks won't be right
to rating the profile of crime in Alice Springs, which
is a credit to his profile and his capacity to well.

Speaker 1 (29:03):
Do you know what, Like whether people like him or not,
what he has done all throughout the year is he
has kept the spotlight on our springs and he's kept
the spotlight on the issues that are absolutely impacting Central
Australia and it's been a horrendous time for them and
for so many people that live there. You know, we
are talking long term territories. We've got some wonderful, wonderful

(29:23):
people right around the Northern Territory and do you know
what that is what keeps I think everybody a little
bit positive is that you have got great people who
do want this place to thrive and we've got to
get back to the way that we once were. This
stuff that we're seeing at the moment's just not good enough.

Speaker 6 (29:38):
People like Darren Clark remember what it was like twenty five.

Speaker 1 (29:41):
Years that's right, that's exactly right.

Speaker 4 (29:43):
Well, I don't know what it was like twenty five
thirty years ago growing up in Ala Springs, and that's
why I'm in the position that I'm in. Courtesy of
the electorate of Johnston and the constituents there.

Speaker 3 (29:53):
But because I want to contribute to the Northern territory.

Speaker 1 (29:56):
Look, we are going to take a really quick break.
When we come back, I do want to talk about
the liquor store opening hours change and what it's going
to mean for some of those workers, and if we've
got a bit more clarity on exactly which locations are
going to be impacted. You're listening to Mix one O
four nine's three sixty. It is the week that was.
What we do know today or well as of Monday,

(30:16):
we are going to see those opening hours, the operating
hours for our bottle shops change. So the government announced
last week the changes around alcohol and ten till twelve
is the hours that a number of those well sorry,
they're no longer going to operate open from ten. They're
going to open from twelve. For a number of takeaway
out let's across Darwin and Palmeston. We've just had clarity

(30:38):
that it is Darwin, Palmerston and Cooler Linger which are included.
As I understand it, Howard Springs just found out that
they are all so included. Humpty Doo and Wogash are
not included. As far as I understand, Joel, is that
your understanding as a Minister for Business.

Speaker 3 (30:55):
So that's my current understanding, Codie.

Speaker 4 (30:58):
It's loosely at this point time, so not one hundred
percent guaranteed, but out to the Artum Highway, so clearly
the Humby tavels on the other side of the Artam
how a Virginia tavern wa guys out and around. So
that's where we will clarify that and get back to
you with the absolute map. We're just betting that down
at the moment. But as you said, it's going from

(31:19):
a ten am opening to a twelve noon opening and
that's for a trial period over the next couple of months.

Speaker 1 (31:25):
And so that's so just correct me if I'm wrong.
Above the Arnhem.

Speaker 5 (31:29):
Highlight, above the Itach. So Katie, today's Friday.

Speaker 2 (31:33):
These bottle shops and retailers have Monday, they'll have this
new law. Some of them are not even sure yet
whether they're going to be opening at ten or twelve.
I mean that just shows that this government does not
understand how business operates and they're planning and their rosters.

Speaker 5 (31:50):
I mean, a.

Speaker 2 (31:51):
Worker who doesn't know where they're going to be starting
at ten or twelve. I mean, we've all heard the
examples of some people who've had to have their hours cut,
the ones that I don't know if they will or not.
I mean, how awful is that? And right before Christmas
if you lost ten hours a week from your income,
that is huge.

Speaker 4 (32:07):
I appreciate the advice member for brandness a bit disingenuous.
I run a business for six years in Melbourne. I
know how to roster. I know how important it is
to give people the hours on a consistent basis. I
would hate for you to sit here and say that
I don't know how to run a business Friday. It's
a bit disingenuous two days, A bit disingenuous to say
that live on radio when I'm sitting here and I've
run a business in Melbourne in one of the busiest,

(32:29):
most competitive markets in Australia for cafe restaurants, for the
men I am standing up from. And that's what I'm
doing right now. And this is why we're going to
clarify it. And rosters can be altered.

Speaker 3 (32:40):
You should. You should understand this right, Rosters.

Speaker 4 (32:42):
Can we ago even though workers do need certainty and
I accept and respect that and workers have potentially lost
hours in this change. But to sit here it's a
bit disingenuous and mischievous to say that I don't understand
small business or business.

