Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
The proposed art gallery Aboriginal Art Gallery and Alice Springs
is looking like it's dead in the water.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
The treasurer of Bill.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Yan yesterday tang telling ABC Alla Springs that he's scrapping
the project now. He spoke to the broadcaster and said
that he's going to write to the Federal Infrastructure, Transport
and Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King to
say the CELP is not going ahead with this project.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Bill Yan joins me on the line.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Good morning Bill, Good morning Katie, and good morning to
you listeners.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Bill.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
Have you written to the federal minister advising her that
you're pulling the pin on this project?
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Yes, we have, Katie a little went through to kats
and King yesterday to say that the CELP is not
going to proceed with atsiaga got to get off the
merrygo round, Katie with this has been going on for
over nine years now ran and ran in circles and
this is just the last iteration of Now we have
Marion Scrimjaw actively campaigning against gallery in a current site.
(00:57):
So in an all good faith I can't continue with
this project and won't if I'm not going to get
the support of the commrall it can't go ahead, and
it's pretty evident we're not going to get that bill.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Are you just throwing your toys out of the court here?
Are you going?
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Nu? I want to build it here, and I'm only
doing it at this scale, and I'm not prepared to
do it any differently.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
Well, I think we've got a little bit of a
history on the entire project, Katie. So the budget was
the budget we're looking at just on around one hundred
and sixty million dollars to delivered the project, some from
us and some from the Commonwealth. We found out when
we got into government that labor we're going to spend
in excess of three hundred million dollars on this gallery.
There's money that we don't have, Katie. I've only to
(01:37):
look at the state of our books and the one
point four billion dollar black hole that we inherited unfunded
projects and unfunded liabilities. So the money wasn't there. And
that's when I went back to the department and said, look, okay,
we'll do the gallery, but this is the budget. You've
got to deliver on that budget. And they went back
away and they done the design work to deliver on
that budget and then Marion's grimjaw come and said, no,
(02:00):
well I don't like the new design. I don't like
the location. Of course, then she's talking to the federal
minister advocating for that, and I think you going around
round in circle.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
Everybody. I totally get it that you know that if
we don't have the money, we don't have the money,
and so you've got to you know, you've got to
do it within scale, and you've got to do it
within you know, the remit that you can. So I
totally understand from that perspective. But I guess from the
other perspective. You know, Catherine King had told us on
the show last week that the money was still on
the table, but she said that that scope and scale
(02:32):
of the project had changed. I mean, the fact is,
obviously when you came in as the Treasurer and also
as the Minister for Infrastructure, the government of the day,
the CLP has had to look at this project and go,
how can we do it within the you know, within
the budget. You've had to change the scale, you've had
to change the location. But could you just sit back
(02:53):
at the table with Catherine King and go all right,
these are the reasons why and let's still move ahead.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Well, I think it's more than Catherine, I said, We've
got Mariage Shrimdaw is the one that's advocating and maunt
of that campaign that it can't go there, that it's
got to go halfway between Alice Springs and the airport. Now,
the whole idea with the gallery, and I said, I
think I've said it many times. I was sitting in
the room when the decisions were made by the Gunner
government back in late twenty sixteen. The gallery was to
(03:20):
go at the end of the all too apart from
a having that cultural icon, but secondly it was to
drive investment and of course business in the Todd Male
So what's the point of taking the gallery and plunging
it halfway to the airport. It's just it doesn't serve
any purpose. And that's what was being pushed by the Memophylingiaria.
(03:43):
We haven't seen Chancey back to the bot too.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
Yeah, Look, there is no doubt that this has been
sort of quite the debacle right from the get go.
I'm certainly not shying away from that. And to me,
this art gallery is not going to impact my life
in any way whether it goes ahead or not. But
you know, I'm watching on the abs SE news last
night and seeing retailers down the mall. You know, I'm
speaking to Daniel Rochford on Monday, and they're saying this
(04:06):
is going to have an impact, like it's going to
have a negative impact. The fact that it's now not happening.
I know the other side.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
Of the argument.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
We've certainly got people messaging in about this saying, you know, Wolfe,
we just can't afford it. But you know, people are
certainly tourism operators. I would imagine some are relying on
this going ahead and wanting it to go ahead.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
Absolutely, And it's been nine long years and im say
it's been an absolute debarkle Cadi. Four years Labor announced
it didn't do anything for four years and apart from
apparently having a lat has in them all and then
four years they finally decided to do something. Divided our
community completely and we've come in. We're picking up the
(04:49):
mess again. But I drop it squarely back on the
member Philingiari. She's the one where so we had the plans,
we had the money, we've done the scope, we get
delivered the deliver the gallery for the money that we
had in the location that we had, and this is
the location the previous government had compulsory acquired from the
l Springstown Council. So all that work's been done. I
(05:10):
can't go and change the location. Other world, we've got
to spend more money in the way the project met again.
