September 1, 2024 • 17 mins
Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro talks about the first National Cabinet meeting. How quickly she will act and priorities around crime.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now we know.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
Leah Finocchio was last week officially sworn in as the
territory's fourteenth Chief Minister. The party deputy leader Jered Mailey
also sworn in as a minister by the Northern Territory
Administrator Hugh Higgey at Government House. Now, missus Finocchio is
the first woman to serve as a non labor chief Minister.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
She joins me in the studio right now. Good morning
to you, Leah.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
Good morning Katie, and to all your listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
How has that first week been in the role.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
Oh, it's been an excellent week, Katie. It's such an
honor and a privilege to be the Territory's Chief Minister.
And I wasted no time. It was really important to
me that Territorians saw that I understand the huge job ahead,
and so Sunday morning I met straight away with the
Police Commissioner and the Chief executive of all of government
and it's been an excellent week of turning the time.
(00:50):
I mean, this is a very big ship that was
going in the wrong direction, Katie, and so that work
to turn her around is going to take some time,
but I think for the first time in a long time,
we're going forwards, not backwards as a territory and people
feel they feel hopeful and optimistic, which is really important.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
One of the first things that you're going to have
to do as well this week is head along to
the first National Cabinet meeting as the Chief Minister.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
When's that happening, So that's happening on Friday and Thursday.
There are meetings as well, so it's a really excellent
opportunity for me to go down and meet all of
my counterparts at the other state and territory levels and
the Prime Minister and make sure we reset that relationship
and reset the agenda. We know the territory relies very
(01:35):
heavily on the federal government, but it needs to be
a partnership and I want him to know we're here
to work collaboratively with the federal government. I know domestic
and family violence will be a big part of our
agenda and the COLP committed one hundred and eighty million
dollars over those five years, but we're going to need
important levels of support from the federal government and it's
(01:57):
important for me to make sure my state and territory
colleagues also understand that the territory has the worst levels
of domestic and family violence in this country and we
have a lot of needs that have to be met.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
Yeah, look, I'm going to get to that a little
bit more in just a moment before we go there. Though,
I understand that Jared Maylee is also off to the
North Australia Forum, so I mean he's taking on that
North Australia portfolio this point in time. But what's that
meeting all about?
Speaker 3 (02:26):
So, Madeline King, the federal minister reached out, which was excellent,
and Jared will head along to that meeting. Again, it's
about state and territory counterparts coming together to discuss that agenda. Now,
right throughout the campaign, I've been very very vocal about
the importance of resetting the Northern Australia agenda. There's a
(02:47):
lot of talk about it at a federal level, but
as Territorian's experience right now, you know, there's been very
little by way of actually delivering on those commitments. So
it's important we put our best foot forward on all
of these national platforms to make sure people acutely understand,
most importantly that the territory has everything that the rest
of this country needs. Katie, we are here to help.
(03:09):
We can change the economy for this country and of
course for Territorians, but people have to understand that we
need investment in infrastructure and we need a change in
policy framework to deliver it.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Should they expect a constructive yet tough approach from the
new government here in the Northern Territory.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
Absolutely, it's got to be constructive because we have to
take people on this journey with us, but we have
to hold each other accountable and the territory will have
to do its share of the lifting as well, and
we're very ready for that. But we've got to reset
that relationship. We have to make sure that the rest
of this country understands what the territory has to offer
and what our role is in this nation going forward,
(03:51):
and then in response to that be supported to unlock
that opportunity and potential.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
All right, Lea.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
One of the biggest questions that I keep getting asked
at this point in time, and I'm sure all you're
getting asked, is when are we going to learn who's
taking on what portfolios, who's going to be minister for wash.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
Yeah, So next Tuesday we will there'll be nine cabinet
ministers sworn in you should find out next Monday afternoon,
once everything's finalized from the Electoral Commission perspective. But I
know people are excited to see the change. We will
make sure everyone understands very clearly it's about reshaping our
(04:26):
public service to be more agile, to respond to our
policy platform as well. We've got very clear priorities, Katie,
and that's what Territorians voted for, and so we must
deliver on those, starting with law and order.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
So nine nine cabinet positions because it was eight? Wasn't
there under labor?
Speaker 3 (04:43):
Yeah, that's right. In the at the end of labor
they had eight. I'm not sure of the reasons for that.