Speaker 2 (32:58):
We went to the hospitality luncheon and then and didn't
say a word about what was going to be happening.
And then the very next day the surprise came.

Speaker 3 (33:05):
Out by the Minister for Business.

Speaker 5 (33:08):
You're also the Minister for Hospitality.

Speaker 4 (33:09):
Minister for Businesses and Hospitality. I attended an event as
in vice.

Speaker 5 (33:13):
Did you know about it?

Speaker 3 (33:14):
The state? I stayed till dessert.

Speaker 4 (33:16):
Now, there were a number of other coalp people who attended,
members of that seal, people who didn't even see dessert
because you come in, you get your photo, and then
you piss off.

Speaker 5 (33:24):
Did you know about.

Speaker 3 (33:28):
I had leaders and mine?

Speaker 1 (33:30):
The fact is it's one thing whether you've had dessert,
But did you tell them that you're going to change
their bcauiness?

Speaker 3 (33:35):
As is now public?

Speaker 4 (33:36):
And I'm not only met with Alex Bruce and Paul
Palmer a couple of days or it might have been
a week prior to that event. In fact, I've met
with Alex Bruce twice since the announcement, and I accept
and respect their displeasure and their.

Speaker 3 (33:51):
Opposal to this change.

Speaker 4 (33:53):
I accept that, but we have to agree on some
things and then we're going to disagree with that. You've
sat here for the last forty five minute and tried
to accuse the government not doing anything and not having
a plan. It said, we're trying to do something in
the busiest period of time by changing the liquor hours,
and you know what, if it doesn't work after this trial,
then we're going to try something else. But it's disingenuous

(34:15):
by you men for friend to get here on your
high horse and have a crack at me about not
understanding small business because I do and I ran a
business in Melbourne for six years.

Speaker 1 (34:25):
Well, then I suppose you'd understand the impact that it's
having those on those employees who were saying to us
earlier in the week that they don't know what their
hours are going to be, and the impact that it's
going to have on them. Now, Yes, the next month,
I guess for the next month it's going to like
it's an interesting time to trial things because it is

(34:45):
a very busy time and it will mean that a
lot like a lot of workers will have maybe extended
hours because it's that Christmas trading period, so they may
be getting double time on some days and things like that.
But how are you going to measure the success or
the failure of these reduced hours.

Speaker 3 (35:05):
Yeah, it's a really good question.

Speaker 4 (35:07):
And what we'll do will work closely with police, will
work closely with retailers to check things like volume, volume
of alcohol, police reports of any social behavior, arrests, the
type of arrests, and what the assaults are. There'll be
a whole range of data put into this. Again, it
is a small ish period of time, being a couple

(35:27):
of months over the Christmas New Year period.

Speaker 3 (35:29):
I take your point. There will be penalty rates.

Speaker 4 (35:31):
There is a number of different public holidays which hard
working individuals will put their family second or their social
life second, and they will go and work, and all
credit to them, and I accept again, as I said before,
someone might lose ten hours a week and that's not
great for someone.

Speaker 3 (35:47):
During the Christmas period of time, there.

Speaker 4 (35:48):
Will be a lot of data collected where will work
and work and continue working to try and alleviate the
issues we've been talking about today.

Speaker 2 (35:56):
I think those people in Alice Springs will be watching
this space very closely. Because they will remember very well
when there was a trial, so an emergency power used
by the Chief Minister to reduce the bottle shop hours
in Alice Springs to reduce crime because of their police
resourcing issue. Of course, we know that since that time happened,
the alcohol sales are still on the rise, and so

(36:19):
are the alcohol related assaults. So is this trial going
to be just extended for another period? And I agree
with the question on what the data you're going to
be using, because there wasn't a lot coming out of
Ala Springs that looked like it was working. And then
is it just going to be a flash in the pan. Okay,
we're just going to do it for another eighteen months,
just like that did in Alice Springs.

Speaker 5 (36:38):
That impacts everybody.