So we had a location, we had a budget, and
we're able to deliver a gallery that had one hundred
square made his less exhibition space than the previous gallery
for the budget that we had. But it's just not
good enough for the memor filling gowerage that She's advocated
(05:30):
against it wide and far and advocating to Catherine King,
the federal Minister, for it not to go ahead there
and they said for us, okay, enough is enough. I'm
not going to go run and run in service for
another twelve months lady months.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
And what happens now though, I mean what happens now
though it's understood that the government is going to need
to account for the sixteen million dollars of Commonwealth funding
that's already been received for that gallery. So how do
you account for that or what's the go with that?
Speaker 3 (05:58):
Yeah? Well, the Commonwealth made aggress payment of sixty million
dollars that's still sitting there and that hasn't been so
it hasn't been used, so that that will return to
the Commonwealth. So when we do that, then we'll go
back and then we look at what we got left
and then how we invest that.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
Well, you know Robin Lamley is saying is need a
new hospital in Central Australia.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
Yeah, I think I need a little bit more than
what's on what's on off and for a new hospital
and all springs with that money case well and Bill.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
That probably takes me to my next point. You know,
what I'm hearing quite a bit over recent months is
the CLP government and the Federal Labor government. There's no
love loss between you guys, right Like, I get it,
and I understand that there's going to be rgi bargie
in different ways, particularly you know when you're wanting to
deliver projects and and things are going to have to
be downsized or downscaled or you know, it's difficult, but
(06:52):
at the end of the day, it's to the betterment
of all Territorians if you guys can work together. Now,
at the disk of sounding like a mother here, I
feel like the relationship is souring, and it's souring real fast,
and that is not going to be good for anybody
living in the Northern Territory.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
I think this project, I suppose is probably unique in
some respects, Katie. But I've got a very good relationship
with the Federal Minister, Katin King. We work together closely
on a number of different projects, and I think I
believe that relationship is still strong and it needs to
be strong for the betterment of the territory. So I'll
continue to work closely with the Federal Minister to make
(07:34):
sure that we're getting those projects done on budget and
on time that we've committed to. But the art gallery
projects now Springs has just been an absolute fast and
a debarkle for nine long years now, Katie. And I'm
not going to continue to throw good money after bad
when I know that I don't have support from the
federal member who's advocating against it. So well, I said,
(07:56):
that's why the decisions made to cut our losses on
the gallery and move on.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
Well, I know yesterday were saying, you know, at least
you had the you know what's to pull the pin.
I don't know that everybody will agree with that. I
know others will be quite disappointed it's not going ahead.
But look, a lot's happening in your portfolios at the moment.
On Monday, we are expecting our bus drivers to strike.
You know, what is your take on this? It's pretty
(08:19):
concerning stuff for everybody that catches public transport.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Yeah, look, this is going to be a disruptor to
the people of the Northern territory. Is this industrial action
being taken by the TWU. Were wearing fairly close contact
with CDC, who's the contractor and provided to make sure
that they're doing what they need to be doing as
far as their negotiations, because this is a so this
(08:45):
is the matter between CDC and of course they're drivers.
But yeah, we've been pretty clear with CDC that they
need to be doing everything they can to be seeking
a resolution because this affects territorium. Do you reckon I'll
be able to do with this resolvement?
Speaker 1 (09:00):
Do you reckon they'll be able to do it before Monday? Oh?