Traditionally it is nine, and I think predominantly it's been nine,
and that's about sharing the load to make sure we
can have the focus and when people see how we
will reshape the government sector, people will really clearly be
able to see that it aligns with those three priorities
(05:04):
around law and order, rebuilding our economy and our lifestyle.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Is it going to be more expensive though, I suppose
it's something that people are going to ask if we're
going from eight to nine.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
Oh no, the budget remains the same it's just spent
across less people up there, and really, in the scheme
of eleven billion dollar debt, it's not something people need
to be worried about. What we're really focused on is
delivering change. That's what people have voted for and so
that's what we need to get on with.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
Now. How come waiting until next Tuesday because people were
hoping I suppose that it was going to happen this week.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
Yeah, Look, we as the Electric Commission, will no doubt
explain for your listeners that counting continues. There's a couple
of close seats there and so Monday, once the declaration's done,
that means Tuesday we're ready to go and we are
hitting the ground running. It's been an excellent first week.
This week will reset the agenda at a federal level,
and importantly, and remissing me not to mention earlier in
(05:58):
my conversations with the Prime Minister, I will also be
raising with him the significant law and order issues we
have and the role the federal government can play. We
know they promised two hundred and fifty million dollars to
Alice Springs quite a while ago and that hasn't been
delivered and so we must be again holding each other
accountable for our part in turning the territory around.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Now, on that issue of law and order, one of
the moves that we saw from you last week was
this step for more Northern Territory police officers to be
out in uniform and those unmarked cars being transitioned to
police branding in an effort to make their presence seen
and felt. Now, was that a directive from you to
the Commissioner. No.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
No, we sat down and expressed to him in no
uncertain terms that we must do whatever it takes. We
talk through a number of things that we could do
to strengthen community safety, but of course support our police
and I have been very very clear we must back
our men and women in blue so that we can
be safe, and so this was one of the options
that was put forward. I think it's an excellent idea
(07:02):
to have as many police as possible in uniforms on
the front line. It will make people not only feel safe,
but it allows that proactive policing to make sure things
don't escalate and get so severe. And it's all part
of a bigger response we need to have.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
Well, part of that bigger response that you have indeed
promised as well is the raising of the sorry, the
re lowering i should say, of the age of criminal responsibility,
as well as the introduction of Decklan's Law when Parliament
sits now that re lowering of the age, when's that
going to happen?
Speaker 1 (07:34):
Yep.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
So that's all set for the first sittings of Parliament,
which at this stage indicatively will be around late October.
And it's very very important that that legislative reform is done.
We know we need to be resetting and reframing law
and order in the territory and a lot of that
comes down to consequences for offending, dealing with the root causes,
(07:56):
and backing our police with the laws that they need
to do their job. So we are working very very
busily on being prepared to deliver on all of those
commitments at that first sittings as we promise, and all
of that is on track, which is excellent news for
territorians and our police.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Spi hood's going to be back on youth as well.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
Yep.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
So that was a commitment we've made for a number
of years that we need our police in corrections officers
to have every tool available to them. I'll be meeting
with the Police Commissioner later today and that's one of
the items on our agenda. And so it's about making
sure that we have practical mechanisms for our police to
keep themselves and our community safe. We know that our
(08:37):
police assaults are through the roof, which is why we're
also having that minimum mandatory sentencing for assaults on any worker.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
Now I touched on this just a moment ago. Yesterday
there was an incident at will Worth CBD. We're really
quite a large group of people were fighting. Witnesses will
say that you know, well, I've actually I mean I've
seen the vision these not only people fight, but there's
people then sort of trying to run to their cars
trying to get away. One of those witnesses was a
(09:05):
ten year old boy with special needs. Now he's been traumatized,
according to his parents, and I'm not surprised. What can
you sort of say to Territorians this morning that have
this behavior has become all too common? Right, We've reached
a point where you go, well, is something like this
going to happen when you're out and you change the
way that you're doing things, you change the places that
(09:27):
you're shopping, you're changing how you're living your life. What's
your message to Territorians this morning, including you know, the
family of this little ten year old, who are no
doubt questioning whether this is the place that they should
continue to raise their kids.