Speaker 1 (36:40):
Look, you know, from a real punter perspective, like from
somebody who you know who's not a big drinker, I don't,
you know, I don't do a lot of binge drinking
or anything like that. I might have a bottle of
wine every couple of weeks, you know, but I do
enjoy being able to go and purchase my bottle of
wine if I so choose, or I do enjoy going
and being up to have a few sangreeas with dinner.

(37:01):
But from what I can see, and I guess what
everybody around the territory can see, is we have got
all of these different measures in place and fair enough.
But you know, the BDR was meant to be able
to work to stop the problem drinking that we see.
The flaw price was meant to be able to stop
the problem drinking that we are seeing. You know, we've
had a number of initiatives implemented to try to stop

(37:22):
the issues that we're seeing, yet they continue on. And
I don't disagree with the Northern Territory government taking some
tough steps to try and make a change. I think
that that absolutely has to happen. But you know, once again,
you know, the big thing is is that you do
have to consult with people and you do have to
make sure that they're aware of what is going on
if it's going to be impacting their daily business.

Speaker 7 (37:44):
The fact that the fact that the Chief Minister any
days earlier had made assurance as to hospitality NT that
there'd be no changes that would affect business operations days
before making an announcement which significantly changed business operations suggest
certainly that there isn't a.

Speaker 6 (37:59):
Plan and you can.

Speaker 7 (38:03):
Obviously you've got to try different things, and that's the
position we're at now, but we'd be really we need
to know what the outcomes are.

Speaker 1 (38:10):
And how Yeah, and look that I think is a
really good point, cam like, we need to know what's
actually working even with the BDR, with the different measures
that we have got in place, you know, what measures
are we actually using to see that they are working?
And you know, let's have a bit of a different
think about it.

Speaker 7 (38:28):
When the BDR was scrapped by the CLP in twenty twelve,
there was an instant reaction. Once the BDR went, there
was a response because nothing else was put in place.
But when the BDR operates for a long while, it
just seems to be it seems to be able to
be worked around by people that want to get alcohol.

Speaker 4 (38:44):
And I think unfortunately the BDR gets looked at in
isolation like we have to do everything and it's totality
with the palis with changing some hours. I mean, our springs,
as you know, have had significant changes to their operating
hours in Alice Springs. But we've got to do the
whole totality of the tactics and the options during this

(39:05):
period time and then review it.

Speaker 3 (39:07):
And we have to continue to.

Speaker 4 (39:08):
Plan act and then review, plan act and review because
as you said, it's not working as well as we want.
We want to change behavior, we want to improve the
community out of people's lives.

Speaker 1 (39:19):
And look, while we are talking about this, I think
it's important to also take a look at the emergency
presentations in a report. I think that you'd covered earlier
in the week cam where we've got the Northern Territory
has now got the highest rate of emergency presentations in
the country and the number of people visiting the department
and the length and the time that they're waiting is

(39:39):
at a teen year high. So it was this starter
released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare showing
that there were more than one hundred and eighty one
thousand presentations in twenty twenty two to twenty three financial year,
up from one hundred and seventy one thousand the previous year.
We spoke quite extensively about this. Yeares today massive numbers,

(40:01):
aren't they?

Speaker 7 (40:03):
They're enormous? And what impact is alcohol in all of that? Yeah,
I have to do with the stronger futures changes.

Speaker 1 (40:13):
Yeah, that's a fair point, the one which I hadn't
sort of thought of whether that has seen that increase
in numbers or not. We did speak to the head
of the AMA, Kath Oh sorry, doctor Robert Parker. We
also spoke to Kath Hatcher from the Nursing and We're
Free Federation yesterday. She said, right now in the Northern
Territory we are four hundred and twenty nurses full time

(40:34):
equivalent down. She said that it is worse than it
was during COVID exactly.

Speaker 4 (40:41):
We met with the an MF and T recently about
that and Kath's presented those numbers, but also the changing
behavior of the workforce that there has been a transient
nature because of the need and the demand on different skills.
I'm seeing as the Skills Minister at the moment we're
trying to attract talent, but other jurisdictions are one paying

(41:04):
a bit more and two providing incentives on that side.

Speaker 3 (41:08):
And so we are.