I hope.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
So look, look, negotiations are pretty fluid so on told
with CDC and the union, So I'm hoping that they
can reach a resolution before Monday. But I think I
said just in case the people of territory need to
be I suppose be ready in case they don't reach
a resolution, and then yeah, there won't be any public
(09:25):
transport on Monday. Look, bus services for schools are not
going to be affected. I think also for disabilities expected
special needs buses will still go. But this this is
an impulse on all territories. So yeah, we be working
(09:47):
with their their staff to make sure that they can
reach a resolution because I don't want to see this
continue to disrupt public the public transport for the people
of territory.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
We've got a few minutes left, a couple of things
I want to get through from October twenty seven. Of course,
commuters are going to need to adjust the new to
new pickup points and service arrangements as you guys the
government implement your bus safety reform strategy. So these changes
are going to see the Darwin and Casuarina bus interchanges
close in an effort to deliver a safer and.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
More reliable service.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
How exactly you know is the I suppose the getting
rid of these bus interchanges going to work. What kind
of impact might it have for people from October twenty seven.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
Well, I know that I at apartment and see this
getting that messaging out there as to what the change
will look like with the adviosure of those with the
Casual and the Darwin interchange. So what it means is
there be different stops around those areas you'll hop off
and you'll hop on to catch you if you're doing
a bust onto a different route. So that makes it
fairly simply. You just need to know which stop to
(10:52):
get off at. And of course a new bus tracker
wrap is out so you can track your bus real
time to see when I get off and when I
get onto the new bus. And but this is going
to of course do all sorts of things, particularly for
Casurina disclosure that interchangell do you reckon.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
It's going to have a big impact on some of
that anti social behavior that we have seen. I mean
particularly at that Casurina bus exchange.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
I believe, say Katy, I've been out there a number
of times and see what happens. So you've got a
lot of people condensing at the interchange catch buses. Then
that attracts more people and then we see conflict boats.
So by spacing it out around the entire Casuarina area.
It stops that conglomeration of people in one certain point,
so that will make significant changes there. And what it
(11:38):
also then does, Katie, is that it frees up our
transit security offices to be able to get out and
do more work on the buses because they were having
to deal with issues and as well as security at
those interchanges. So that frees those people up to get
out and do more active work out on the network.
So it's a plus plus and benefit to everybody. So
(11:58):
I'm really looking forward to this. And the next big
piece of work, of course, will be the Palmers In Exchange,
so the Department's working on that with CDC. That that's
a little bit further down a track is a little
bit more complex.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
Bill one last one before I let you go. Last
week we spoke extensively about the federal government's first home
bias scheme expansion. Now, real estate agents, mortgage brokers, industry
experts of all spoken to us in recent weeks and
said that the federal schemes cap needs to be lifted
from six hundred thousand.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
We know that that is what it's at.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
We all, I think, well, everybody's seeing that the median
house price has certainly gone up. You know, why do
you think this needs to be lifted. I know that
Luke Gosling had joined us on the show and he
basically said, well, you know, if the Northern Territory Treasurer yourself,
if you're calling on them to lift the cap, well
why don't you do the same as well for the
Northern Territory government first home biased scheme. I'll say to him,
(12:54):
I'll say to you what I said to him. I'm
not really interested in politics here. What I'm interested in
is this cap being lifted. You know, how do we
make it happen.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
Well, that's a pretty bold and I think silly statement
by Luke Gosling. Kady. We've got the most attracted first
home bio schemes in the country, thirty and fifty thousand
dollars of pead who want to build a new home.
So that's better than anything being offered by anybody else.
So for him to come out and say we need
to change, I think he needs to go home and
have a real hard look at himself in the mirror.
(13:26):
I can tell you. But what's happened. Darwin has has
had the largest increase in median house price anywhere in
the country. So I think we're I can't remember the
exact Descentdange, but I think fifteen or twenty percent increase.
So the median house price, the lowest house price now
is around about six hundred and forty thousand dollars on
average every other capital city in the country. Case he's
(13:49):
got an uplift all right, everybody else got an uplift
and our house prices are increasing more than theirs and
we didn't get an uplift bill.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
Have you.
Speaker 3 (13:59):
What's what you're doing with the feed Look, I don't
know to push them to increase that.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
I don't know whether he's going to come to the party.
I hope he does. But have you written to the
Federal Housing Minister about it as well?
Speaker 2 (14:09):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (14:09):
Yeah, no, we on that day, I believe that we
spoke Katia letters go on through to Clear O'Neil, the
minister in Canberra to go away, asking her to go
away and review what that cap is because the people
of Darwin Church are now missing out, so they're throwing
money obviously the people in the Eastern seaboard and over
in the West, but again inside the Commonwealth don't particularly
(14:31):
care about what's happening up here in the territory, and
first home buy as are missing out on that five
percent deposit from the Commonwealth, so we're asking the Commonwealth
to go away and reconsider that and increase it so
that we get a free of crack at it.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
Two. Well, let us know how you go, Treasurer Bill Yan,
thanks so much for your time this morning.
Speaker 2 (14:51):
Really appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
Cheers, Katie, have a great date you too.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
Thank you.