Speaker 3 (09:41):
Yeah, and people have been asking themselves that question for
a really long time, Katie. And that's exactly why I'm
sitting here. It's because I stood up with my team
and said enough is enough, and Territorians voted resoundingly for
that change. So you know that change will take some time,
but it's well underway, and it's about backing those police,
getting our laws ready. And at the end of the day,
(10:04):
this is totally unacceptable. No one deserves to be unsafe,
let alone see these high levels of violence. Our kids
don't deserve to be traumatized, and we shouldn't be planning
how we go to buy our groceries based around a
personal safety response. That's just out of control.
Speaker 1 (10:23):
But in a lot of cases, people are drinking in public.
Speaker 3 (10:26):
Yes, players as well, So is that.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
A priority to try and get under control?
Speaker 3 (10:30):
It certainly is. Those laws are already being drafted. I
met with Parliamentary Council last week We committed to making
sure our police have better powers to deal with public
drinking problem drunks, and this is all part of it.
It's not just the police response, it's the other agencies.
It's about public drinking and dealing with things early. It's
health as well. You know a lot of people come
(10:51):
in from community to receive health care and then they're
stranded in Darwin. So I've said in my meetings with
all agencies CEE that this is everyone's responsibility and I
am expecting them to come back to me with how
their agency can support safer communities.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
I want to talk about that and talk about police
response because that issue of domestic violence as well is
something that's absolutely crippling the Northern Territory. I mean you
touched on it just a couple of moments ago, and
last week the Australian newspaper was reporting that Northern Territory
police were too busy to conduct a welfare check for
a malacc woman nine hours before.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
She was allegedly murdered by her partner.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
The forty three year old woman was found dead in
her home on the twenty first of August following a
report to police at twelve ten am Now. A man
was later charged with murder as well as breaching a
domestic violence order. The Australian reported that on Thursday, Territory
families had requested a welfare check for that woman at
(11:54):
about three pm, just nine hours before her death. But
it's been that police were unable to attend due to
higher priority incidents. What's been your reaction to.
Speaker 3 (12:06):
This, Well, it's devastating, Katie, and it's again another loss
of life that shouldn't have happened. And this domestic violence
issue is significant and we i mean, it's the agenda
for that national Cabinet come Friday. But you know, this
is why we can't ignore crime escalating or our police.
(12:28):
What we have now is a situation in the territory
where the volume of crime is so high that our
police can't even keep on top of it. Now, that's
not their fault, that's a failure of policy a very
very long a very very long time, and so you
know it's just heartbreaking. This is this is what we
are here to address, and this is the work that
(12:49):
now has to take place so that we can free
up our police, be making sure other agencies are doing
their role as well, and that we have the right
support and funding in the right areas to make the
territory safer.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
I mean. The Australian reported that police initially said at
a press conference that they'd received no calls from neighbors
in relation to that incident until the alleged murder was reported,
but a Northern Territory Police spokesperson had then told the
Northern Territory News as I understand it, that at least
one report had been made to police in the afternoon prior, like,
(13:21):
have you spoken specifically to the police about.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
This or are you going to be speaking to the
commissioner about it?
Speaker 3 (13:26):
Thesavo, That's what we're talking about this afternoon, katiom. So
you know, again, this is a demand issue, and this
is an issue of other agencies playing their part as well,
and I've made it very clear to all agency CEOs
that that is my expectation and so that will be
around information sharing, it will be around reshaping the public service.
(13:47):
I've also been very clear that Territory Families needs to
be focused on the care and protection of children and
that there are other agencies that need to do the
other work.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
So you reckon in this instance, maybe could other agency
have done a welfare check or is that the job
the police?
Speaker 3 (14:03):
Yeah, potentially. I don't know those details, but what we
know is that we all need to be doing more
to reduce crime overall, so that our police are dealing
with the really important issues and that we're seeing a
lowering of the levels of crime in the first place.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
Now, I do want to ask as well, just as
a follow on from that situation in the CBD, because
I think people are so supportive of the Northern Territory
Police right and we understand that they've got a huge,
huge job on their hands. But even yesterday, my understanding
is that some of the people that were fighting had
hammers wow, And that then when the police turned up.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
I don't know whether all of.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
Those people dispersed or exactly what went on, but nobody
was taken away in the paddy wagon, is my understanding.
So I think this is where the breakdown is starting
to happen as well. Right from the public, we're going, well,
hang on, there can be a huge fight and people armed,
and then it seems like nothing happens afterwards.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
It's rightly or wrongly, that's the perception then.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
From a lot of people where they go, well, how
come some people are breaking the law and there's no
consequence to.