Speaker 4 (41:09):
We're short on nurses, we're short on doctors, we're short
on chippies and concretors and plumbers and Sparky's. We've got
to do a little bit more in the skills area
to attract people to the NT and I.

Speaker 2 (41:19):
Think when it comes to any of those skills, and
in particular this week, all the talk about the hospital
and what's going on there, it goes back to the
point that we have to make the territory attractive place
to want to come here and to stay here. I mean,
I've heard countless stories of people who come here to
work and then they just end up in being attacked

(41:40):
or just fear and going to the shops, all the
stuff we've already spoken about, just even today on this show, Katie,
and I think it goes back to the fact that
the government continued to focus on things like, as an example,
with the alcohol, the supply of the alcohol. So it's
always about how can we stop the supply, how can
we stop businesses from selling it, instead of focusing on

(42:01):
the demand that is needed for alcohol. If we were
to focus on those like chronic alcoholics, ones that do
cause misery to themselves and to plenty of others through
assaults or dv and all those horrific things that happen,
and also the ones that are in the families where
those kids do come out to the street, then we
can start to change things. This government is just hell

(42:21):
bent on focusing on all the wrong problems and prioritizing
I guess the wrong areas, which it just can't continue.
I mean, they're just doubling down on everything they do.
Territorians can see through the spin that they're spinning. They
can see things aren't changing. They can see things are
getting worse. If we can't fix our social issues, we

(42:43):
can't attract people to the territory, then we can't keep
them here and we're just going to continue to spiral downwards.
And that's nobody wants that territory. I've lived here my
whole life, and this is not the territory I know.

Speaker 1 (42:53):
We are going to have to take a very quick break.
If you're listening to Mix ONEOW four nine's three sixty
eighty is the week that was well, we are just
about ready to wrap up, but just on that discussion
that we're having a short time ago about the emergency
presentations to the hospitals across the Northern Territory. It was
a real hit this week when we learned that charles
Dale University wouldn't be getting the funding cam for the

(43:15):
medicine program that they were going to be delivering.

Speaker 6 (43:17):
It was a devastating blow for the territory.

Speaker 3 (43:19):
Katie.

Speaker 7 (43:19):
It was not noteworthy that the Prime Minister made a
very generous offer around the voice, which may not have
delivered any outcomes, but was a nice gesture. He was
an absolute opportunity to do something for the Northern Territory
for a very disadvantaged cohort of people health wise, and
the places didn't come to the territory. They got two

(43:40):
point eight million to advance the case for a medical
school next time at C do you but it's a
very very disappointing decision for the Northern Territory.

Speaker 4 (43:48):
And we need a medical school, we need we need medicine,
we need medical practitioners, and then we need to train
our own in the Northern Territory.

Speaker 1 (43:55):
It seemed like a no brainer to me. One of
our listeners suggested, well, why don't we make Palmers and
Regional Hospital a full facility for for our for indigenous
health and look at training people there, look at bringing
people to the Northern Territory that focus on those issues
that we only see in the Northern Territory that are
really unique to us here. In the endt I thought

(44:17):
do you know what these are? The kind of ideas
we do need to have sometimes to listen to them. Now,
oh well, Joel hey, that's your portfolio.

Speaker 3 (44:25):
My portfolio. Thanks coding.

Speaker 1 (44:27):
Look we are going to have to wrap up. It
is after ten o'clock. We've got a little bit over
this morning. Always good to have you all in this studio.
Mary Claire Boothby, thanks so much for your time this morning.

Speaker 5 (44:35):
Thank you, Katie.

Speaker 2 (44:36):
And don't forget that a lot of venues are selling
Palmestan Lions Christmas cakes.

Speaker 5 (44:40):
This in my office I am too and they are delicious, so.

Speaker 1 (44:43):
Thank you for bringing one in for us all this morning.
Much appreciated. Cam Smith from the Northern Territory News, thank
you for your time today.

Speaker 6 (44:49):
Great to be here, Katie Hey break to everyone.

Speaker 1 (44:51):
Yeah you too, thank you. And Joel Bouten, the Minister
for Business, and various other portfolios. It's hard to know
which one to say. Thank you for your time.

Speaker 3 (44:58):
Thank you. Cody