The proposed art gallery Aboriginal Art Gallery and Alice Springs
is looking like it's dead in the water.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
The treasurer of Bill.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Yan yesterday tang telling ABC Alla Springs that he's scrapping
the project now. He spoke to the broadcaster and said
that he's going to write to the Federal Infrastructure, Transport
and Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King to
say the CELP is not going ahead with this project.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Bill Yan joins me on the line.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Good morning Bill, Good morning Katie, and good morning to
you listeners.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Bill.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
Have you written to the federal minister advising her that
you're pulling the pin on this project?
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Yes, we have, Katie a little went through to kats
and King yesterday to say that the CELP is not
going to proceed with atsiaga got to get off the
merrygo round, Katie with this has been going on for
over nine years now ran and ran in circles and
this is just the last iteration of Now we have
Marion Scrimjaw actively campaigning against gallery in a current site.
(00:57):
So in an all good faith I can't continue with
this project and won't if I'm not going to get
the support of the commrall it can't go ahead, and
it's pretty evident we're not going to get that bill.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Are you just throwing your toys out of the court here?
Are you going?
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Nu? I want to build it here, and I'm only
doing it at this scale, and I'm not prepared to
do it any differently.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
Well, I think we've got a little bit of a
history on the entire project, Katie. So the budget was
the budget we're looking at just on around one hundred
and sixty million dollars to delivered the project, some from
us and some from the Commonwealth. We found out when
we got into government that labor we're going to spend
in excess of three hundred million dollars on this gallery.
There's money that we don't have, Katie. I've only to
(01:37):
look at the state of our books and the one
point four billion dollar black hole that we inherited unfunded
projects and unfunded liabilities. So the money wasn't there. And
that's when I went back to the department and said, look, okay,
we'll do the gallery, but this is the budget. You've
got to deliver on that budget. And they went back
away and they done the design work to deliver on
that budget and then Marion's grimjaw come and said, no,
(02:00):
well I don't like the new design. I don't like
the location. Of course, then she's talking to the federal
minister advocating for that, and I think you going around
round in circle.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
Everybody. I totally get it that you know that if
we don't have the money, we don't have the money,
and so you've got to you know, you've got to
do it within scale, and you've got to do it
within you know, the remit that you can. So I
totally understand from that perspective. But I guess from the
other perspective. You know, Catherine King had told us on
the show last week that the money was still on
the table, but she said that that scope and scale
(02:32):
of the project had changed. I mean, the fact is,
obviously when you came in as the Treasurer and also
as the Minister for Infrastructure, the government of the day,
the CLP has had to look at this project and go,
how can we do it within the you know, within
the budget. You've had to change the scale, you've had
to change the location. But could you just sit back
(02:53):
at the table with Catherine King and go all right,
these are the reasons why and let's still move ahead.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Well, I think it's more than Catherine, I said, We've
got Mariage Shrimdaw is the one that's advocating and maunt
of that campaign that it can't go there, that it's
got to go halfway between Alice Springs and the airport. Now,
the whole idea with the gallery, and I said, I
think I've said it many times. I was sitting in
the room when the decisions were made by the Gunner
government back in late twenty sixteen. The gallery was to
(03:20):
go at the end of the all too apart from
a having that cultural icon, but secondly it was to
drive investment and of course business in the Todd Male
So what's the point of taking the gallery and plunging
it halfway to the airport. It's just it doesn't serve
any purpose. And that's what was being pushed by the Memophylingiaria.
(03:43):
We haven't seen Chancey back to the bot too.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
Yeah, Look, there is no doubt that this has been
sort of quite the debacle right from the get go.
I'm certainly not shying away from that. And to me,
this art gallery is not going to impact my life
in any way whether it goes ahead or not. But
you know, I'm watching on the abs SE news last
night and seeing retailers down the mall. You know, I'm
speaking to Daniel Rochford on Monday, and they're saying this
(04:06):
is going to have an impact, like it's going to
have a negative impact. The fact that it's now not happening.
I know the other side.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
Of the argument.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
We've certainly got people messaging in about this saying, you know, Wolfe,
we just can't afford it. But you know, people are
certainly tourism operators. I would imagine some are relying on
this going ahead and wanting it to go ahead.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
Absolutely, And it's been nine long years and im say
it's been an absolute debarkle Cadi. Four years Labor announced
it didn't do anything for four years and apart from
apparently having a lat has in them all and then
four years they finally decided to do something. Divided our
community completely and we've come in. We're picking up the
(04:49):
mess again. But I drop it squarely back on the
member Philingiari. She's the one where so we had the plans,
we had the money, we've done the scope, we get
delivered the deliver the gallery for the money that we
had in the location that we had, and this is
the location the previous government had compulsory acquired from the
l Springstown Council. So all that work's been done. I
(05:10):
can't go and change the location. Other world, we've got
to spend more money in the way the project met again.