Speaker 3 (15:09):
Us exactly, and that's what we need to be restoring
as consequences. So some of that is legislative reform. Some
of that is, you know, supporting our police to be
doing the things they need to be able to do.
I certainly will follow that up with the Police Commissioner
in my meeting with him today. But you're right, people
who don't meet the community's expectation and who are serious
(15:31):
and violent offenders. This is why we're preparing that law
because we cannot have this. This is totally unacceptable. People
deserve to be saved. And I've said it once, I've
said it a thousand times. We need to do whatever
it takes to restore community safety.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
No, I am jumping around a bit here, so I
do apologize, but just jumping back to domestic violence and
the situation there. We've spoken about this situation last week
as well with Robin Lamley the Independent. We'd also spoken
with just Enter Price, the COLP Senator for the Northern Territory,
and it's sort of been questioned whether we need like
(16:06):
a domestic violence task for so I don't know how
I'm not an expert in this space, so i don't
know how things are currently dealt with, but to have
a woman in that situation is nothing short of heartbreaking,
and it just makes me question the way in which
we are dealing with things and how it may be
approached differently, or how we can listen to those experts
(16:27):
that are maybe calling for some really serious reform and
that needs based funding, and what can potentially be done
to stop this from happening again.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
Yeah, exactly. I know we have an excellent unit within
our police, but again it comes down to that there's
not enough women's shelters. Is there enough support at that
end to be protecting women and children also our work
so we are now commencing work around electronic monitoring of
domestic violence offenders and what we can do there to
(16:56):
better protect victims around knowing where their perpetrator is, police
having oversight of that. So there is a lot of
work that can be done to strengthen this area. It's
what I will talk to my colleagues, federal colleagues about
on Friday as well. But we were very clear around
electronic monitoring for domestic violence offenders, and I'm very keen
to hear from the sector as well as from our police,
(17:17):
because they're different responses. Police response is one thing, but
then sector support is another about how we can strengthen that.
And again we've put that one hundred and eighty million
on the table and so now is now the process
commences of doing things differently to make sure that we're
supporting safer communities.
Now we know.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
Leah Finocchio was last week officially sworn in as the
territory's fourteenth Chief Minister. The party deputy leader Jered Mailey
also sworn in as a minister by the Northern Territory
Administrator Hugh Higgey at Government House. Now, missus Finocchio is
the first woman to serve as a non labor chief Minister.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
She joins me in the studio right now. Good morning
to you, Leah.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
Good morning Katie, and to all your listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
How has that first week been in the role.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
Oh, it's been an excellent week, Katie. It's such an
honor and a privilege to be the Territory's Chief Minister.
And I wasted no time. It was really important to
me that Territorians saw that I understand the huge job ahead,
and so Sunday morning I met straight away with the
Police Commissioner and the Chief executive of all of government
and it's been an excellent week of turning the time.
(00:50):
I mean, this is a very big ship that was
going in the wrong direction, Katie, and so that work
to turn her around is going to take some time,
but I think for the first time in a long time,
we're going forwards, not backwards as a territory and people
feel they feel hopeful and optimistic, which is really important.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
One of the first things that you're going to have
to do as well this week is head along to
the first National Cabinet meeting as the Chief Minister.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
When's that happening, So that's happening on Friday and Thursday.
There are meetings as well, so it's a really excellent
opportunity for me to go down and meet all of
my counterparts at the other state and territory levels and
the Prime Minister and make sure we reset that relationship
and reset the agenda. We know the territory relies very
(01:35):
heavily on the federal government, but it needs to be
a partnership and I want him to know we're here
to work collaboratively with the federal government. I know domestic
and family violence will be a big part of our
agenda and the COLP committed one hundred and eighty million
dollars over those five years, but we're going to need
important levels of support from the federal government and it's
(01:57):
important for me to make sure my state and territory
colleagues also understand that the territory has the worst levels
of domestic and family violence in this country and we
have a lot of needs that have to be met.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
Yeah, look, I'm going to get to that a little
bit more in just a moment before we go there. Though,
I understand that Jared Maylee is also off to the
North Australia Forum, so I mean he's taking on that
North Australia portfolio this point in time. But what's that
meeting all about?