So we had a location, we had a budget, and
we're able to deliver a gallery that had one hundred
square made his less exhibition space than the previous gallery
for the budget that we had. But it's just not
good enough for the memor filling gowerage that She's advocated
(05:30):
against it wide and far and advocating to Catherine King,
the federal Minister, for it not to go ahead there
and they said for us, okay, enough is enough. I'm
not going to go run and run in service for
another twelve months lady months.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
And what happens now though, I mean what happens now
though it's understood that the government is going to need
to account for the sixteen million dollars of Commonwealth funding
that's already been received for that gallery. So how do
you account for that or what's the go with that?
Speaker 3 (05:58):
Yeah? Well, the Commonwealth made aggress payment of sixty million
dollars that's still sitting there and that hasn't been so
it hasn't been used, so that that will return to
the Commonwealth. So when we do that, then we'll go
back and then we look at what we got left
and then how we invest that.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
Well, you know Robin Lamley is saying is need a
new hospital in Central Australia.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
Yeah, I think I need a little bit more than
what's on what's on off and for a new hospital
and all springs with that money case well and Bill.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
That probably takes me to my next point. You know,
what I'm hearing quite a bit over recent months is
the CLP government and the Federal Labor government. There's no
love loss between you guys, right Like, I get it,
and I understand that there's going to be rgi bargie
in different ways, particularly you know when you're wanting to
deliver projects and and things are going to have to
be downsized or downscaled or you know, it's difficult, but
(06:52):
at the end of the day, it's to the betterment
of all Territorians if you guys can work together. Now,
at the disk of sounding like a mother here, I
feel like the relationship is souring, and it's souring real fast,
and that is not going to be good for anybody
living in the Northern Territory.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
I think this project, I suppose is probably unique in
some respects, Katie. But I've got a very good relationship
with the Federal Minister, Katin King. We work together closely
on a number of different projects, and I think I
believe that relationship is still strong and it needs to
be strong for the betterment of the territory. So I'll
continue to work closely with the Federal Minister to make
(07:34):
sure that we're getting those projects done on budget and
on time that we've committed to. But the art gallery
projects now Springs has just been an absolute fast and
a debarkle for nine long years now, Katie. And I'm
not going to continue to throw good money after bad
when I know that I don't have support from the
federal member who's advocating against it. So well, I said,
(07:56):
that's why the decisions made to cut our losses on
the gallery and move on.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
Well, I know yesterday were saying, you know, at least
you had the you know what's to pull the pin.
I don't know that everybody will agree with that. I
know others will be quite disappointed it's not going ahead.
But look, a lot's happening in your portfolios at the moment.
On Monday, we are expecting our bus drivers to strike.
You know, what is your take on this? It's pretty
(08:19):
concerning stuff for everybody that catches public transport.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Yeah, look, this is going to be a disruptor to
the people of the Northern territory. Is this industrial action
being taken by the TWU. Were wearing fairly close contact
with CDC, who's the contractor and provided to make sure
that they're doing what they need to be doing as
far as their negotiations, because this is a so this
(08:45):
is the matter between CDC and of course they're drivers.
But yeah, we've been pretty clear with CDC that they
need to be doing everything they can to be seeking
a resolution because this affects territorium. Do you reckon I'll
be able to do with this resolvement?
Speaker 1 (09:00):
Do you reckon they'll be able to do it before Monday? Oh?