Speaker 3 (02:26):
So, Madeline King, the federal minister reached out, which was excellent,
and Jared will head along to that meeting. Again, it's
about state and territory counterparts coming together to discuss that agenda. Now,
right throughout the campaign, I've been very very vocal about
the importance of resetting the Northern Australia agenda. There's a
(02:47):
lot of talk about it at a federal level, but
as Territorian's experience right now, you know, there's been very
little by way of actually delivering on those commitments. So
it's important we put our best foot forward on all
of these national platforms to make sure people acutely understand,
most importantly that the territory has everything that the rest
of this country needs. Katie, we are here to help.
(03:09):
We can change the economy for this country and of
course for Territorians, but people have to understand that we
need investment in infrastructure and we need a change in
policy framework to deliver it.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Should they expect a constructive yet tough approach from the
new government here in the Northern Territory.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
Absolutely, it's got to be constructive because we have to
take people on this journey with us, but we have
to hold each other accountable and the territory will have
to do its share of the lifting as well, and
we're very ready for that. But we've got to reset
that relationship. We have to make sure that the rest
of this country understands what the territory has to offer
and what our role is in this nation going forward,
(03:51):
and then in response to that be supported to unlock
that opportunity and potential.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
All right, Lea.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
One of the biggest questions that I keep getting asked
at this point in time, and I'm sure all you're
getting asked, is when are we going to learn who's
taking on what portfolios, who's going to be minister for wash.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
Yeah, So next Tuesday we will there'll be nine cabinet
ministers sworn in you should find out next Monday afternoon,
once everything's finalized from the Electoral Commission perspective. But I
know people are excited to see the change. We will
make sure everyone understands very clearly it's about reshaping our
(04:26):
public service to be more agile, to respond to our
policy platform as well. We've got very clear priorities, Katie,
and that's what Territorians voted for, and so we must
deliver on those, starting with law and order.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
So nine nine cabinet positions because it was eight? Wasn't
there under labor?
Speaker 3 (04:43):
Yeah, that's right. In the at the end of labor
they had eight. I'm not sure of the reasons for that.
Traditionally it is nine, and I think predominantly it's been nine,
and that's about sharing the load to make sure we
can have the focus and when people see how we
will reshape the government sector, people will really clearly be
able to see that it aligns with those three priorities
(05:04):
around law and order, rebuilding our economy and our lifestyle.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Is it going to be more expensive though, I suppose
it's something that people are going to ask if we're
going from eight to nine.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
Oh no, the budget remains the same it's just spent
across less people up there, and really, in the scheme
of eleven billion dollar debt, it's not something people need
to be worried about. What we're really focused on is
delivering change. That's what people have voted for and so
that's what we need to get on with.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
Now. How come waiting until next Tuesday because people were
hoping I suppose that it was going to happen this week.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
Yeah, Look, we as the Electric Commission, will no doubt
explain for your listeners that counting continues. There's a couple
of close seats there and so Monday, once the declaration's done,
that means Tuesday we're ready to go and we are
hitting the ground running. It's been an excellent first week.
This week will reset the agenda at a federal level,
and importantly, and remissing me not to mention earlier in
(05:58):
my conversations with the Prime Minister, I will also be
raising with him the significant law and order issues we
have and the role the federal government can play. We
know they promised two hundred and fifty million dollars to
Alice Springs quite a while ago and that hasn't been
delivered and so we must be again holding each other
accountable for our part in turning the territory around.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Now, on that issue of law and order, one of
the moves that we saw from you last week was
this step for more Northern Territory police officers to be
out in uniform and those unmarked cars being transitioned to
police branding in an effort to make their presence seen
and felt. Now, was that a directive from you to
the Commissioner. No.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
No, we sat down and expressed to him in no
uncertain terms that we must do whatever it takes. We
talk through a number of things that we could do
to strengthen community safety, but of course support our police
and I have been very very clear we must back
our men and women in blue so that we can
be safe, and so this was one of the options
that was put forward. I think it's an excellent idea
(07:02):
to have as many police as possible in uniforms on
the front line. It will make people not only feel safe,
but it allows that proactive policing to make sure things
don't escalate and get so severe. And it's all part
of a bigger response we need to have.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
Well, part of that bigger response that you have indeed
promised as well is the raising of the sorry, the
re lowering i should say, of the age of criminal responsibility,
as well as the introduction of Decklan's Law when Parliament
sits now that re lowering of the age, when's that
going to happen?
Speaker 1 (07:34):
Yep.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
So that's all set for the first sittings of Parliament,
which at this stage indicatively will be around late October.
And it's very very important that that legislative reform is done.
We know we need to be resetting and reframing law
and order in the territory and a lot of that
comes down to consequences for offending, dealing with the root causes,
(07:56):
and backing our police with the laws that they need
to do their job. So we are working very very
busily on being prepared to deliver on all of those
commitments at that first sittings as we promise, and all
of that is on track, which is excellent news for
territorians and our police.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Spi hood's going to be back on youth as well.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
Yep.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
So that was a commitment we've made for a number
of years that we need our police in corrections officers
to have every tool available to them. I'll be meeting
with the Police Commissioner later today and that's one of
the items on our agenda. And so it's about making
sure that we have practical mechanisms for our police to
keep themselves and our community safe. We know that our
(08:37):
police assaults are through the roof, which is why we're
also having that minimum mandatory sentencing for assaults on any worker.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
Now I touched on this just a moment ago. Yesterday
there was an incident at will Worth CBD. We're really
quite a large group of people were fighting. Witnesses will
say that you know, well, I've actually I mean I've
seen the vision these not only people fight, but there's
people then sort of trying to run to their cars
trying to get away. One of those witnesses was a
(09:05):
ten year old boy with special needs. Now he's been traumatized,
according to his parents, and I'm not surprised. What can
you sort of say to Territorians this morning that have
this behavior has become all too common? Right, We've reached
a point where you go, well, is something like this
going to happen when you're out and you change the
way that you're doing things, you change the places that
(09:27):
you're shopping, you're changing how you're living your life. What's
your message to Territorians this morning, including you know, the
family of this little ten year old, who are no
doubt questioning whether this is the place that they should
continue to raise their kids.
Speaker 3 (09:41):
Yeah, and people have been asking themselves that question for
a really long time, Katie. And that's exactly why I'm
sitting here. It's because I stood up with my team
and said enough is enough, and Territorians voted resoundingly for
that change. So you know that change will take some time,
but it's well underway, and it's about backing those police,
getting our laws ready. And at the end of the day,
(10:04):
this is totally unacceptable. No one deserves to be unsafe,
let alone see these high levels of violence. Our kids
don't deserve to be traumatized, and we shouldn't be planning
how we go to buy our groceries based around a
personal safety response. That's just out of control.
Speaker 1 (10:23):
But in a lot of cases, people are drinking in public.
Speaker 3 (10:26):
Yes, players as well, So is that.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
A priority to try and get under control?
Speaker 3 (10:30):
It certainly is. Those laws are already being drafted. I
met with Parliamentary Council last week We committed to making
sure our police have better powers to deal with public
drinking problem drunks, and this is all part of it.
It's not just the police response, it's the other agencies.
It's about public drinking and dealing with things early. It's
health as well. You know a lot of people come
(10:51):
in from community to receive health care and then they're
stranded in Darwin. So I've said in my meetings with
all agencies CEE that this is everyone's responsibility and I
am expecting them to come back to me with how
their agency can support safer communities.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
I want to talk about that and talk about police
response because that issue of domestic violence as well is
something that's absolutely crippling the Northern Territory. I mean you
touched on it just a couple of moments ago, and
last week the Australian newspaper was reporting that Northern Territory
police were too busy to conduct a welfare check for
a malacc woman nine hours before.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
She was allegedly murdered by her partner.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
The forty three year old woman was found dead in
her home on the twenty first of August following a
report to police at twelve ten am Now. A man
was later charged with murder as well as breaching a
domestic violence order. The Australian reported that on Thursday, Territory
families had requested a welfare check for that woman at
(11:54):
about three pm, just nine hours before her death. But
it's been that police were unable to attend due to
higher priority incidents. What's been your reaction to.
Speaker 3 (12:06):
This, Well, it's devastating, Katie, and it's again another loss
of life that shouldn't have happened. And this domestic violence
issue is significant and we i mean, it's the agenda
for that national Cabinet come Friday. But you know, this
is why we can't ignore crime escalating or our police.