I hope.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
So look, look, negotiations are pretty fluid so on told
with CDC and the union, So I'm hoping that they
can reach a resolution before Monday. But I think I
said just in case the people of territory need to
be I suppose be ready in case they don't reach
a resolution, and then yeah, there won't be any public
(09:25):
transport on Monday. Look, bus services for schools are not
going to be affected. I think also for disabilities expected
special needs buses will still go. But this this is
an impulse on all territories. So yeah, we be working
(09:47):
with their their staff to make sure that they can
reach a resolution because I don't want to see this
continue to disrupt public the public transport for the people
of territory.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
We've got a few minutes left, a couple of things
I want to get through from October twenty seven. Of course,
commuters are going to need to adjust the new to
new pickup points and service arrangements as you guys the
government implement your bus safety reform strategy. So these changes
are going to see the Darwin and Casuarina bus interchanges
close in an effort to deliver a safer and.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
More reliable service.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
How exactly you know is the I suppose the getting
rid of these bus interchanges going to work. What kind
of impact might it have for people from October twenty seven.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
Well, I know that I at apartment and see this
getting that messaging out there as to what the change
will look like with the adviosure of those with the
Casual and the Darwin interchange. So what it means is
there be different stops around those areas you'll hop off
and you'll hop on to catch you if you're doing
a bust onto a different route. So that makes it
fairly simply. You just need to know which stop to
(10:52):
get off at. And of course a new bus tracker
wrap is out so you can track your bus real
time to see when I get off and when I
get onto the new bus. And but this is going
to of course do all sorts of things, particularly for
Casurina disclosure that interchangell do you reckon.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
It's going to have a big impact on some of
that anti social behavior that we have seen. I mean
particularly at that Casurina bus exchange.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
I believe, say Katy, I've been out there a number
of times and see what happens. So you've got a
lot of people condensing at the interchange catch buses. Then
that attracts more people and then we see conflict boats.
So by spacing it out around the entire Casuarina area.
It stops that conglomeration of people in one certain point,
so that will make significant changes there. And what it
(11:38):
also then does, Katie, is that it frees up our
transit security offices to be able to get out and
do more work on the buses because they were having
to deal with issues and as well as security at
those interchanges. So that frees those people up to get
out and do more active work out on the network.
So it's a plus plus and benefit to everybody. So
(11:58):
I'm really looking forward to this. And the next big
piece of work, of course, will be the Palmers In Exchange,
so the Department's working on that with CDC. That that's
a little bit further down a track is a little
bit more complex.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
Bill one last one before I let you go. Last
week we spoke extensively about the federal government's first home
bias scheme expansion. Now, real estate agents, mortgage brokers, industry
experts of all spoken to us in recent weeks and
said that the federal schemes cap needs to be lifted
from six hundred thousand.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
We know that that is what it's at.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
We all, I think, well, everybody's seeing that the median
house price has certainly gone up. You know, why do
you think this needs to be lifted. I know that
Luke Gosling had joined us on the show and he
basically said, well, you know, if the Northern Territory Treasurer yourself,
if you're calling on them to lift the cap, well
why don't you do the same as well for the
Northern Territory government first home biased scheme. I'll say to him,
(12:54):
I'll say to you what I said to him. I'm
not really interested in politics here. What I'm interested in
is this cap being lifted. You know, how do we
make it happen.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
Well, that's a pretty bold and I think silly statement
by Luke Gosling. Kady. We've got the most attracted first
home bio schemes in the country, thirty and fifty thousand
dollars of pead who want to build a new home.
So that's better than anything being offered by anybody else.
So for him to come out and say we need
to change, I think he needs to go home and
have a real hard look at himself in the mirror.
(13:26):
I can tell you. But what's happened. Darwin has has
had the largest increase in median house price anywhere in
the country. So I think we're I can't remember the
exact Descentdange, but I think fifteen or twenty percent increase.
So the median house price, the lowest house price now
is around about six hundred and forty thousand dollars on
average every other capital city in the country. Case he's
(13:49):
got an uplift all right, everybody else got an uplift
and our house prices are increasing more than theirs and
we didn't get an uplift bill.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
Have you.
Speaker 3 (13:59):
What's what you're doing with the feed Look, I don't
know to push them to increase that.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
I don't know whether he's going to come to the party.
I hope he does. But have you written to the
Federal Housing Minister about it as well?
Speaker 2 (14:09):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (14:09):
Yeah, no, we on that day, I believe that we
spoke Katia letters go on through to Clear O'Neil, the
minister in Canberra to go away, asking her to go
away and review what that cap is because the people
of Darwin Church are now missing out, so they're throwing
money obviously the people in the Eastern seaboard and over
in the West, but again inside the Commonwealth don't particularly
(14:31):
care about what's happening up here in the territory, and
first home buy as are missing out on that five
percent deposit from the Commonwealth, so we're asking the Commonwealth
to go away and reconsider that and increase it so
that we get a free of crack at it.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
Two. Well, let us know how you go, Treasurer Bill Yan,
thanks so much for your time this morning.
Speaker 2 (14:51):
Really appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
Cheers, Katie, have a great date you too.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
Thank you.
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