(12:28):
What we have now is a situation in the territory
where the volume of crime is so high that our
police can't even keep on top of it. Now, that's
not their fault, that's a failure of policy a very
very long a very very long time, and so you
know it's just heartbreaking. This is this is what we
are here to address, and this is the work that
(12:49):
now has to take place so that we can free
up our police, be making sure other agencies are doing
their role as well, and that we have the right
support and funding in the right areas to make the
territory safer.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
I mean. The Australian reported that police initially said at
a press conference that they'd received no calls from neighbors
in relation to that incident until the alleged murder was reported,
but a Northern Territory Police spokesperson had then told the
Northern Territory News as I understand it, that at least
one report had been made to police in the afternoon prior, like,
(13:21):
have you spoken specifically to the police about.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
This or are you going to be speaking to the
commissioner about it?
Speaker 3 (13:26):
Thesavo, That's what we're talking about this afternoon, katiom. So
you know, again, this is a demand issue, and this
is an issue of other agencies playing their part as well,
and I've made it very clear to all agency CEOs
that that is my expectation and so that will be
around information sharing, it will be around reshaping the public service.
(13:47):
I've also been very clear that Territory Families needs to
be focused on the care and protection of children and
that there are other agencies that need to do the
other work.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
So you reckon in this instance, maybe could other agency
have done a welfare check or is that the job
the police?
Speaker 3 (14:03):
Yeah, potentially. I don't know those details, but what we
know is that we all need to be doing more
to reduce crime overall, so that our police are dealing
with the really important issues and that we're seeing a
lowering of the levels of crime in the first place.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
Now, I do want to ask as well, just as
a follow on from that situation in the CBD, because
I think people are so supportive of the Northern Territory
Police right and we understand that they've got a huge,
huge job on their hands. But even yesterday, my understanding
is that some of the people that were fighting had
hammers wow, And that then when the police turned up.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
I don't know whether all of.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
Those people dispersed or exactly what went on, but nobody
was taken away in the paddy wagon, is my understanding.
So I think this is where the breakdown is starting
to happen as well. Right from the public, we're going, well,
hang on, there can be a huge fight and people armed,
and then it seems like nothing happens afterwards.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
It's rightly or wrongly, that's the perception then.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
From a lot of people where they go, well, how
come some people are breaking the law and there's no
consequence to.
Speaker 3 (15:09):
Us exactly, and that's what we need to be restoring
as consequences. So some of that is legislative reform. Some
of that is, you know, supporting our police to be
doing the things they need to be able to do.
I certainly will follow that up with the Police Commissioner
in my meeting with him today. But you're right, people
who don't meet the community's expectation and who are serious
(15:31):
and violent offenders. This is why we're preparing that law
because we cannot have this. This is totally unacceptable. People
deserve to be saved. And I've said it once, I've
said it a thousand times. We need to do whatever
it takes to restore community safety.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
No, I am jumping around a bit here, so I
do apologize, but just jumping back to domestic violence and
the situation there. We've spoken about this situation last week
as well with Robin Lamley the Independent. We'd also spoken
with just Enter Price, the COLP Senator for the Northern Territory,
and it's sort of been questioned whether we need like
(16:06):
a domestic violence task for so I don't know how
I'm not an expert in this space, so i don't
know how things are currently dealt with, but to have
a woman in that situation is nothing short of heartbreaking,
and it just makes me question the way in which
we are dealing with things and how it may be
approached differently, or how we can listen to those experts
(16:27):
that are maybe calling for some really serious reform and
that needs based funding, and what can potentially be done
to stop this from happening again.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
Yeah, exactly. I know we have an excellent unit within
our police, but again it comes down to that there's
not enough women's shelters. Is there enough support at that
end to be protecting women and children also our work
so we are now commencing work around electronic monitoring of
domestic violence offenders and what we can do there to
(16:56):
better protect victims around knowing where their perpetrator is, police
having oversight of that. So there is a lot of
work that can be done to strengthen this area. It's
what I will talk to my colleagues, federal colleagues about
on Friday as well. But we were very clear around
electronic monitoring for domestic violence offenders, and I'm very keen
to hear from the sector as well as from our police,
(17:17):
because they're different responses. Police response is one thing, but
then sector support is another about how we can strengthen that.
And again we've put that one hundred and eighty million
on the table and so now is now the process
commences of doing things differently to make sure that we're
supporting safer communities.
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